Where do I report a crypto scam in the United States?

Report online to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at complaint.ic3.gov and to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For investment fraud, also notify the SEC (investor.gov) and the CFTC (cftc.gov/complaint), and file a report with your local police.

How quickly should I report to IC3?

Immediately. IC3's Recovery Asset Team may be able to help freeze funds if a wire or transfer is reported quickly (generally within about 72 hours). Include every wallet address, transaction hash and exchange name.

Can a company recover my stolen crypto for an upfront fee?

No. The FBI and IC3 never phone you to offer fund recovery. Anyone promising to recover your crypto for a fee is a second scam — report them at ic3.gov.

Reporting guide · 🇺🇸 United States

How to report a crypto scam in the United States

Move fast. Reporting online to the FBI's IC3 right away gives law enforcement the best chance to trace and freeze stolen funds — then file with the FTC and alert your bank and crypto exchange.

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Report online — the fastest step

File your report with the FBI's IC3 first — this is the single most important step, and speed matters most in the first hours. Then submit a second report to the FTC; the two feed different law-enforcement databases.

FBI IC3 — file a complaint → FTC — report fraud →

FTC Consumer Helpline: 1-877-382-4357 (1-877-FTC-HELP).

Who to report to in the US

•FBI IC3 — the national hub for internet crime and crypto fraud. File at complaint.ic3.gov.
•FTC — consumer fraud reporting; helpline 1-877-382-4357.
•SEC (Investor.gov) — investment/securities fraud. Check an investment professional at adviserinfo.sec.gov before you ever pay.
•CFTC — crypto is treated as a commodity; tip line 866-366-2382 (866-FON-CFTC).
•Your local police — file a report and keep the report number.
•If your identity or data was stolen: IdentityTheft.gov.

Check before you pay

Before sending money to any "platform" or advisor, verify them. Check whether an investment professional or firm is registered at adviserinfo.sec.gov, and read the SEC's fraud alerts on Investor.gov. A firm that isn't registered is a major red flag.

SEC — Investor.gov fraud center →

Where to get help & support

•FTC — reporting plus recovery steps; helpline 1-877-382-4357.
•IdentityTheft.gov — a free, personalized recovery plan if your data was exposed.

Do this right now

•Stop all contact and send no more money — including "fees" or "taxes" to withdraw.
•Ask your bank and the crypto exchange to attempt a freeze or recall of the transfer.
•Preserve evidence: screenshots, wallet addresses, transaction hashes, the scam website or app.
•Report the scam wallet address on Chainabuse.

US-specific things to know

•Report to IC3 first and fast. Its Recovery Asset Team can trigger a "financial fraud kill chain" to try to freeze transfers — but usually only when reported within about 72 hours.
•Crypto is the largest fraud-loss category in FBI data (over $9 billion a year). Include every wallet address, transaction hash and exchange name.
•The real FBI/IC3 will never call you to help recover funds — a follow-up "recovery" call is a second scam. Only file at ic3.gov.
•File with both IC3 and the FTC (they feed different databases), and notify your exchange and bank to attempt freezes.

⚠️ Beware "recovery" services. Anyone who contacts you promising to get your money back for an upfront fee is almost always a second scam. See the red flags →

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