How to Report Cybercrime in Illinois (and Get Your Money Back)

Quick answer: Report to the federal FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the FTC, AND in Illinois file a Consumer Fraud complaint with the Illinois Attorney General (1-800-386-5438) plus a report to the Illinois State Police or your local police department. But before anything else, call your bank or card issuer now and tell them to freeze the account and try to recall the payment. The faster the money is flagged, the better your odds of getting it back.

What to do in 3 steps

1. Call your bank or card issuer immediately. Phone the number on the back of your card or your bank's fraud line, report the fraud, and ask them to freeze the account, block the card, and attempt a recall or reversal of the payment. If a wire or ACH transfer just left, ask specifically for a SWIFT recall or ACH reversal. Write down the name of who you spoke to and the time you reported it, because the timing decides how much you are liable for.
2. File the federal reports. Report online to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov with every detail you have: amounts, dates, account and wallet numbers, and any phone numbers or emails the scammer used. Then report the scam to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If your personal information or identity was stolen, also file at identitytheft.gov, which builds you a personalized recovery plan and affidavit.
3. File your Illinois reports. Submit a Consumer Fraud complaint to the Illinois Attorney General online or by calling the Consumer Fraud Hotline at 1-800-386-5438 (Chicago); regional lines are 1-800-243-0618 (Springfield) and 1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale), with a Spanish-language line at 1-866-310-8398. Also file a report with the Illinois State Police or your local police department and keep the report or case number, since banks and insurers often ask for it.

How recovery actually works

There is no government fund that simply refunds scam losses, and recovery is never guaranteed. What actually moves money back is your bank acting fast enough to freeze or claw back funds before they are cashed out, so the first hours matter more than anything else. For unauthorized card and electronic transfers, Regulation E and the Fair Credit Billing Act force the bank to investigate and, in most cases, restore the funds once you report promptly. For authorized payments you were tricked into sending, recovery depends on the receiving bank still holding the money, which is why an immediate recall request is critical. Your IC3 and Illinois Attorney General reports do not directly issue refunds, but they create the official paper trail your bank needs, let investigators link your case to larger fraud networks, and occasionally feed into restitution if criminals are caught and prosecuted. Be aware of recovery scams: anyone who contacts you promising to get your money back for an upfront fee is a second fraud, and no legitimate agency operates that way.

What to have ready

• Dates and times of every transaction and of when you first noticed and reported the fraud.
• Exact amounts, currency, and the account, card, wire, or crypto wallet numbers involved.
• The scammer's details: phone numbers, email addresses, websites, social media handles, and any names used.
• Copies of all messages, emails, texts, receipts, and screenshots of the scam.
• Your bank's fraud-report confirmation and the name of the representative you spoke with.
• Any police report or case number from the Illinois State Police or your local department.

Frequently asked questions

Do I report to the FBI or to the Illinois Attorney General?
Both. They serve different purposes. The FBI's IC3 collects internet-crime reports nationally and routes them to investigators, while the Illinois Attorney General's Consumer Fraud Bureau handles complaints under Illinois consumer-protection law and can pursue businesses operating unfairly. Filing with both, plus a local police report, gives your case the widest reach.

I sent money through Zelle or a wire transfer myself. Can I still get it back?
Possibly, but only if you act immediately. Because you authorized the payment, banks are not always required to reimburse you, so your best chance is calling the bank the moment you realize it and asking them to recall or reverse the transfer before the recipient withdraws it. Report it to IC3 and the Illinois Attorney General regardless, as that record supports any dispute.

How long do I have to report unauthorized charges?
As soon as possible. Under Regulation E, notifying your bank of an unauthorized electronic transfer within 2 business days caps your liability at $50; waiting longer can raise it to $500 or, after 60 days from your statement, potentially the full amount. For credit cards, the Fair Credit Billing Act generally limits liability to $50. When in doubt, report immediately.

Sources

• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the 2024 IC3 Annual Report state breakdown.
• FTC ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• FTC IdentityTheft.gov
• Illinois Attorney General: Consumer Fraud Complaint
• Illinois Attorney General: Hotlines and Helplines (Consumer Fraud 1-800-386-5438)
• Illinois State Police

For step-by-step reporting and recovery guides covering other countries, see our cybercrime help hub.