How to Report Cybercrime in the United States (and Recover Your Money)
A clear guide to reporting online fraud in the US: file with the FBI's IC3, why the first 72 hours matter for recovery, and which agencies handle your case.
Quick answer: If you have been scammed or hacked in the United States, report online fraud to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov, tell your bank immediately, and file consumer scams with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Depending on the crime, American victims can also report to the U.S. Secret Service (financial and cryptocurrency fraud), CISA (cyberattacks on organizations), and IdentityTheft.gov (identity theft). Speed is everything — in the U.S., recovery odds are highest in the first 72 hours.
This is the United States reporting guide. The U.S. has no single national scam hotline — you report online to federal agencies and notify your bank. For the full scale of the problem, see our breakdown of the FBI’s IC3 2025 report, which logged a record $20.9 billion in U.S. losses, and our look at why investment scams are now the costliest U.S. cyber fraud.
Report it in 3 steps
- Freeze the money. Call your U.S. bank or card issuer’s fraud line right away and ask them to recall or stop the transfer.
- File with the FBI. Report at ic3.gov with every detail: this puts the FBI’s IC3 Recovery Asset Team on the case. See exactly what to put in an IC3 complaint.
- Add the FTC and police. File consumer scams at reportfraud.ftc.gov, identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, and get a local U.S. police report for your bank and insurer.
How to get your money back in the U.S.
The FBI’s IC3 Recovery Asset Team runs a Financial Fraud Kill Chain that can freeze a fraudulent wire before it’s withdrawn. Unauthorised electronic transfers — payments you never approved — are also covered by Regulation E (the federal Electronic Fund Transfer Act), which limits a U.S. consumer’s liability when you report quickly. Paying by credit card adds the Fair Credit Billing Act protections on top.
Which U.S. agency handles what
- FBI IC3 (ic3.gov) — the central intake for internet-enabled crime and the trigger for the Recovery Asset Team.
- FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov) — consumer scams; feeds the national Consumer Sentinel database.
- U.S. Secret Service — investment, wire and cryptocurrency fraud.
- IdentityTheft.gov (FTC) — a personal recovery plan if your identity or SSN was exposed.
- Your state Attorney General — state consumer-protection complaints.
What to have ready
- Dates, amounts and reference numbers of every transaction
- Bank, card or crypto wallet addresses involved
- Emails, texts, profiles and phone numbers the scammer used
- Any receipts, screenshots or contracts
Frequently asked questions
What is the main site to report cybercrime in the United States? ic3.gov, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center — the U.S. national intake for online crime.
Can I get scammed money back in the U.S.? Sometimes — report within hours and your bank plus the FBI’s IC3 Recovery Asset Team may freeze the funds first.
Is there a national U.S. scam phone line? No single hotline; report online to the FBI (IC3) and the FTC, and call local police for a case number.
Where do I report identity theft in the U.S.? IdentityTheft.gov, the FTC’s identity-theft recovery service.
Sources
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission — Report Fraud
- FTC — IdentityTheft.gov
- U.S. Secret Service
For step-by-step reporting and recovery guides covering other countries, see our cybercrime help hub.