How to Report a Scammer: What to Do First and Where to Report

To report a scammer, first protect your money: stop contact, call your bank, card issuer or payment app using the number on your card or in the official app, and change any passwords you shared. Then report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov if it happened online, and to the platform where the scammer contacted you. Outside the US, report to your national fraud agency, such as Action Fraud in the UK or Scamwatch in Australia.

If you’re reading this because you got scammed, take a breath. Scammers are professionals, often working in organized groups with scripts that have been refined on many people before you. Being caught says nothing about your intelligence. What matters now is acting quickly and in the right order, and this guide walks you through it.

What to do in the first hour after you get scammed

The first hour is about limiting the damage. Reporting to agencies matters, but it comes after you’ve protected your accounts, because speed is what gives your bank the best chance of stopping a payment.

1. Stop all contact. Don’t reply, don’t argue and don’t send “one last payment” to release earlier money. Just stop.
2. Call your bank, card issuer or payment app. Use the number on the back of your card, on your statement or inside the official app. Never use a number the scammer gave you or one from a text or email. Say clearly that you’ve been the victim of fraud and ask them to stop, block or reverse the payment.
3. Secure your accounts. If you shared a password, a one-time code or remote access to your computer, change your passwords starting with email and banking, turn on two-factor authentication and sign out of other devices. If someone installed software on your computer, disconnect it from the internet and get it checked. Our guide on what to do if your account was hacked covers the steps account by account.
4. Document everything. Take screenshots of messages, profiles, usernames, phone numbers, email addresses, websites, payment receipts, transaction IDs and crypto wallet addresses. Write a short timeline while it’s fresh, and don’t delete the conversation.
5. Protect your identity if you shared personal details. If the scammer has your Social Security number, ID documents or bank details, place a fraud alert or credit freeze and follow the steps in the next section.

Where to report a scam in the US

You don’t have to pick just one. Each route does something different, and reporting to more than one is normal.

Where to report	When to use it
ReportFraud.ftc.gov	The Federal Trade Commission’s site for reporting almost any scam, fraud or bad business practice. Reports go into a database used by law enforcement to spot patterns and bring cases.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov)	For scams that happened online or through email, text, social media or crypto, including romance, investment, business email compromise and sextortion. Include payment details and wallet addresses.
IdentityTheft.gov	The FTC’s site for when a scammer used or may use your identity. It creates an identity theft report and a personal recovery plan.
US Postal Inspection Service	For scams that used the mail or impersonated USPS, such as fake delivery texts or mail fraud.
Forward the text to 7726	For scam texts. Forwarding to 7726 (which spells SPAM) reports the message to your mobile carrier so it can block similar texts.
Your state attorney general	Most state attorneys general have a consumer protection office that takes complaints, especially about scams involving local businesses.
Local police	Worth doing if you lost money, were threatened, or your bank or insurer asks for a police report.

If your identity was stolen as part of the scam, our guides on what to do if your identity is stolen and the FTC identity theft report explain the next steps in more detail.

How to report a scam in the UK, Canada, Australia and Singapore

Reporting routes change from time to time, so always reach them through an official government or police website rather than a search ad.

• United Kingdom: in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report fraud and cybercrime to Action Fraud, the national reporting service (check the police’s official site for the current name and link, as the service is being modernized). In Scotland, report to Police Scotland. Scam texts can also be forwarded to 7726 in the UK.
• Canada: report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and to your local police if you lost money.
• Australia: report scams to Scamwatch, run by the National Anti-Scam Centre. If you lost money or data through a cybercrime such as hacking or online fraud, you can also report through ReportCyber.
• Singapore: use the ScamShield app and the ScamShield helpline for advice and to report scam calls and messages, and file a report with the Singapore Police Force through its online reporting service.

Wherever you are, contact your bank first. The agency report helps investigators; your bank is the one that can act on the payment.

How to report the scammer’s account on the platform

Reporting to the platform where the scam happened gets the account reviewed and, often, removed before it reaches the next person. Do this after you’ve saved your evidence, because blocking or reporting can sometimes hide the conversation.

1. Report the profile, not just the message. Most platforms let you report both. Choose the option closest to “scam”, “fraud” or “pretending to be someone”.
2. Report every account involved. Scams often use several profiles, such as a fake “manager”, “friend” or “customer support” account.
3. Report the listing or ad if it was a fake product, rental or ticket. Marketplaces and ad platforms have their own reporting buttons.
4. Report the scam website to the company hosting it or to the domain registrar, and report phishing pages through your browser’s reporting tool.
5. Block the account once you’ve reported it, on every app you used together.

Platform-specific steps are in our guides to reporting an Instagram account and a Facebook account. Keep in mind that a platform can remove an account but usually can’t return your money; that’s a job for your bank or payment provider.

How to get money back from a scammer

Honestly: sometimes you can, often you can’t, and how you paid matters more than anything else. Here’s what each payment method typically allows.

How you paid	What you can try
Credit or debit card	Ask your card issuer for a dispute or chargeback. Card payments usually have the strongest protections, especially if you report quickly.
Bank transfer	Report it to your bank as fraud straight away. Banks can sometimes recall a transfer if the money hasn’t left the receiving account.
Payment apps (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, PayPal)	Report the payment in the app and to your bank. Protections vary by app and by whether you authorized the payment, so ask directly what they can do.
Gift cards	Contact the company that issued the card, say it was used in a scam and ask whether the balance can be frozen. Keep the cards and receipts.
Wire transfer or money transfer service	Contact the service immediately and ask for a fraud reversal. Once collected, wires are usually impossible to reverse.
Cryptocurrency	Usually irreversible. Report to the exchange you sent from and to IC3 with the wallet address, in case funds can be traced or frozen.

Ask your bank for a reference number, write down who you spoke to, and follow up in writing if they turn you down. If a bank or card issuer refuses a claim you think is valid, you can escalate through its complaints process.

Beware of “recovery” services

After a scam, many victims are contacted by people offering to get their money back for a fee. They may call themselves lawyers, “asset recovery” specialists, crypto tracers or even government officials, and some find victims through the very reports and forums you post in. Anyone who promises to recover money from a scammer for an upfront fee is, in most cases, running a second scam. Government agencies don’t charge to help you, and no one can promise recovery. Our guide to recovery scams explains how to spot them.

A worked example

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real client. A nurse in Ohio finds an apartment listing online at a good price. The “landlord” says they’re working abroad, can’t show it in person, and asks for a deposit through a payment app to hold it. She pays, gets a set of “keys by mail” promises, then silence. When she drives to the address, someone already lives there.

1. She stops messaging the landlord and screenshots the listing, the messages and the payment confirmation.
2. She reports the payment in the app and calls her bank using the number on her debit card.
3. She reports the listing to the rental site and the landlord’s profile as fraudulent.
4. She files a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and at ic3.gov, and gives her bank the reference numbers.
5. Two days later, someone messages her offering to “trace” the money for a fee. She recognizes a recovery scam, ignores it and reports that account too.

Types of scams: find the guide for your situation

If you know what kind of scam you’re dealing with, these guides go deeper.

By how they reach you

• Vishing: scam phone calls from someone posing as your bank, a company or a government agency.
• Smishing: phishing by text message, with fake delivery, bank and job texts that lead to scam links.
• Phishing emails: messages that pretend to be a trusted company to steal your login, card or money.
• Quishing: phishing through QR codes, from fake stickers on parking meters to codes in emails and letters.
• USPS text scam: fake delivery problem texts that lead to phishing pages.
• Package delivery scam: fake UPS, FedEx or DHL messages about missed deliveries or customs fees.
• Toll text scam: fake unpaid toll messages asking for card details.
• Wrong number text scam: a friendly text meant for “someone else” that opens a long investment scam.
• “You’ve been hacked” email scam: a blackmail email claiming to have recorded you, usually a bluff.
• AI voice cloning scams: a cloned voice of someone you know asking for help.
• Deepfake scams: fake videos of celebrities, executives or family used to push payments or investments.
• Who called me?: how to check an unknown number before you call back.

Fake tech support and brand impersonation

• Geek Squad scam: a fake renewal invoice that pushes you to call a “cancellation” line.
• Microsoft scam: fake virus pop-ups and calls from “Microsoft support” seeking remote access.
• Apple scam: fake iCloud warnings, Apple Pay alerts and calls from “Apple Support”.
• Amazon scams: fake order calls, Prime renewal messages and refund overpayment tricks.

On social media, messaging, gaming and dating apps

• Facebook scams: hacked friends’ accounts, fake giveaways, fake pages and shops that don’t deliver.
• Instagram scams: fake giveaways, investment DMs, brand deals and impersonation accounts.
• WhatsApp scams: “Hi Mom” texts from a new number, requests for your six-digit code, and job or investment groups.
• Telegram scams: fake crypto channels, fake admins who message you first, and paid task jobs.
• Snapchat scams: fake giveaways and shops, sextortion and account-recovery tricks.
• TikTok scams: fake giveaways, shops and brand deals, plus account-recovery tricks.
• LinkedIn scams: fake recruiters, investment connections and phishing InMail.
• Discord scams: fake Nitro gifts, “I accidentally reported you” messages and malicious links.
• Roblox scams: free Robux offers, trading tricks and strangers who move chats off Roblox.
• Steam scams: fake trade offers, “vote for my team” links and fake Steam support.
• Romance scams: a fake relationship that leads to requests for money, gift cards or crypto.
• Tinder scams: fake profiles, “verify yourself” code tricks and chats moved off the app.
• Military romance scams: a fake soldier asking for leave fees, packages or money.
• Sugar daddy scams: promised “allowances” that require you to pay a fee first.
• Sextortion: threats to share intimate images unless you pay. Don’t pay, and get support.

Buying, selling, renting and travel

• Facebook Marketplace scams: fake buyers, fake sellers, overpayments and verification code tricks.
• eBay scams: off-platform payment requests, fake payment emails and false “item not received” claims.
• Etsy scams: fake shops, off-platform payment requests and fake “Etsy” emails.
• Craigslist scams: fake checks, fake rentals and “verification code” requests.
• Rental scams: listings for homes that aren’t available, with deposits requested upfront.
• Airbnb scams: fake listings, requests to pay outside Airbnb and fake guest inquiries.
• Ticket scams: fake or duplicated concert and sports tickets sold online.
• Puppy scams: fake breeder websites and surprise shipping, crate and insurance fees.
• Fake check scams: a check that seems to clear, then bounces after you’ve sent money back.
• How to check if a website is legit: quick checks before you pay an unfamiliar shop.

By how you’re asked to pay

• Zelle scams: fake bank fraud calls and “accidental” payments you’re asked to send back.
• Cash App scams: fake support agents, money “flips” and fake payment screenshots.
• Venmo scams: fake accidental payments and buyers with fake receipts.
• PayPal scams: fake PayPal emails, overpayment tricks and Friends and Family requests.
• PayPal invoice scam: a fake bill sent through PayPal’s real invoicing system, with a number to call.
• Gift card scams: anyone who asks you to pay with gift cards is a scammer.
• Crypto scams: fake trading platforms, “pig butchering” investment schemes and wallet drainers.

Government, money and prize scams

• IRS scams: fake IRS calls, texts and emails that rely on fear.
• Jury duty scam: a caller says you missed jury duty and must pay a fine or be arrested.
• Medicare scams: fake new cards, “free” braces and genetic tests, and calls asking for your Medicare number.
• Student loan forgiveness scams: companies charging fees for help that’s free through studentaid.gov.
• Grandparent scams: a call from a “grandchild” in trouble who needs money urgently and secretly.
• Job scams: fake recruiters and “easy remote work” that ask you to pay fees or move money.
• Investment scams: high, steady returns promised on fake platforms or unregistered deals.
• Timeshare scams: fake buyers and exit companies that demand fees upfront from owners who want out.
• Lottery scams: a “win” in a lottery you never entered, with fees or taxes to release the prize.
• Sweepstakes scams: a car, cash or big-name prize that you have to pay to collect.
• Charity scams: disaster appeals, sound-alike names and fake crowdfunding pages.
• Review extortion scams: fake negative reviews followed by a demand for payment to remove them.
• Recovery scams: the follow-up scam that targets people who’ve already lost money.

For harassment, threats and abuse that go beyond a scam, our help resources page lists reporting routes and support organizations.

When scammers impersonate you or your business

Online scams don’t only harm the person who pays. Scammers regularly steal real people’s photos for fake dating and social profiles, clone small business pages to sell goods that never arrive, and pose as real companies in texts and emails. You may find out when a stranger contacts you, angry about money they sent “you”.

• Report every fake account as impersonation, which platforms usually treat more seriously than a general scam report. Our guide on what to do if someone is impersonating you online covers the routes.
• Warn your audience. Post a note on your real profiles and website saying how you do and don’t contact people, and that you’ll never ask for payment by gift card or crypto.
• Respond kindly to victims. They were deceived too. Point them to the FTC, IC3 and their bank.

If scam complaints, fake profiles or warning posts are now showing up when people search your name or business, our personal reputation management team can help assess what appears and what can realistically be removed or corrected.

Common mistakes after a scam

• Waiting out of embarrassment. Every hour matters for stopping a payment. Banks and fraud teams deal with these cases every day and won’t judge you.
• Calling the number the scammer gave you. Always look up official contact details yourself.
• Deleting the evidence. Save it first, then block.
• Paying to get money back. Upfront fees for recovery are the hallmark of a follow-up scam.
• Posting the scammer’s details publicly with accusations. It can backfire if the name or photo belongs to an innocent person whose identity was stolen. Report instead.

You’re not foolish, and you don’t have to handle this alone

Scams are built to exploit trust, kindness, fear and urgency, which are ordinary human responses. People of every age, education level and profession get scammed, including those who work in security and finance. Feeling ashamed is common, and it’s exactly what scammers count on to keep victims quiet.

Talk to someone you trust: a friend, a family member, your doctor or a counselor. If the loss is affecting your sleep, your relationships or your sense of safety, that’s a normal reaction and a good reason to get support. If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself, contact a crisis line in your country right away; in the US, you can call or text 988.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if I got scammed?

Stop contact, call your bank, card issuer or payment app through official channels, change any passwords you shared and save all the evidence. Then report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, to ic3.gov if it happened online, and to the platform where it started.

Can I get my money back from a scammer?

Sometimes. Card payments can often be disputed, and banks can occasionally recall transfers if you act fast. Payment app protections vary. Wire transfers, gift cards and crypto are much harder and often impossible to reverse. Don’t pay anyone who promises recovery for a fee.

Is it worth reporting a scam if I didn't lose money?

Yes. Reports help agencies track scammers and warn the public, and reporting the account to the platform can get it removed before it reaches someone else.

Will the police or FTC get my money back?

Usually not directly. The FTC doesn’t resolve individual cases, and law enforcement investigations take time and can’t promise recovery. Your bank or payment provider is your best route to getting money back, which is why you should contact them first.

What if the scammer is pretending to be me?

Report each fake account to the platform as impersonation, warn your contacts and followers, and keep records of what you’ve reported. If people who were scammed contact you, point them to their bank and the FTC.