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

Quick answer: Report to the federal channels first, the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and in Texas also file a consumer complaint with the Texas Attorney General and a report with your local police or sheriff. Before you do anything else, call your bank now and tell them to freeze or recall the payment, because the first 24 to 72 hours decide whether the money can be clawed back.

What to do in 3 steps

1. Call your bank or card issuer immediately and ask them to freeze or recall the payment. Use the number on the back of your card or your banking app, report the transaction as fraudulent or unauthorized, and ask them to recall any wire or attempt a Zelle or ACH reversal. Speed is everything: the FBI's Recovery Asset Team can only try to freeze funds while the money is still sitting in the receiving account, usually within about 72 hours. Write down the date, time, and name of who you spoke to.
2. File the official reports. File with the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Then add the Texas layer: file a consumer complaint with the Texas Attorney General at texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection, and file a report with your local police department or county sheriff (many Texas departments take reports online, but you can also call the non-emergency line). Get the police report or case number, because your bank may require it for a fraud claim.
3. If your identity or personal data was exposed, go to IdentityTheft.gov. Visit IdentityTheft.gov to get an FTC Identity Theft Report and a personalized recovery plan, and place a free fraud alert or credit freeze with all three credit bureaus. This matters in Texas, where personal data breaches were one of the most-reported crime types in 2024.

How recovery actually works

There is no automatic refund scheme in the United States. Recovery is a race against time. When you report a still-traceable transfer fast enough, your bank and the FBI's Recovery Asset Team can ask the receiving bank to freeze the funds before the scammer withdraws them. For unauthorized transactions, the federal rules above force your bank to investigate and, in most cases, refund you once you have disputed the charge in writing within the deadlines. For authorized payments you made yourself, banks are not generally required to reimburse you, so the only realistic path is the freeze-and-recall window, which is why calling your bank in the first hour matters far more than any later step. The Texas Attorney General complaint and your IC3 filing do not directly return your money, but they feed investigations, build the evidence record, and can trigger action against the business or pattern involved.

What to have ready

• The exact dates, times, and dollar amounts of every transaction.
• Account, card, and transaction or reference numbers for each payment.
• The recipient details you have: name, bank, account number, wallet address, phone number, or email.
• All messages, emails, texts, screenshots, website links, and phone numbers used by the scammer.
• Your bank fraud-claim reference and the name of the representative you spoke to.
• Your local police report or case number, and your IC3 complaint number.

Frequently asked questions

Do I report to the Texas Attorney General or to the FBI?
Both. The FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov) is the national clearing house for internet-crime complaints and feeds federal investigations and the fund-freeze process. The Texas Attorney General's consumer complaint covers deceptive business practices, scams, and data-privacy issues under Texas law, and is the right state-level channel. Filing with one does not file you with the other, so do both, plus a local police report.

I sent money by Zelle or wire to a scammer. Can I get it back?
Maybe, but only if you act immediately. Because you authorized the payment yourself, banks are usually not legally required to refund it. Your best chance is to call your bank within minutes to hours and ask them to recall the wire or reverse the transfer before the funds are withdrawn, and to file with IC3 fast so the Recovery Asset Team can attempt a freeze.

Someone used my debit or credit card without my permission. Am I protected?
Yes. This is an unauthorized transaction. For debit cards and electronic transfers, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E cap your liability at $50 if you notify your bank within 2 business days (it rises to $500 if you wait longer, so report quickly). For credit cards, the Fair Credit Billing Act lets you dispute the charge and caps your liability at $50, and most issuers waive even that.

Sources

• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Annual Reports (2024 state data for Texas)
• FBI IC3, file a complaint
• FTC, ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• FTC, IdentityTheft.gov
• Texas Attorney General, File a Consumer Complaint
• 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.