Resources & Reporting
If you've encountered a scam or been victimized, here's where to report it and get help.
If You've Been Scammed
Act quickly:
- Stop communication — Don't respond to the scammer
- Call your bank immediately — If you sent money or shared bank details
- Change passwords — If you shared any login credentials
- Place a fraud alert — Contact credit bureaus if personal info was shared
- Report it — File reports with the agencies below
Report Scams — United States
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The primary agency for reporting scams, fraud, and bad business practices.
- reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Phone: 1-877-382-4357
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Report internet crimes, including online scams, phishing, and fraud.
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
Report IRS impersonation scams specifically.
- treasury.gov/tigta
- Phone: 1-800-366-4484
US-CERT (Phishing)
Report phishing emails to the cybersecurity agency.
- us-cert.gov/report-phishing
- Email: phishing-report@us-cert.gov
Credit Bureaus — Place Fraud Alerts
If your personal information was compromised, place fraud alerts on your credit reports:
Placing an alert with one bureau will notify the others.
Report Scams — United Kingdom
Action Fraud
The UK's national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre.
- actionfraud.police.uk
- Phone: 0300 123 2040
National Cyber Security Centre
Report suspicious emails to the NCSC.
- ncsc.gov.uk
- Email: report@phishing.gov.uk
Citizens Advice
Get help and advice if you've been scammed.
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams
- Phone: 0800 707 6660
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Check if an investment company is authorized and report investment scams.
- fca.org.uk/consumers/scamsmart
- Phone: 0800 111 6768
General Safety Tips
Before clicking links:
- Hover over links to see the actual URL
- Check for misspellings (amaz0n.com, app1e.com)
- Be suspicious of URL shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl)
- When in doubt, go directly to the website by typing the address
Before sharing information:
- Ask yourself: did I initiate this contact, or did they?
- Legitimate companies don't ask for passwords via email
- Government agencies don't make threats over email or phone
- When in doubt, call the organization directly using official contact info
Before sending money:
- No legitimate business asks for gift cards
- Wire transfers are irreversible — treat them like cash
- Cryptocurrency payments are nearly impossible to reverse
- If someone is rushing you to pay, it's likely a scam
Additional Resources
Stay Safe Online (US)
Cybersecurity tips and resources from the National Cyber Security Alliance.
AARP Fraud Watch Network
Resources specifically for older adults (US).
- aarp.org/money/scams-fraud
- Phone: 1-877-908-3360