How to Report Cybercrime in New York (and Get Your Money Back)
If you have been scammed or hacked in New York, here is exactly where to report it and how to try to recover your money: federal IC3 and FTC complaints, the New York Attorney General's consumer fraud complaint, the NY Department of Financial Services, and your local police or NYPD. Includes the bank rules that decide whether you get refunded.
Quick answer: Report the crime to the federal authorities first, at the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Then file a New York complaint with the Attorney General's Consumer Frauds Bureau and, if a New York bank or insurer is involved, the NY Department of Financial Services. Report it to your local police or the NYPD so you have a case number. And call your bank right now to freeze the account and start a dispute, because the clock on getting a refund starts the moment the money leaves.
What to do in 3 steps
- Call your bank or card issuer immediately. Report the transaction as fraud, ask them to freeze the account and recall or stop any pending payment, and request a new card and credentials. For wire or bank transfers, ask specifically about a SWIFT recall or fraud recall. Write down the date, time, and name of who you spoke to. Speed matters more than anything else here, because banks can sometimes claw back funds that have not yet been withdrawn by the scammer.
- File the federal reports. Submit a complaint to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov with every detail you have (amounts, dates, wallet or account numbers, emails, phone numbers). Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If your identity or Social Security number was misused, also file at IdentityTheft.gov to get a personal recovery plan and an official identity-theft affidavit.
- File your New York complaints and a police report. Lodge a consumer complaint with the New York Attorney General's Consumer Frauds Bureau at ag.ny.gov/file-complaint (or call 1-800-771-7755). If a bank, lender, or insurance company licensed in New York is involved, file with the NY Department of Financial Services at dfs.ny.gov/complaint. Report the crime to your local police; in New York City contact the NYPD, and statewide you can also reach the New York State Police Computer Crime Unit. Keep every reference and case number.
How recovery actually works
There is no single button that reverses a scam. Recovery is the result of several parallel tracks. The fastest is your bank: for unauthorized transfers, reporting quickly triggers the bank's legal duty to investigate and, where the law applies, to refund you while capping your liability. For authorized payments you were tricked into making, the bank may still attempt a recall if the receiving account has not been emptied, which is why calling within hours matters. The IC3 report feeds the FBI's Recovery Asset Team, which in some cases can freeze funds still sitting in a domestic bank account before they vanish overseas. The Attorney General and DFS complaints do not directly refund you, but they create an official record, can prompt the company to act, and feed enforcement that protects others. Document everything, meet every deadline your bank gives you in writing, and escalate to a regulator if the bank stalls or denies a clearly unauthorized claim.
What to have ready
- Dates, times, and exact dollar amounts of every fraudulent or disputed transaction.
- Account numbers, card numbers, and any wire, ACH, or crypto wallet details involved.
- The scammer's contact details: phone numbers, email addresses, websites, social media handles, and any names used.
- Screenshots and copies of all messages, emails, payment receipts, and confirmation pages (keep originals, submit copies).
- A written timeline of what happened, in order, including when you first noticed the loss.
- Reference numbers from your bank, IC3, the FTC, and any police report.
Frequently asked questions
Will the New York Attorney General or DFS get my money back directly? Usually not directly. Their role is to investigate, mediate with the company, and enforce consumer-protection law. Your refund most often comes from your bank or card issuer under federal dispute rules. File the regulator complaints anyway, because they add official weight and can break a stalemate with a New York institution.
How fast do I have to report to my bank? As fast as possible. Under federal Regulation E, notifying your bank within 2 business days of learning about an unauthorized electronic transfer caps your liability at $50; waiting longer can raise it to $500 or, after 60 days from your statement, expose you to much larger losses. For credit cards, dispute unauthorized charges promptly under the Fair Credit Billing Act.
I sent the money myself after being tricked. Is it hopeless? No, but it is harder. Authorized push-payment scams are not automatically covered by the unauthorized-transfer refund rules. Call your bank immediately to attempt a recall, file with IC3 so the FBI Recovery Asset Team can try to freeze the funds, and complain to DFS if a New York-regulated bank mishandled your case. Acting within hours gives you the best chance.
Sources
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the 2024 IC3 Annual Report (New York state figures).
- New York State Attorney General: File a Complaint (Consumer Frauds Bureau).
- New York State Department of Financial Services: File a Complaint.
- New York State Police: Computer Crimes.
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission: IdentityTheft.gov.
For step-by-step reporting and recovery guides covering other countries, see our cybercrime help hub.