Why Reporting Matters
Many people don't report scams because they feel embarrassed or don't think it will make a difference. But reporting is one of the most important things you can do:
- It helps law enforcement identify and shut down scam operations.
- It creates data that helps researchers understand new scam trends.
- It can trigger warnings to other potential victims.
- In some cases, it's required to qualify for refunds or insurance claims.
- It may help you get your money back — especially for bank transfer scams.
Reporting in the United States
The US has several agencies that handle scam reports:
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): reportfraud.ftc.gov — the primary agency for consumer fraud. File a report online.
- Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): ic3.gov — for internet-related crimes. Run by the FBI.
- Your state Attorney General — handles state-level consumer protection.
- Forward phishing emails to: reportphishing@apwg.org
- Forward scam texts to: 7726 (SPAM)
- IRS scams: report to the Treasury Inspector General at tigta.gov
Reporting in the United Kingdom
The UK has a centralised system for fraud reporting:
- Action Fraud: actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040 — the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.
- Forward phishing emails to: report@phishing.gov.uk
- Forward scam texts to: 7726
- Report to your bank — UK banks have dedicated fraud teams and many participate in the Contingent Reimbursement Model for bank transfer scams.
- The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC): ncsc.gov.uk — for cyber-related scams.
Reporting in Europe
Each European country has its own reporting system:
- Germany: report to your local police (Polizei) and online at the Internet Crime Complaints Centre of your state.
- France: report online at internet-signalement.gouv.fr and call 0 805 805 817.
- Netherlands: report to the Fraudehelpdesk at fraudehelpdesk.nl or call 088-7867372.
- Spain: report to the Policía Nacional or Guardia Civil, and online at policia.es.
- Europol: europol.europa.eu/report-a-crime — for cross-border crime.
- Your national Consumer Protection authority — search for your country's equivalent.
Also Report to the Platform
In addition to reporting to authorities, report the scam to whatever platform it came through:
- Email providers: Mark the email as phishing (most have this option in the menu).
- Social media: Report the scammer's profile on the platform.
- Dating apps: Report and block the scammer's profile.
- Marketplace sites: Report the listing or seller on eBay, Amazon, etc.
- Phone: Add the number to your block list and report to your carrier.