How to report a scam, by country
- Pick your country below for the exact agencies, links, and phone numbers.
- Report even if no money was lost - reports help investigators map and disrupt these operations.
- Reporting is separate from getting money back. For that, contact your bank or card issuer first - see what to do if you've been scammed.
Choose your country
Each guide lists the official place to report, what to have ready, what happens next, and whether you can get your money back.
Not listed? If significant cryptocurrency was involved, the FBI IC3 accepts reports worldwide. Otherwise, search "[your country] report fraud" to find your national agency, and always tell your own bank.
Before you report: what to have ready
A report is far more useful - and faster to file - if you gather the details first. Have these on hand wherever you report:
- What happened, in order - a short timeline of how you were contacted and what you did.
- How you paid and how much - amounts, dates, and the method (card, bank transfer, gift card, crypto).
- Transaction details - reference numbers, account numbers, or cryptocurrency wallet addresses.
- The scammer's details - phone numbers, emails, usernames, website addresses, and any company names used.
- The evidence - screenshots of messages, the website or app, and any receipts. Save these before anything is deleted.
Why reporting matters, even if the money is gone
Most fraud is never reported - agencies estimate only a small fraction of victims ever file. That under-reporting is exactly what the criminals rely on. Your report can help in several ways: it builds the case investigators use to trace and shut down operations, it is often required documentation for a bank or insurance claim, and it adds to the warnings that protect the next person targeted.
Reporting is not the same as recovering money, though. If you are still in the first hours or days after a loss, the most effective step is to contact whoever moved the money - your bank, card issuer, or payment provider. Our guide to what to do if you've been scammed walks through that by payment method. And be wary of anyone who contacts you afterwards promising to recover your funds for a fee - that is the money recovery scam, a second fraud aimed at people who just lost money.
The scale of the problem
Reported fraud losses run into the billions every year across English-speaking countries alone - and because most fraud goes unreported, the true totals are far higher.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do I report a scam?
- Report to your country's national fraud authority - for example ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US, Action Fraud in the UK, Scamwatch in Australia, or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Also tell the bank, card issuer, or payment company that moved the money, because their fraud team is separate from the government. Pick your country above for the exact agencies and links.
- Will reporting a scam get my money back?
- Reporting to an agency rarely returns money on its own, but it is often required for a bank claim and it helps investigators. The faster route to recovery is contacting whoever moved the money - your bank, card issuer, or payment provider - immediately. Some payments, especially card payments and recent bank transfers, can still be reversed.
- Do I report a scam to the police or to an agency?
- In most countries you report fraud to a dedicated national agency rather than walking into a police station. A local police report can still help if you need a crime reference number for your bank or insurer, and in some countries, such as Slovakia, a police criminal complaint is the main route. Your country's page above explains which applies.
- What if the scammer is in another country?
- Still report it in your own country - that is where your bank and consumer protections apply. For cross-border losses, especially involving cryptocurrency, the FBI's IC3 accepts reports from victims worldwide, and within the EU econsumer.gov handles cross-border consumer complaints. You usually cannot report directly to the scammer's country.
- Federal Trade Commission, "New FTC Data Show a Big Jump in Reported Losses to Fraud to $12.5 Billion in 2024," March 2025. US 2024 reported fraud losses.
- UK Finance, Annual Fraud Report 2025 (covering 2024). Over £1.1bn stolen through fraud in the UK in 2024; APP fraud losses of £450.7m.
- National Anti-Scam Centre (ACCC), "Targeting scams: report on scams data and activity 2024," March 2025. A$2.03bn reported lost to scams in Australia in 2024.
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, 2024 Annual Statistical Report. C$643.7m in reported fraud losses in Canada in 2024; CAFC estimates this is 5-10% of the true total.
We compile official reporting routes from government agencies and law enforcement. This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Read about how we research or who we are.