Think you've just been exposed to a cybercriminal? Here are 8 ways to save yourself and others from being scammed.

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Statistics on the number of fraudulent websites littering the internet are disturbing. In 2020, Google alone recorded over 2 million phishing websites. This means that more than 5,000 new phishing sites appear every day, not to mention those that have escaped Google's detection. In 2021, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported nearly $7 billion in losses due to cybercrime perpetrated through these sites.

What exactly are scam websites? Fraudulent websites refer to any illegitimate website used to trick users into fraud or malicious attacks. Many scammers exploit these bogus websites and download viruses to your computer or steal passwords or other personal information.

Reporting these sites as they are encountered is an important part of the response. In other words, if you see something, say something. Staying silent, even if you avoid becoming prey, allows scammers to set another target.

Maybe you received a suspicious link in an email? Or maybe a weird text message that you didn't click on. Fortunately, many organizations have launched efforts to reduce the threat they pose. Typically, these organizations put fraudulent websites on the radar by collecting and sharing information about them. In some cases, they trigger an investigation into the scammers behind the sites.

Related: Learn how to protect your business against cybercrime

It's free to report a suspicious website you've come across, and it only takes a minute. Here are eight ways to report a suspected fraudulent website to stop cybercriminals and protect yourself and others online.

1. The Internet Crime Complaint Center

IC3, as it is known, is an FBI office that receives complaints from those who have been victims of Internet-related crimes. IC3 defines the Internet crimes it tackles to include illegal activities involving websites. Complaints filed with IC3 are reviewed and investigated by trained FBI analysts.

2. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

CISA, which is an agency of the US Department of Homeland Security, targets a wide range of malicious cyber activity. It specifically requests reports on phishing activities using fraudulent websites. Information provided to CISA is shared with the Anti-Phishing Task Force, a non-profit organization whose goal is to reduce the impact of phishing-related fraud worldwide.

3.econsumer.gov

The econsumer.gov site, operated by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network, is used to report international scams. It is supported by consumer protection agencies and related offices in over 65 countries. A secure version of their site is used by law enforcement to share information about scams.

4. Google Safe Browsing

While Google does not have a mechanism for reporting all varieties of website scams, there is a form for reporting sites suspected of being used for phishing. Reports made through the form are managed by the Google Safe Browsing team. from google