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If a cryptocurrency scam is still taking money, stop the transfers immediately, preserve every record, and report the incident through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), the FTC, the appropriate securities or commodities regulator, your state authorities, and the exchange involved. Use only independently verified government and company websites; do not pay anyone who promises recovery.
Start at ic3.gov and choose File a Complaint. Report quickly even if you are unsure of every detail or did not lose money. IC3 says it accepts reports with incomplete transaction information, while its form does not accept attachments, so keep original files securely and paste the important facts into the form.
What to do in the first hour
Stop the loss
Do not send another payment, cryptocurrency transfer, “tax,” release fee, verification deposit, or recovery charge. Scammers often claim that one more payment will unlock a withdrawal or recover an earlier loss. Paying usually increases the loss.
Do not warn the suspected criminals that you are reporting them. An alert can prompt them to delete accounts, move funds, change wallet addresses, or intensify pressure. Save the conversation and let investigators or the exchange decide whether contact should continue.
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The FBI’s cryptocurrency-investment-fraud guidance says to stop sending money and report through IC3. It also warns that the FBI will not ask you for money or move an investigation to a private messaging application. Read the guidance at fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/cryptocurrency-investment-fraud.
Secure accounts and devices
- Contact your bank or card issuer through the number on the card or its official website and ask whether a transfer, card charge, or wire can be stopped or recalled.
- Tell the legitimate cryptocurrency exchange or wallet provider that an account may be compromised. Use a support page you navigate to yourself, not a link or telephone number supplied by the person who contacted you.
- Change passwords from a clean device, beginning with your email account. Turn on multifactor authentication and revoke unfamiliar sessions or connected applications.
- If you installed remote-access software at the scammer’s direction, disconnect the device from the internet and have it checked before using it for financial accounts.
Preserve evidence before deleting anything
Save screenshots and original files before blocking accounts or uninstalling applications. Keep a separate copy in a secure location. Evidence that seems minor can connect the identity, infrastructure, payment path, and timing of a larger investigation.
How to file an FBI IC3 complaint
IC3 is the FBI’s primary online intake for internet-enabled crime, including cryptocurrency fraud. The form creates a complaint for analysis and possible investigative leads; it is not a guarantee of an immediate investigation or a refund.
- Go directly to ic3.gov and select File a Complaint. Check the address in your browser before entering personal information.
- Enter your contact information accurately so investigators can reach you. Include a safe telephone number and email address that you monitor.
- Describe what happened in chronological order: how the first contact occurred, what was promised, when payment was requested, how you sent funds, and what happened after each transfer.
- List every transaction you can identify, including the asset, amount, blockchain or network, sending and receiving wallet addresses, transaction hash or ID, date and time, exchange or ATM used, and the bank or card that funded it.
- Identify the people, accounts, and services involved: names or aliases, phone numbers, email addresses, social-media profiles, Telegram or WhatsApp handles, claimed company names, domains, application names, and QR codes.
- Submit the complaint even if one or more transaction details are missing. IC3’s public service announcement says to report with incomplete information rather than wait for a perfect record.
- Save the complaint confirmation and any reference number. Update your own case log if an agency later contacts you.
IC3’s form does not accept attachments. Paste the key facts and identifiers into the narrative, then retain the unaltered screenshots, exports, emails, and documents in your secure evidence file. The IC3 FAQ explains this handling at ic3.gov/Home/FAQ, and its cryptocurrency-fraud notice is at ic3.gov/PSA/2023/PSA230824.
When to contact a local FBI office
If the loss is substantial, a threat is immediate, or you have information that needs direct attention, you may also contact your local FBI field office. The online IC3 report remains the central intake for the cyber-enabled conduct. Call emergency services instead if there is an immediate physical danger.
Which federal agencies should receive a report?
Different agencies collect complaints for different kinds of conduct. Filing with one does not automatically notify the others, so submit to each route that fits the facts.
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| Report route | Best fit | What it does | Important handling point |
|---|---|---|---|
| FBI IC3 | Cyber-enabled crime, online theft, and cryptocurrency fraud | Collects complaints for intelligence, analysis, and potential investigation | Report quickly; the form does not accept attachments |
| FTC ReportFraud.gov | Consumer deception, impersonation, misleading investment or payment claims, and other unfair practices | Collects consumer-fraud reports and supports enforcement and public warnings | Use the facts and dates from your IC3 narrative, but complete the FTC form separately |
| SEC complaint portal | Possible securities offering, investment adviser, broker, or securities-market misconduct | Receives tips and complaints for securities enforcement | Explain what investment or financial product was offered and how it was marketed |
| CFTC complaint portal | Possible commodity, derivatives, or digital-asset market misconduct under CFTC jurisdiction | Receives complaints and tips for commodities enforcement | Describe contracts, leveraged trading, futures, or commodity-related representations when relevant |
| The exchange or payment provider used | Account takeover, unauthorized transfer, address screening, or an opportunity to freeze an account | Reviews activity under its own fraud and compliance procedures | Navigate to the provider’s official site independently; do not trust contact details sent by the scammer |
FTC: consumer-fraud reporting
Submit a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC’s cryptocurrency guidance also points victims to IC3, the SEC, the CFTC, and the exchange that sent or received the funds. Read it at consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-cryptocurrency-scams.
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SEC or CFTC: choose according to the conduct
Use the SEC route when the facts concern a securities offering, investment adviser, broker, or securities-market solicitation. Use the CFTC route when the conduct involves commodities, derivatives, futures, or other activity within its jurisdiction. If you cannot confidently classify the product, describe the facts in both the IC3 and FTC reports and include the details that may help the agencies route it.
How to report the scam to your state
State jurisdiction can depend on where you live, where the business or solicitor operated, where the solicitation was directed, or where the transaction occurred. Start with NASAA’s Contact Your Regulator directory at nasaa.org/78036/informed-investor-advisory-crypto-recovery-room-scams/?qoid=investor-advisories.
- Open the directory and select your state or territory.
- Use the listed securities regulator’s official complaint channel. Explain whether the caller or website offered an investment, managed money, promoted a token, or claimed to provide recovery services.
- Also check your state financial-services department or banking regulator if the complaint concerns money transmission, payment services, or a financial institution.
- Submit to the state attorney general when the matter involves consumer deception, impersonation, or a business soliciting residents.
- Contact local police for theft, identity misuse, threats, or an in-person component. Keep the report number with your IC3 and agency confirmations.
Washington’s Department of Financial Institutions describes this multi-channel approach for cryptocurrency investment scams at dfi.wa.gov/scams/pig-butchering. State agencies may have different evidence-upload rules and response procedures, so follow the instructions on the portal you use.
What information investigators need
Prepare a factual record before completing forms. Do not edit original files; make a working copy for notes and redaction if necessary.
| Evidence category | Include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Blockchain transaction data | Sending and receiving wallet addresses, network name, asset, amount, transaction hash or ID, date, and time | These identifiers let investigators trace a transfer on the relevant blockchain |
| Funding trail | Exchange account, ATM, bank account, card statement, wire record, payment receipt, and confirmation numbers | Connects the on-chain movement to a regulated service or financial account |
| Communications | Emails with full headers, texts, direct messages, usernames, phone numbers, voice messages, and attachments | Preserves identity clues, instructions, promises, and threats |
| Web and app identifiers | Exact URLs and domains, application names, profile links, advertisements, referral codes, and QR codes | Helps link the same infrastructure to other complaints |
| Chronology | First contact, every request, each payment, follow-up demands, information disclosed, and the date you realized it was fraudulent | Shows sequence, intent, escalation, and possible points where an account could be secured |
A practical timeline format
- Date and time: record the time zone when known.
- Channel: website, email, phone, social platform, messaging app, exchange, ATM, or in person.
- Actor: name, alias, username, telephone number, email, or claimed organization.
- Instruction or promise: quote the wording accurately or identify the saved file containing it.
- Action and amount: asset, fiat value if shown on the receipt, wallet address, transaction hash, and funding source.
- Result: withdrawal blocked, additional fee demanded, account closed, or other response.
How to preserve digital evidence
Keep the original email files, including full headers, rather than relying only on screenshots. Export chat histories when the platform permits it, and record the account’s display name and underlying username. Capture the complete browser address bar for websites, not just the page title. Save advertisements, referral codes, QR images, voice messages, and receipts in their original formats. Note when each file was saved and keep a backup that the suspected account cannot alter.
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How to contact an exchange without creating another risk
Open a new browser tab, type the exchange’s known official web address yourself, or use a bookmark you created before the incident. Find its published support, fraud, account-security, or law-enforcement contact process. Do not call a number in a text message, click a “support” link from the suspected account, or give remote access to a supposed investigator.
Provide the exchange with the account email, transaction hashes, destination addresses, dates, amounts, and a concise explanation of the suspected fraud. Ask whether it can place a hold, flag the destination, secure your account, or preserve relevant records. The FBI’s warning about cryptocurrency fraud and independently verified exchange contacts is at ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240801.
Can you get the cryptocurrency back?
A report creates a record and may help investigators identify wallets, accounts, infrastructure, and related victims. It does not promise that funds will be recovered. Cryptocurrency transfers may be irreversible, and an exchange or agency may be unable to return assets that have moved through multiple services or private wallets.
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Be especially cautious after filing. A person may claim to be an FBI employee, IC3 investigator, lawyer, regulator, blockchain tracer, or recovery specialist and demand an upfront fee, tax, bond, or “verification” payment. NASAA calls this pattern a recovery-room scam. Its investor advisory is at nasaa.org/78036/informed-investor-advisory-crypto-recovery-room-scams/?qoid=investor-advisories.
The FBI has separately warned about criminals impersonating IC3 at fbi.gov/investigate/cyber/alerts/2025/fbi-warns-of-scammers-impersonating-the-ic3. Government investigators do not require a payment to accept a complaint. Verify any unexpected contact through a public agency website and an independently located telephone number.
What happens after you submit
- Keep every confirmation number, email, and agency response with your case timeline.
- Continue preserving new messages and payment attempts, but do not engage simply to obtain more evidence unless an investigator or attorney gives you a safe reason.
- Monitor bank, card, exchange, email, and phone accounts for unauthorized activity. Report new incidents separately when a portal asks for a new complaint.
- Expect that agencies may not provide status updates or disclose investigative steps. Lack of a reply is not proof that the report was ignored.
- Tell each agency if the scammer used your identity documents, account credentials, or personal information in addition to taking funds.
Why reporting still matters when no money was lost
Report attempted scams, blocked transfers, and fake investment sites as well as completed theft. The FBI’s 2024 release covering 2023 complaints recorded more than 69,000 cryptocurrency-fraud complaints and over $5.6 billion in reported losses; about $3.9 billion was attributed to investment fraud. These are 2023 figures, not a current-year estimate. Read the release at fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-publishes-2023-cryptocurrency-fraud-report.
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FBI Director Christopher Wray stated: “The best way to help stop these crimes is for people to report them to ic3.gov, even if they did not suffer a financial loss.” A blocked attempt can still supply a wallet address, domain, telephone number, or script that connects cases.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesState enforcement activity also shows why state reporting is useful. NASAA’s 2025 enforcement page, based on 2024 data from 49 U.S. states and territories, reports 8,833 investigations and 1,183 enforcement actions. Those figures are NASAA’s 2024 totals reported in 2025, not a forecast for later years; the page is at nasaa.org/policy/enforcement-statistics/.
Common reporting mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for perfect information: submit IC3’s complaint with the details you have and add missing identifiers later if an agency provides a method to do so.
- Sending only screenshots: retain original email files, exports, receipts, and statements because metadata and headers can matter.
- Using a search-ad result or caller-provided link: type the government or exchange address yourself and verify the domain before signing in.
- Reporting only to one agency: IC3, FTC, SEC or CFTC, the exchange, and state offices serve different purposes and do not automatically share every intake.
- Paying a follow-up contact: no legitimate complaint process requires an upfront recovery fee, tax, bond, or release payment.
- Deleting embarrassing messages: preserve the complete conversation, including your own replies, because sequence and wording can establish how the fraud operated.
Questions readers commonly ask
Where do I report a crypto scam first?
Stop sending money, preserve evidence, and file at ic3.gov. Then submit the same factual chronology to ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the SEC or CFTC when the conduct fits, the exchange involved, and the appropriate state offices. If a bank, card, or wire funded the transaction, contact that provider immediately through its official channel to ask about a stop or recall.
How do I file an FBI IC3 complaint if I do not know the scammer’s real name?
File anyway. Use every alias, username, phone number, email address, wallet address, domain, social profile, claimed company name, and application name you have. IC3 specifically accepts reports with incomplete transaction information. Explain what is unknown instead of guessing, and include dates, amounts, networks, and transaction hashes wherever available.
Should I report crypto fraud to the FTC if I already reported it to IC3?
Yes, when the facts involve consumer deception, impersonation, misleading investment or payment claims, or another unfair practice. The FTC intake serves a different consumer-protection and enforcement purpose, and filing there does not replace the IC3 complaint. Reuse your timeline for consistency, but complete the FTC form separately.
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Use NASAA’s Contact Your Regulator directory and select your state or territory. Also check your state financial-services or banking department for money-transmission and payment issues, the attorney general for consumer deception, and local police for theft, threats, identity misuse, or an in-person incident. Jurisdiction may follow your residence, the solicitor’s location, the business, the solicitation, or the transaction.
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What information does IC3 need?
Provide a chronological narrative and the highest-value identifiers: sending and receiving wallet addresses, blockchain or network, asset and amount, transaction hash or ID, date and time, exchange or ATM, bank or card funding trail, names and aliases, phone and email details, messaging handles, URLs, domains, app names, QR codes, advertisements, and all follow-up demands. IC3 does not accept attachments, so paste key details into the form and keep originals securely.
Can I get my crypto back?
No agency or exchange can promise that. A complaint may help trace funds or connect related victims, but transfers can be irreversible and assets may move through several services or private wallets. Treat any unsolicited recovery offer as suspicious, especially if it demands an upfront fee, tax, bond, or verification payment.
Is a person claiming to be from IC3 contacting me another scam?
It may be. The FBI has warned about criminals impersonating IC3. Do not pay or move the conversation to a private messaging app. End the contact, preserve the messages, and verify any legitimate inquiry through a public FBI website and an independently located telephone number.
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How quickly should I report an attempted scam that I stopped?
As soon as possible. The FBI says reporting helps even when no financial loss occurred. A blocked transfer can still provide a wallet address, domain, phone number, or script that links your case to other complaints, and rapid notice may help a bank or exchange secure an account or preserve records.
Final reporting checklist
- Transfers stopped and no additional fee paid.
- Bank, card, exchange, email, and device accounts secured.
- Wallet addresses, transaction hashes, assets, amounts, networks, dates, and times collected.
- Receipts, statements, emails with headers, messages, profiles, URLs, app names, QR codes, and screenshots preserved.
- Chronological narrative written in plain language.
- IC3 complaint submitted at ic3.gov.
- FTC report submitted at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- SEC or CFTC report submitted when the conduct fits that agency.
- Exchange contacted through an independently verified official channel.
- State securities regulator, financial-services department, attorney general, or local police contacted as appropriate.
- Unexpected recovery offers treated as suspicious and never paid without independent verification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does filing a complaint guarantee an investigation or refund?
No. IC3 and other agencies collect complaints for analysis, intelligence, and possible enforcement. A report can help connect cases and identify infrastructure, but it does not guarantee contact, an investigation, or recovery of cryptocurrency.
Can I submit an IC3 report without transaction hashes?
Yes. IC3 says to report even when transaction information is incomplete. Submit the wallet addresses, asset, amount, approximate date and time, exchange or payment method, and explain which details are unavailable.
Which agency handles a fake crypto investment website?
File with IC3 and the FTC. Add the SEC when the site offered a security, investment adviser or broker service, or securities-market opportunity; add the CFTC when it involved commodities, derivatives, or futures. Report the site to your state regulator as well.
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Stop all further payments, preserve its messages, invoices, wallet addresses, and promises, and report that additional loss through IC3, the FTC, your state authorities, and the payment provider used. Do not confront the company or provide more credentials.
The Bottom Line
Stop paying, secure your accounts, preserve original evidence, and file promptly at IC3. Add the FTC, SEC or CFTC, your exchange, and the state offices that match the conduct. Use independently verified websites and never pay an unsolicited person who promises to recover your crypto.
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