United States

Reporting Scams/Fraud in the United States

1. Report to Local Police FIRST – they may be able to recover your money! Do a Google search for your town to find your local police
   • Watch this first to learn how to tell your story to the police – VIDEO
   • You can request a referral to your state cybercrime investigations unit.
   • Read our Victim’s Checklist for how to prepare
2. U.S. FBI – www.IC3.gov
3. U.S. Secret Service – the Secret Service wants to talk to you – use for cryptocurrency related crimes
   • Find the nearest U.S. Secret Service Field Office to you
     https://www.secretservice.gov/contact/field-offices
   • Crypto Scams can also be reported by email to: CryptoFraud@SecretService.gov
   • Victims who require further assistance may call 1-888-813-USSS
   • Deaf and hard of hearing 202-406-5370
4. U.S. Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/?orgcode=SCARS – the FTC will send a copy of your report to the FBI, so you don’t have to bother.
5. SCARS on www.Anyscam.com – for worldwide distribution.

♦ NEVER REPORT YOUR CRIME TO ANY PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT COMPANY – THEY ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN EXPLOITING YOU

Following Up After Reporting

To follow up with the U.S. Secret Service, simply contact them by phone.

Following up with the FBI’s IC3.gov Internet Crime Complaint Center

• You can follow up on an IC3.gov complaint by checking your email for updates and keeping your confirmation number, though the IC3 may not contact you directly unless they have questions.
• If you need to contact them, you can visit the IC3.gov website or reach out to your local FBI field office (though this may not yield any real information, as they will not discuss active investigations).
• Remember that after submission, the complaint is sometimes forwarded to local FBI offices or even law enforcement for investigation at their discretion, and the IC3 itself does not conduct individual investigations. The IC3 unit is strictly a data-gathering and analysis service.

What to do after filing

• Save your confirmation number: Keep your IC3 complaint confirmation number for future reference.
• Check your email: Look for any communications from the FBI or IC3 in your inbox and spam folder.
• Know that direct updates are unlikely: IC3 generally does not provide individual case updates to protect ongoing investigations. You will likely only be contacted if further information is needed.
• Be patient: Investigations can take time.

For more direct follow-up

• Contact the FBI: You can contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) directly through their website or call the public inquiry line.
• Reach out to the local FBI field office: If you believe your case is urgent or your local law enforcement is unresponsive, you can contact the nearest FBI field office.