Start with the organization closest to the harm
If money, an account, or a device is currently at risk, contact the affected company through an official route before spending time on a general report. Use the bank’s official app, the number printed on a card or statement, or the service’s website that you locate independently.
Save relevant records privately, such as dates, transaction details, usernames, and screenshots. Avoid placing account numbers, identity numbers, addresses, or verification codes in public posts.
Compare reporting and help routes
Bank or payment provider
Contact it when a payment, card, bank account, or payment-app account may be involved. The provider can explain its own account-protection and transaction-review process. Results vary, and recovery is not promised.
FTC ReportFraud
The Federal Trade Commission accepts consumer reports about scams, fraud, and bad business practices. After a report, the service provides next-step information. Filing does not guarantee an individual investigation or recovery.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
IC3 accepts complaints about cyber-enabled crime. Its official FAQ says people may also file on behalf of another person. IC3 decides how submitted information may be used and may not respond directly to every complaint.
Local police or sheriff
A local agency may accept a non-emergency report. Procedures differ by location. Call 911 only when someone is in immediate physical danger.
Adult Protective Services
State or local APS programs receive reports involving suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of older or vulnerable adults. Eligibility, names, and procedures vary by state.
Legal-aid organization
A legal-aid organization may offer civil legal information, advice, or representation depending on the issue, location, eligibility, and available resources. Help is not guaranteed.
You may use more than one route
A report to one organization does not necessarily replace contacting another. For example, someone who sent money online may contact the payment provider, consider an FTC report, and review whether an IC3 complaint fits. Scrammer’s Help Finder can organize possible routes but cannot choose for you or promise a response.
If you want to limit the personal details in a report, read Can you report fraud anonymously? before choosing a route.
Official sources
- FTC ReportFraudOfficial consumer fraud reporting portal. Last reviewed September 21, 2026.
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint CenterOfficial information about cyber-enabled crime complaints.
- USAGov: Report a CrimeGeneral guidance for emergencies and local reporting.
- CFPB: Elder Abuse ResourcesDirectory of protective-services and support resources.
- Legal Services Corporation: Find Legal HelpDirectory for LSC-funded civil legal-aid organizations.