How to Report a Scam Online: Where to Start

To report a scam in the United States, contact the payment provider immediately if money moved, then choose the official online reporting body that fits the incident. Knowing how to report a scammer starts with these routes: the FTC for consumer fraud and IC3 for cyber-enabled crime. Keep receipts and messages so the account explains what happened clearly.

Learning how to report a scammer involves stopping further payments, protecting exposed accounts, recording facts, and informing the appropriate authorities. Start with the action that could prevent another loss. The payment and account response guide explains the practical sequence when a scammer has already received money, passwords, or access to a device.

How to report a scam without delaying urgent action

Pause before replying to another request for money, documents, or account access. Write down what has already happened and contact the financial institution through an established account route. According to the FTC, contact the company used to send the money. Do that promptly rather than waiting until a complete reporting narrative is ready.

Treat an online reporting checklist as a working record, not a reason to delay a call. Start with the payment amount, approximate time, recipient details, and the reason for concern. More documents can be organized afterward. Ask the provider what information it needs next and record the instructions alongside the incident notes.

Where to report a scam online through official routes

Deciding where to report a scam depends on the activity involved rather than the name a caller claimed to represent. A message pretending to come from a bank may involve financial theft, unwanted calls, and identity misuse. Those are separate issues to describe. The following directory identifies official starting points for the most common reporting tasks.

Situation	Official starting point	Immediate parallel action
Consumer deception	FTC reporting portal	Contact the payment provider
Cyber-enabled crime	FBI IC3	Preserve transaction records
US Mail fraud	USPIS reporting routes	Retain envelopes and receipts
Unwanted calls or texts	FCC complaint center	Record the call or message details
Financial service dispute	CFPB complaints	Contact the financial company

Use the directory to decide what each submission should explain. A bank needs payment details and an account protection request. An agency needs the conduct and evidence relevant to its remit. Reusing a factual timeline is sensible, but adjust the opening sentence so each recipient can see why the report belongs there.

Prepare a clear incident timeline

Create a short timeline beginning with the first contact and ending with the latest payment or message. Separate dates that appear on receipts from dates remembered approximately. For example, distinguish an offer received on Monday from a transfer shown on Tuesday’s bank record. That distinction keeps the narrative consistent with the supporting documents.

Use concrete descriptions of actions instead of conclusions about the offender’s identity. A practical opening might identify the promised service, the amount requested, how payment happened, and what later raised concern. Keep accusations separate from observable facts. IC3 asks for accurate, complete information, so a careful account is more useful than an elaborate theory.

Keep payment evidence together

Place each payment receipt beside the corresponding message requesting that payment. Record the currency as well as the amount, and distinguish an attempted payment from one that completed. For multiple transfers, a simple numbered list can prevent confusion. Keep the transaction references exactly as they appear in the original financial records.

Do not combine a promised investment balance with money actually sent when describing a loss. A useful record keeps deposits, withdrawals, fees, and displayed balances in separate columns. This is an organizational method for presenting the transaction information IC3 requests. It also makes later conversations with a bank easier to follow without retelling everything.

Save messages and webpage details

Retain emails, chat transcripts, receipts, and relevant webpages in a secure folder. IC3 specifically recommends preserving original evidence. When preparing a copy for a report, keep enough surrounding context to show the sender, date, and request. A single cropped sentence may make the event harder to explain when compared with the original conversation.

For a website, record the address that appeared during the interaction and connect it to the relevant receipt or message. Separate the business name shown on the page from the domain used to reach it. This helps describe an impersonation without assuming that the genuine business operated the page or received the money.

Use the FTC for consumer fraud reports

The FTC reporting explanation describes a form that asks about the problem, payment, first contact, and what happened. Select the closest applicable category and provide a factual account. If no payment occurred, describe the request instead of inventing a loss. Reporting an attempt can still contribute information about the approach being used.

Before starting, prepare a brief incident summary in a separate document. This is a practical way to keep dates and names consistent while answering form questions. Keep a copy of the final report information afterward. Avoid copying an entire disorganized conversation into every field when a specific question calls for a specific fact.

Report a scam involving internet communications

IC3 accepts reports of cyber-enabled crime, including schemes involving websites, email, and other technology. Use its complaint guidance to prepare the affected person’s details, payment information, suspected offender details, and incident description. The reporting process is separate from the urgent request to a bank to stop or recover a transfer.

After submitting to IC3, save or print the complaint before leaving the confirmation screen. IC3 says that this is the opportunity to retain a copy. Put that copy with the original evidence. If later information changes the account, follow IC3’s instructions for submitting an additional complaint that explains the connection to the earlier submission.

Record phone calls without trusting the display

For a suspicious call, note the date, time, displayed number, claimed organization, and any separate callback number. Describe each detail according to its role. A displayed number and a number dictated by the caller are different evidence. The phone checking guide explains how to assess a call without treating a number as proof of identity.

The FCC complaint center provides routes for unwanted calls, texts, and spoofing issues. Keep the complaint focused on the communication and the relevant telephone details. If the same incident involved payment, make the financial report separately. A telephone complaint should not postpone a conversation with the company that handled the money.

Report postal fraud with the mailing records

The Postal Inspection Service accepts suspected mail fraud reports involving the US Mail, including several kinds of fraudulent solicitations. Retain the envelope, inserts, mailing receipt, and tracking information. Group those records by shipment so the account shows what arrived, what was requested, and whether anything was mailed in response to the solicitation.

Distinguish a suspected fraudulent mailing from an ordinary delivery problem. A package arriving late does not by itself establish deception by the sender. Describe the promise and payment request alongside the mailing details. USPIS provides different routes for postal crime and USPS service concerns, so selecting the right problem helps direct the information appropriately.

Contact the state attorney general

State consumer protection offices are another reporting route, particularly for business conduct affecting residents. Follow the relevant state’s official instructions instead of assuming every office handles complaints identically. California’s consumer protection page, for example, directs readers to a referral table for regulated businesses and explains when its business complaint form is appropriate.

For a state complaint, identify the business details shown on the transaction and describe the connection to the state. Keep correspondence with the company together with the payment records. Ask for an outcome that matches the problem being described. An individual refund request, a licensing concern, and a report of suspected criminal conduct need different explanations.

Escalate a financial service problem through the CFPB

The CFPB complaint process covers products such as bank accounts, cards, and money transfers. The agency recommends trying the company first and submitting important dates, amounts, communications, and supporting documents. Explain the financial company’s handling of the issue, including the requested resolution, instead of submitting only a general description of the original scammer.

Keep the provider’s response beside the original request. If the response addresses a different transaction or overlooks a document, describe that mismatch precisely. A short comparison can organize the complaint: what was reported, what the provider answered, and what remains disputed. This format is an editorial suggestion for presenting the records, not a promise about the outcome.

Ask the payment provider about the specific transaction

According to the FTC, ask the company used for payment whether money can be recovered. Start with the actual method rather than the story used to obtain it. A card purchase, bank transfer, gift card, and cryptocurrency payment require different information. Keep the relevant receipt available so the provider can locate the transaction being discussed.

Write the requested action plainly in the call notes, such as checking whether a transfer can be stopped or opening a dispute about a card charge. Record what the provider says it can do next. Avoid assuming that a general fraud report automatically creates every payment dispute or account protection request needed for the incident.

Describe authorization accurately

When explaining a transfer, separate the scammer’s persuasion from the action taken on the account. State who entered the payment, what was said, and whether anyone obtained credentials or remote access. This is a factual reporting method. It avoids compressing different events into a label that may leave the provider without the details needed to assess them.

If several events occurred, describe them individually. For example, an initial payment entered by the account holder and a later payment made after account access was stolen should appear as separate entries. Keep the sequence tied to available statements and messages. The detailed response guide can help organize the next practical actions by payment method.

Protect accounts after information exposure

According to the FTC, change compromised passwords and enable two-factor authentication when account credentials were shared. Identify the affected account and any other account using the same password. Work from an independently opened app or official website. Keep a short record of changes so later reporting can distinguish the original exposure from the protective steps taken.

If personal information has been misused, the FTC directs people to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. Keep identity misuse separate from the original payment record: list the accounts or activity discovered and the date of discovery. That organization helps when describing several consequences of the same interaction without treating them as one transaction.

Respond to device access concerns

According to the FTC, update security software, run a scan, and address detected problems. Describe the access when contacting affected account providers. Keep the name of any program installed and the instructions the caller supplied as part of the incident record, alongside the related messages and payment demands for reference.

Write down what happened during the session while it is still fresh. Separate actions personally observed from explanations supplied by the caller. For example, distinguish an opened banking screen from a claim that money had moved. Statements and transaction records should be used to check the payment account instead of relying on the caller’s screen demonstration.

Recognize another demand disguised as recovery

According to the FTC, people who lost money may receive offers to recover it for an upfront fee. Treat a new request as a separate incident to assess and document. A caller knowing the earlier payment amount does not establish authority. Record the claimed organization and payment demand before independently checking the supposed agency or business.

Do not fold a later recovery payment into the original transaction without explaining the sequence. Record who requested each payment and what each was supposed to accomplish. This makes the second approach visible in the timeline. Keep contact details for both interactions, even when a new caller claims to represent the same organization involved earlier.

Match the situation to a scam topic

A topic guide can help explain the mechanism behind a suspicious request. For example, OfferUp scam warning signs concern transactions involving a marketplace, while government impersonation involves claims of official authority. Use a topic to understand the behavior, then choose reporting routes based on the payment, communications, and organizations involved in the actual incident.

Avoid treating the familiar name in a message as the identity of the sender. In a report, distinguish the company being impersonated from the account or website making the request. That separation keeps a legitimate organization from being described as the operator of a fraudulent approach simply because its logo appeared in a message.

Choose the relevant country guidance

A person dealing with UK reporting bodies should use the UK scam reporting guide for local routes and payment issues. This homepage focuses on US reporting organizations. For a cross-border event, write down where the affected account is held and where the payment went, using the transaction record rather than assumptions about the caller’s location.

The Canada reporting guide and Australia reporting guide cover their respective national routes. Keep country details separate in an incident summary: the affected person’s location, the provider handling payment, and the recipient information shown on the receipt. A telephone country code alone should not substitute for a documented account of where the transaction occurred.

Help another person prepare a factual report

IC3 permits reports on behalf of another affected person. A helper should distinguish personal observations from information the affected person supplies. Draft the timeline together and have the person review names, dates, and amounts before submission. Keep the person’s own account recognizable instead of replacing it with speculation about how the scheme may have operated.

For a CFPB complaint submitted by a representative, disclose the relationship and follow authorization requirements. A company may require signed written permission before discussing an account with someone else. Keep that permission with the complaint records. Helping organize documents and helping communicate with a provider are different tasks, so clarify which role the helper is taking.

Review confirmations and follow-up requests

Keep reporting confirmations in a separate section of the incident folder, alongside the date and destination of each submission. Add provider case references and promised follow-up dates. This is a practical tracking method for a situation involving several organizations. It prevents a payment dispute from being confused with an agency report about the same event.

When a later message claims to concern a filed report, compare it with the records already kept and verify the sender independently. Do not let a familiar case description replace verification. According to the FTC, recovery scammers may know details of earlier losses. A new demand for payment should be assessed on its own terms.

What to do when the situation is urgent

Call 911 or local police if someone is in immediate danger. IC3 directs time-sensitive concerns to local law enforcement because its complaint review is separate from emergency assistance. Give the immediate facts first: the threat, current location, and conduct causing concern. Save the longer financial timeline for the appropriate follow-up conversation when immediate safety has been addressed.

For an ongoing financial loss, contact the payment provider promptly and explain that further transactions may be at risk. Keep reporting tasks moving after that conversation, using the same checked timeline. The aim is a clear record of the incident and the action requested from each recipient, with original evidence preserved for any later investigation.

A person preparing to report a scam can make a simple cover sheet for the incident folder. Put the payment provider, report destination, and outstanding question on separate lines. This suggested format keeps urgent account actions visible while documents accumulate. It also makes a later conversation easier to resume without searching through every saved message.

Before helping a relative report a scam, agree on the facts that the helper can describe directly. Keep the relative’s recollection separate from the helper’s observations and from the statements shown on receipts. That distinction supports an accurate submission and helps prevent a well-intended explanation from turning assumptions into statements presented as established events.

Someone deciding where to report a scam can finish the preparation by checking that each document belongs to the right incident. Read the timeline against the receipts, then mark the actions already requested from providers. Keep unresolved questions as questions in the working notes. A factual report does not need to speculate about every missing detail.

Fraud losses reported to the FTC, 2020–2025 (billions of US dollars)

Method: annual totals as published by the Federal Trade Commission from Consumer Sentinel reports (press releases for each year; the 2025 total from the FTC's March 2026 testimony). Figures cover losses people reported, not all fraud. FTC, March 2026.

All published company and phone checks

Show all 353 checks, A to Z

Scam types explained

Questions and answers

Does a person need to lose money before reporting?

No. The FTC accepts reports about scams and bad business practices that a person has spotted, including attempts that did not result in payment. A report can describe the approach, the identity used, the payment requested, and any contact details supplied.

Which organization should receive an internet crime report?

The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center accepts reports of suspected cyber-enabled crime. Its form asks about the affected person, transactions, the suspected offender, and what happened. Original evidence should be retained because IC3 does not accept attachments through its complaint process.

Can a bank help after money has already left?

According to the FTC, contact the bank or payment company immediately after discovering the problem and ask whether it can reverse the payment and refund the money. The appropriate request depends on the payment method and the particular facts of the incident. Reporting the matter to an agency does not replace contacting the payment provider.

Is an FTC report the same as a refund request?

An FTC report supplies information that can help the agency build cases and identify patterns. A refund request should also go directly to the company that handled the payment. These actions serve different purposes and can be taken for the same incident.

What records should a person keep?

IC3 recommends retaining original evidence, including receipts, correspondence, transaction records, and copies of webpages. A practical incident folder can separate payment documents from messages and reporting confirmations. Keep the originals secure in case an investigating agency requests them later.

Where should suspected mail fraud go?

The United States Postal Inspection Service accepts reports of suspected fraud involving the US Mail through its official reporting page. Keep envelopes, mailing receipts, tracking details, and the original solicitation. Delivery delays and ordinary service problems have separate USPS help routes.

Who handles unwanted telephone calls and texts?

The FCC Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Center has routes for unwanted calls, texts, and telephone number spoofing issues. If the caller also obtained money, contact the payment provider and submit a fraud report separately, preserving the call details and any messages.

When does a CFPB complaint make sense?

A CFPB complaint concerns a financial product or service, such as a checking account, card, or money transfer. Try contacting the company first. Include the important dates, amounts, correspondence, supporting documents, and a clear account of the problem that needs a response.

How quickly do companies answer CFPB complaints?

The CFPB says companies generally respond within 15 days. Some provide an initial response and a final response within 60 days. Those complaint response periods should not be treated as permission to postpone a bank fraud report or payment dispute.

Can another person help submit a report?

IC3 allows a person to file on behalf of someone affected by cyber-enabled crime. CFPB complaints submitted by a representative require disclosure of the relationship, and a company may require written authorization. Follow the requirements of the particular official reporting route.

What if there is an immediate threat?

Call 911 or local police if someone is in immediate danger. IC3 directs time-sensitive concerns to local law enforcement because complaint review does not provide an emergency response. Preserve threatening messages without continuing a conversation that could increase the danger.

Should a caller offering guaranteed recovery be trusted?

According to the FTC, unsolicited offers to recover earlier losses may seek an upfront fee. A caller may impersonate an agency or a law firm and already know details of the original scam. Verify any recovery claim independently before sending money and avoid paying to release a promised refund.

Can an IC3 submission be updated?

IC3 instructs people with additional information to file a new complaint and explain that it supplements a previous one. Keep a copy of the original submission. A clear reference to the earlier incident helps distinguish an update from an unrelated event.

What happens to original evidence after an IC3 report?

IC3 says the person reporting should retain original evidence securely. It does not collect attachments with complaints. If another agency opens an investigation, that agency may request the records directly, so keep transaction documents and communications after submitting the online form.

Which guidance applies outside the United States?

Reporting bodies and payment protections differ between countries. Use the relevant national guidance for the United Kingdom, Canada, or Australia when those systems apply. A cross-border internet incident may also be reported to IC3, which accepts complaints involving people in other countries.

Sources

What To Do if You Were Scammed · Federal Trade Commission
Frequently Asked Questions · FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
Report a Crime · United States Postal Inspection Service
Submit a complaint · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Center · Federal Communications Commission
Protecting Consumers · California Attorney General
Refund and Recovery Scams · Federal Trade Commission
How To Report Fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov · Federal Trade Commission