How to Report Cybercrime in Georgia (and Get Your Money Back)
If you were scammed or had money stolen online in Georgia, report to the federal IC3 and FTC, file a complaint with the Georgia Department of Law Consumer Protection Division, and notify local police or the GBI. Most importantly, call your bank right now. Here is the exact order to do it in and how recovery actually works.
Quick answer: Report online cybercrime and financial fraud at two federal sites, the FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov) and the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov). In Georgia, also file a complaint with the Georgia Department of Law Consumer Protection Division (consumer.georgia.gov, 404-651-8600 or 1-800-869-1123) and report to your local police or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Before you do any of that, call your bank or card issuer now, because recovering stolen funds depends on speed.
What to do in 3 steps
- Call your bank or card issuer immediately. Report the unauthorized or fraudulent transaction by phone, ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account or card, and get a reference number. If the money left by wire or push payment, ask the bank to send a recall or SWIFT recall request to the receiving bank. The first 24 to 72 hours matter most, because funds can often only be frozen before a scammer moves them out.
- File the two federal reports. File a complaint at the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, ic3.gov, which routes the case to the FBI and can trigger its Recovery Asset Team to freeze fraudulent transfers. Also report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If your Social Security number or identity was misused, build a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov. Save the IC3 complaint number.
- File in Georgia. Submit a complaint to the Georgia Department of Law Consumer Protection Division at consumer.georgia.gov, or call 404-651-8600 (toll-free in Georgia, 1-800-869-1123). Report the crime to your local police department or county sheriff so there is a local case number; for larger or complex cyber-fraud, Georgia's investigations run through the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and its Georgia Cyber Crime Center (G3C). You can also submit a tip to the GBI at gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online or 1-800-597-8477.
How recovery actually works
There is no single government fund in the United States or in Georgia that automatically returns scammed money. Recovery happens in two ways. First, your own bank may reverse or claw back the transfer, and for unauthorized transactions it is legally required to investigate and refund what the law covers. Second, when you file with IC3 quickly, the FBI's Recovery Asset Team can ask the receiving bank to freeze the funds before they are withdrawn, which works best within roughly 72 hours of the transfer. The Georgia Consumer Protection complaint and a local police or GBI report do not directly refund you, but they create an official record, can support a chargeback or insurance claim, and feed investigations that lead to arrests and, occasionally, court-ordered restitution. Anyone who contacts you afterward promising to recover your money for an upfront fee is running a second scam.
What to have ready
- Dates, times, and the exact dollar amounts of every fraudulent transaction
- Your account, card, or wire confirmation numbers and the receiving account details if you have them
- The scammer's contact information: phone numbers, emails, websites, social media handles, and any crypto wallet addresses
- Screenshots of messages, payment confirmations, and any fake invoices or login pages
- Names and reference numbers from every call you make to your bank
- Your IC3 complaint number and the local police or GBI case number once you have them
Frequently asked questions
Will I actually get my money back? It depends on the type of fraud. For unauthorized transactions, debit and bank transfers under Regulation E, or credit card charges under the Fair Credit Billing Act, the law limits your loss and your bank must refund the covered amount after investigating. For payments you were tricked into sending yourself, there is no guaranteed refund, and recovery hinges on freezing the funds fast through your bank and IC3. In every case, the sooner you report, the better the odds.
Should I report to local police, the GBI, or both? Start with your local police department or sheriff so there is a local case number, and file with IC3 the same day. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and its Georgia Cyber Crime Center handle larger, multi-jurisdiction, or technically complex cyber-fraud, often after local agencies refer a case. Filing with IC3 also routes your report into the system the GBI and FBI use.
Do I really need to file federal and Georgia reports both? Yes. The federal IC3 and FTC reports drive investigation and fund-recovery efforts and feed national data. The Georgia Department of Law Consumer Protection Division complaint and a local police or GBI report create a state-level record, can support a chargeback or claim, and help Georgia authorities spot patterns. They serve different purposes, so file all of them.
Sources
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- FTC ReportFraud
- FTC IdentityTheft.gov
- Georgia Department of Law Consumer Protection Division: File a Complaint
- Georgia Bureau of Investigation: Submit a Tip
- FBI IC3 2024 Annual Report (Georgia figures)
For step-by-step reporting and recovery guides covering other countries, see our cybercrime help hub.