How to Report a Financial Scam

Reporting a scam to the appropriate authorities creates an official record and can contribute to wider investigations, even when individual recovery is not possible.

Information to include

• A clear timeline of events
• Amounts, currencies and payment methods
• Transaction hashes and wallet addresses
• Names, websites, usernames and phone numbers used by the other party

Reporting channels differ by country. In the United States, you can report online fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) and to the Federal Trade Commission (reportfraud.ftc.gov). Outside the United States, your local police and national fraud reporting service are usually the starting point.

Who else to notify

• Your bank or card provider, if money was sent from a bank account or card
• The cryptocurrency exchange or payment platform you used to send funds
• The platform where you met the other party, such as a social network, marketplace or messaging app
• Your national consumer protection or financial regulator, where they accept scam reports

Tips for an effective report

Write events in date order and stick to facts. Attach evidence rather than describing it where possible, and keep a copy of everything you submit along with any reference numbers you receive. If you later find more information, add it to the existing report rather than starting a new one.

Be cautious of anyone who contacts you after you report, claiming to be from an authority and asking for payment to progress your case. Genuine authorities do not charge victims to investigate.

This article is general educational information and is not legal or financial advice.