Reporting Scams & Cybercrime
Reporting a scam helps you, by creating a record and sometimes recovering money, and it helps others, because investigators use reports to track down criminals and warn the public. Report even if you didn’t lose money, and act fast if you did.
- Everyone
- Small businesses
Photo: person filling out a fraud report online with screenshots saved
If you lost money: act fast
- Call your bank or card issuer immediately. Ask them to stop, recall or dispute the payment.
- Contact the payment service you used: payment app, wire service, gift card company or crypto exchange.
- Then file the reports below.
Where to report
| What happened | Where to report |
|---|---|
| Most scams and fraud | Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov |
| Internet crime, hacking, ransomware, business email compromise, crypto fraud | FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov |
| Identity theft | IdentityTheft.gov, for a recovery plan and report |
| Scam text messages | Forward to 7726 (SPAM) |
| Phishing emails | Forward to reportphishing@apwg.org and use your email’s “Report phishing” button. See Phishing |
| Fraud against older adults | National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-372-8311. See Elder Fraud |
| Fake accounts, profiles and listings | The platform (social media, dating app, marketplace) |
| Threats, extortion, or a child in danger | Local police or 911; child exploitation also to the NCMEC CyberTipline |
| Your state | Your state attorney general’s consumer protection office |
Save the evidence
- Screenshots of messages, profiles, websites and ads
- Phone numbers, email addresses, usernames and website addresses
- Payment records: receipts, transaction IDs, gift card numbers, crypto wallet addresses
- Dates and times of contact
- Names the scammer used
Don’t delete conversations until you’ve saved them.
After reporting
- Change passwords and turn on two-factor authentication. See If an Account Is Hacked.
- Watch bank and credit statements.
- Beware of recovery scams: people who contact you claiming they can get your money back for a fee, or who pretend to be from the FBI or FTC. Government agencies don’t charge to help.
At work
Report suspicious emails, texts and payment requests to your supervisor or IT contact right away, even if you clicked. Quick reporting can stop a payroll or invoice scam. See Cybersecurity for Small Contractors.
Standards & references
Last updated: