New app from the BBB to report schemes or fraud in your area

(WJBK) - Spot a business deal or offer that sounds too good to be true? Does it sound like an illegal scheme or fraud? There's an app to report that, now.  Better Business Bureau Eastern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula has launched a new program called Scam Tracker, which can help protect consumers in the state from various types of fraud sweeping the country.

VIDEO: Melanie Duquesnel, President and CEO from the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Michigan joins us on this Money Monday segment to tell us more about the app.

LINK: Scam Tracker is accessible through the Better Business Bureau Website.

Located on the BBB Eastern Michigan and the U.P. website, there are two principal elements in Scam Tracker: tracking and reporting. The web page consists of an interactive map of the continent with scam hotspots.   Consumers and businesses will see numbers of scams in those areas, and when clicked, will rank swindles broken down by zip codes. This allows you to zoom in to your city or neighborhood, to see what your family, friends, neighbors and other consumers in Connecticut are reporting.

The current number of reported scams is shown at the top of the page. Scam Tracker is a new initiative and the numbers grow daily to reflect a growing interest in the program.

The features rely upon consumers clicking on "Report a Scam" and entering information about fraud attempts. No personal information is published in Scam Tracker. In fact, when you submit the information, Better Business Bureau reviews it to remove any personal information that may have been entered.

The information collected through Scam Tracker allows sharing of its data with law enforcement and regulators, while providing consumers with the latest scam trends. Better Business Bureau is working with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to see how the data can be used to help consumers and businesses on a national scale, by revealing what types of fraud are evolving or returning. The ultimate aim is to locate and prosecute the perpetrators.