How-to
How to report a scammer or a cyber attack
Reporting gives you a reference number for your bank and insurer, and lets police link your case to others. Which office takes the report depends on where you live. Gather the evidence first, then file with the right agency below. If you lost money, call your bank or payment service before anything else.
When you need this
- You lost money to an online scam, fake shop, investment or romance scam, or a tech support scam.
- Someone hacked your account, encrypted your files with ransomware, or is extorting you.
- Your bank or payment service asks for a police or government report reference.
United States
Written for US federal reporting sites in a desktop browser on Windows (2026-10-03). Steps checked against ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov on October 3, 2026.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police first.
Write down what happened: dates, amounts, how you paid, transaction IDs, and the scammer's names, emails, phone numbers, websites and wallet addresses.
Save the evidence: screenshots, emails with their full headers, chats and receipts.
File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov, using File A Complaint.
IC3 takes cyber-enabled fraud, scams, hacking and ransomware. File even if you are not sure your case qualifies.
Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If your identity was stolen, also report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan.
IC3 cannot answer every complaint and will not contact you itself; reports are passed to FBI field offices and other law enforcement. The FTC shares reports with over 2,000 law enforcers but does not resolve individual cases.
Crimes against children go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; terrorism threats go to tips.fbi.gov.
Sources
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (read October 3, 2026)
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov (read October 3, 2026)
- FTC Consumer Advice: What To Do if You Were Scammed (read October 3, 2026)
United Kingdom
Written for UK reporting services in a desktop browser on Windows (2026-10-03). Steps checked against reportfraud.police.uk and NCSC guidance on October 3, 2026.
Report Fraud has replaced Action Fraud for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If a crime is happening now, call 999.
Gather the details and evidence: dates, amounts, payment references, the scammer's contact details, screenshots and messages.
Open reportfraud.police.uk and start a report with the online tool.
It is open day and night. You can register, which lets you save the report, track it and add information later, or continue as a guest.
Answer the questions about what happened and submit.
Keep the crime reference number you get at the end.
By phone: 0300 123 2040, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm (from abroad +44 300 123 2040). A business, charity or organisation under a live cyber attack can call this number 24 hours a day.
Scotland: report to Police Scotland on 101.
Your report is assessed and passed to a police force if there are lines of enquiry. Report Fraud can also refer you to Victim Support.
Scam emails that did not cost you anything go to the NCSC instead: see report a phishing email.
Sources
- Report Fraud: Guide to reporting cyber crime & fraud (read October 3, 2026)
- NCSC: Report a scam email (read October 3, 2026)
EU countries
Written for national police reporting sites listed by Europol, in a desktop browser on Windows (2026-10-03). Steps checked against Europol's reporting page on October 3, 2026.
Each EU country has its own police reporting channel. Europol keeps one list of them.
Open Europol's Report cybercrime online page.
Click your country to go to its police reporting website or email address.
File the report with your evidence and keep the reference number.
Where a country has no online option, Europol advises reporting at your local police station.
Europol's list is not always current; for the UK it still points to the old Action Fraud address. If a link does not work, use your national police website.
Sources
- Europol: Report Cybercrime online (read October 3, 2026)
If the steps did not help
Beware of "fund recovery" offers after you report
- Scammers impersonate the IC3, the FTC and police. The IC3 does not work with law firms or crypto recovery services and will never contact you directly for information or money.
- The FTC will never tell you to move money to protect it, withdraw cash or buy gold.
- Anyone who promises to recover your money for an upfront fee is very likely running a second scam. Report them the same way.
Do these alongside the report
- Ask your bank or payment service to reverse the payment: what to do after paying a scammer.
- Secure the accounts involved: turn on two-step verification.
- If your Social Security number was exposed, freeze your credit.
- If files were encrypted, see ransomware: first steps.
Questions
Should I report to the IC3 or the FTC?
Both, if you are in the US. IC3 is the FBI's intake for cyber-enabled crime; the FTC collects scam and fraud reports into a database used by law enforcement. Neither recovers your money directly, so contact your bank too.
Will the police get my money back?
Usually not directly. Reports help investigations, and in some cases the FBI has frozen stolen funds, but your fastest chance of a refund is your bank, card issuer or payment service.
Is Action Fraud still the place to report in the UK?
No. Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk, 0300 123 2040) replaced it for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.