Where to report a scam
If you've lost money, the first call is to the company you paid through: speed matters more than anything else. Then report it, which helps law enforcement spot patterns and warn others. Here's who to contact in the US, in a sensible order.
| Who | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1Your bank, card issuer or payment app | Money left your account, or you paid by card, transfer, wire or app | Call the number on your card or in the official app. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment. |
| 2The gift card company | You paid with gift cards | Call the number on the back of the card. Keep the cards and receipts. |
| 3ReportFraud.ftc.gov | Almost any scam, fraud or bad business practice | The Federal Trade Commission shares reports with law enforcement. |
| 4IC3.gov | Scams that happened online, including crypto and investment fraud | The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. |
| 5IdentityTheft.gov | Someone used your personal information | Get an identity theft report and a step-by-step recovery plan. |
| 6Equifax, Experian and TransUnion | Your Social Security number or identity was exposed | Freeze your credit for free at each bureau, or place a fraud alert. |
| 7National Elder Fraud Hotline | The person scammed is 60 or older | 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), run by the US Department of Justice. |
| 8Your state attorney general | Scams by local businesses, or to add a state report | Most have an online consumer complaint form. |
Type these web addresses yourself or search for the official site. We're not affiliated with any agency or company listed.
For specific scams
- Scam texts: Forward them to 7726 (SPAM), then delete
- Social Security impostors: oig.ssa.gov
- IRS impostors and tax identity theft: IRS.gov, search "report phishing" or "identity theft"
- Mail fraud: The US Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov
- Investment fraud: The SEC at sec.gov/tcr and FINRA
- Unwanted robocalls: DoNotCall.gov
Beware of "recovery" offers
After a scam, people are often contacted by someone offering to get their money back for a fee, sometimes claiming to be a lawyer or a government agency. That's very likely a second scam. Government agencies don't charge to help you, and no one can guarantee to recover lost money. See what to do if you paid a scammer.