How to Report Cybercrime in California (and Get Your Money Back)
If you were scammed or hacked in California, report federally to the FBI's IC3 and the FTC, and at state level to the California Attorney General and local police. Here is the order that protects your money.
Quick answer: report FEDERALLY to the FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov) and the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov), AND in California to the state Attorney General consumer complaint (oag.ca.gov/report) and your local police; call your bank now.
What to do in 3 steps
- Call your bank or card issuer right now. Use the number on the back of your card. Ask them to freeze the account, block the card, dispute the charges, and try to recall any pending transfer. Reporting fast is what triggers your strongest federal protections, so do this before anything else.
- Report federally and at the state level. File with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Then file a California consumer complaint with the Attorney General at oag.ca.gov/report, and report to your local police or county sheriff (you may need their report number for your bank and your insurer). The Attorney General also advises telling your local district attorney or city attorney if a business defrauded you.
- Escalate, and lock down your identity. If your personal information, Social Security number, or accounts were exposed, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized federal recovery plan, and place a free fraud alert or credit freeze with the three credit bureaus. Keep escalating with your bank in writing if it refuses to refund an unauthorized transfer.
How recovery actually works
The honest picture is that recovery depends almost entirely on how the money left your account. If a criminal moved funds without your permission, federal Regulation E (for debit cards and bank transfers) and the Fair Credit Billing Act (for credit cards) put the burden on your bank: report an unauthorized electronic transfer within two business days and your liability is capped at $50, and credit-card chargebacks can reverse fraudulent charges entirely. The gap is authorized transfers. If a scammer manipulated you into sending a Zelle payment, a wire, gift cards, or cryptocurrency yourself, the law treats it as a payment you made, and banks frequently decline to refund it. That is why calling your bank within minutes to recall or freeze a transfer, and reporting to IC3 fast so funds can sometimes be frozen downstream, matters far more than any later complaint.
What to have ready
- Dates, times, and dollar amounts of every transaction, plus the account or card used
- The scammer's contact details: phone numbers, emails, websites, social profiles, and any wallet addresses
- Bank and payment-app reference or dispute numbers, and any recall confirmation
- Screenshots of messages, payment confirmations, and receipts
- Your local police or sheriff report number
- Your IC3 complaint number once you file at ic3.gov
Frequently asked questions
Where do I report in California? File a consumer complaint with the California Attorney General at oag.ca.gov/report, report the crime to your local police department or county sheriff, and consider notifying your county district attorney or city attorney if a business was involved. Do this in addition to the federal IC3 and FTC reports, not instead of them.
Will I actually get my money back? Often yes for unauthorized debit or credit-card transactions, because federal law makes the bank responsible if you report quickly. For payments you were tricked into sending yourself (Zelle, wire, crypto, gift cards), recovery is much less likely, so speed in contacting your bank is critical.
Do I have to report to the police if I already filed with IC3? Yes, file both. IC3 is the federal intake for the FBI, but a local police or sheriff report is frequently required by your bank, card issuer, or insurer, and it creates the official record you may need to dispute charges or prove identity theft.
Sources
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) - ic3.gov
- FTC Report Fraud - ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- FTC IdentityTheft.gov - identity theft recovery plans
- California Attorney General - file a consumer complaint
- California Attorney General - consumer protection and identity theft resources
- CFPB Regulation E (12 CFR 1005.6) - consumer liability for unauthorized transfers
For step-by-step reporting and recovery guides covering other countries, see our cybercrime help hub.