How to Report Online Scams in the U.S.

Reporting a scam will not always get your money back, but it matters more than most people realise. Federal agencies use complaint data to identify patterns, build cases, and coordinate enforcement that stops scammers from harming more people. Some FTC enforcement actions have resulted in refund programs for affected consumers. Your report is part of that process.

This guide tells you exactly which agency to contact for each type of scam, what phone numbers to call, and what to expect after you file.

Primary Federal Agencies: Where to Start

Most people should start with the FTC. For significant financial losses, also file with the FBI IC3.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

What they handle:

• Identity theft
• Phishing and online scams
• Investment fraud
• Business scams
• Romance scams
• Tech support scams
• Fake charities
• Robocalls and telemarketing fraud
• Credit and debt scams
• Prize and lottery scams

How to report:

• Online: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• Phone: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)

What to expect: The FTC does not investigate individual cases or intervene directly in disputes between consumers and businesses. Instead, reports are used to spot trends and patterns, build cases against large-scale fraud operations, issue consumer alerts, and support other law enforcement investigations. You will not receive a personal follow-up in most cases, but your report contributes to enforcement actions that affect many people.

For identity theft specifically: Use IdentityTheft.gov to file an identity theft report, get a personalised recovery plan, generate letters to creditors and credit bureaus, and access pre-filled forms and checklists. This creates an official FTC Identity Theft Report you can use to dispute fraudulent accounts and charges.

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

What they handle:

• Business Email Compromise (BEC)
• Ransomware attacks
• Online extortion
• Investment fraud (crypto, stocks, forex)
• Romance scams with significant financial loss
• Tech support scams
• Phishing schemes
• Any internet-facilitated crime

How to report:

• Online: IC3.gov

What to expect: The IC3 is a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. They analyse and share complaint data with law enforcement agencies nationwide. Complaints involving large financial losses, organised criminal networks, or crimes affecting multiple victims are more likely to receive direct investigative attention.

When to use IC3: File with IC3 if you lost a significant amount of money, the scam involved sophisticated tactics or appeared to be part of an organised operation, the fraud crossed state or international borders, or you have also filed a local police report.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)

What they handle:

• Mail fraud
• Phishing involving USPS impersonation
• Fake check schemes received by mail
• Lottery scams sent by mail
• Identity theft via stolen mail
• Fraudulent use of the mail system

How to report:

• Online: USPIS.gov/report
• Phone: 1-877-876-2455

When to use USPIS: Report here if the scam involved the U.S. mail system, you received fraudulent checks or money orders by mail, scammers are using a P.O. Box, or the scam impersonated USPS. The Postal Inspection Service has federal law enforcement authority and actively investigates mail fraud.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

What they handle:

• Illegal robocalls
• Telemarketing fraud
• Caller ID spoofing
• Text message scams (smishing)
• Do Not Call Registry violations

How to report:

• Online: ConsumerComplaints.fcc.gov
• Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)

When to use FCC: Report here if you received illegal robocalls or robotexts, your caller ID showed false information (spoofing), or you received calls despite being registered on the Do Not Call Registry.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

What they handle:

• Banks, credit unions, and credit card companies
• Mortgage lenders and student loan servicers
• Debt collectors
• Credit reporting agencies
• Payday lenders and money transfer services

How to report:

• Online: ConsumerFinance.gov/complaint
• Phone: 1-855-411-CFPB (1-855-411-2372)

What to expect: The CFPB forwards complaints to the company involved and requires a response within 15 days. You will receive updates about your complaint and the company's reply. This is one of the few reporting channels that creates direct accountability from the named company.

When to use CFPB: Report here if the scam involved a financial institution, bank, lender, or debt collector, or if credit reporting errors resulted from fraud.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

What they handle:

• Investment fraud and Ponzi schemes
• Stock manipulation
• Cryptocurrency investment scams
• Unregistered securities
• Broker and investment adviser fraud

How to report:

• Online: SEC.gov/tcr (Tips, Complaints, and Referrals)

When to use SEC: Report here if the scam involved stocks, bonds, or investment opportunities, or if cryptocurrency was framed as an investment product.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

What they handle:

• Commodity and futures trading fraud
• Cryptocurrency trading scams
• Binary options fraud
• Foreign currency (forex) trading scams

How to report:

• Online: CFTC.gov/complaint

When to use CFTC: Report here if the scam involved trading on commodities, futures, forex, or cryptocurrency trading platforms specifically.

State and Local Agencies

State Attorney General Consumer Protection Division

State AGs often have more direct authority to act on local fraud than federal agencies. They can bring lawsuits against scammers, issue subpoenas, negotiate restitution, and shut down fraudulent businesses operating within the state. Many state AGs have recovered millions of dollars for scam victims through enforcement actions.

How to report: Find your state's consumer protection office at usa.gov/state-consumer or through the National Association of Attorneys General.

Local Police Department

When to file a local police report:

• You lost a significant amount of money
• The scammer has your personal information
• You need an official report for an insurance claim
• Your bank requires a police report to process a fraud dispute
• The scam involved threats or blackmail

Visit your local police station or call the non-emergency line. Always ask for a report number, which you will need for any follow-up with financial institutions.

Reporting by Scam Type

Romance scams

1. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
2. FBI IC3: IC3.gov (especially if money was lost)
3. The dating platform or app where contact was made
4. Social media platform if that is where the scammer contacted you

Tech support scams

1. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
2. FBI IC3: IC3.gov (if you paid or gave remote computer access)
3. Microsoft impersonation: microsoft.com/reportascam
4. Apple impersonation: [email protected]

Cryptocurrency scams

1. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
2. FBI IC3: IC3.gov
3. SEC: SEC.gov/tcr (investment fraud framing)
4. CFTC: CFTC.gov/complaint (trading platforms)
5. The cryptocurrency exchange where the transaction occurred

Business Email Compromise

1. FBI IC3: IC3.gov (BEC is a major FBI priority)
2. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
3. Your bank immediately if wire transfers were sent

For BEC specifically, report within 24 to 48 hours. The FBI can sometimes work with international partners to freeze funds if notified quickly enough.

Government imposter scams

Online marketplace fraud

Report directly to the platform (eBay Resolution Center, Amazon reportabuse, Facebook Marketplace reporting tools, Craigslist flagging), then file with the FTC and your local police if money was lost.

Job and employment scams

1. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
2. FBI IC3: IC3.gov (especially for fake check schemes)
3. The job site where the listing appeared (Indeed, LinkedIn, etc.)

Charity scams

1. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
2. Your state attorney general
3. IRS (for tax-exempt organisation fraud): irs.gov/charities-non-profits

Reporting to Payment Services

If you sent money through a payment app or service, report to that platform immediately alongside your other reports. Speed matters significantly for any chance of recovery.

Reporting Phishing Emails and Texts

• Phishing emails: Forward to [email protected] and to the company being impersonated. Also forward to [email protected].
• Scam texts: Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM) on most carriers.
• Gmail: Use the "Report phishing" option in the three-dot message menu.
• Outlook: Mark as Junk, then Phishing.
• Yahoo: Forward to [email protected].

What to Include in Your Report

The more specific your report, the more useful it is to investigators. Before filing, collect:

• Scammer's contact details
• Dates and times of all contact
• Exact amounts lost and how you paid (credit card, wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency)
• Screenshots of emails, texts, websites, and social media messages
• Transaction records and payment confirmations
• Any contracts, agreements, or documents they sent you