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How to Report a Cryptocurrency Scam and Preserve Evidence

Stop sending money, preserve your records, and report a suspected cryptocurrency scam promptly. Here are the U.S. reporting routes and the details to prepare.
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If you suspect a cryptocurrency scam, stop sending money, preserve your records, and report it promptly. In the United States, the FBI recommends filing with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or contacting a local FBI field office; report with the information you have, even if you are missing a transaction hash or wallet address. An IC3 complaint is not an investigation or a promise that funds will be recovered. This guide covers U.S. reporting routes; if you are elsewhere, use your country’s official law-enforcement and consumer-protection channels.

What to do first

  1. Stop the payments. Do not send more cryptocurrency or money to the suspected scammer, including for taxes, verification, release fees, or supposed recovery. The FBI advises victims not to alert suspected criminals that the FBI is involved because that could compromise investigative efforts. FBI guidance for cryptocurrency scam victims.
  2. Preserve what you already have. Keep relevant messages, receipts, account records, webpages, and other evidence before deleting accounts or changing devices. Store the originals securely; IC3 does not accept evidence attachments with a complaint. IC3 frequently asked questions.
  3. Contact the exchange or payment provider through an independently verified official channel. Tell it about the transaction and ask what steps are available. The FTC lists contacting the exchange used to send cryptocurrency as a reporting option, but no source guarantees a transaction can be reversed. FTC: What to know about cryptocurrency and scams.

What information to collect for a report

Make a chronological account while the details are fresh. Provide what you know; do not delay a report just because some transaction details are unavailable. The FBI specifically advises reporting even without transaction information. FBI guidance.

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  • Transaction details: cryptocurrency type and amount; date and time, including timezone if known; transaction hash or ID; and the sending and recipient wallet addresses.
  • How the money moved: exchange, wallet service, peer-to-peer platform, or cryptocurrency ATM/kiosk involved. For a kiosk, include its name or type and physical location if known.
  • Who contacted you: names and aliases, usernames, phone numbers, email addresses, websites or domains, social-media accounts, and any claimed organization or identity.
  • How the contact unfolded: how it began, what the person said or promised, the sequence of events, and the dates of important interactions.
  • Communications and account activity: relevant emails, texts, chat messages, call details, websites or apps, and any instructions involving one-time passcodes or two-factor authentication.
  • Other reports or contacts: note any agency, exchange, bank, or payment provider you have already contacted and when.

The FBI and IC3 identify transaction and contact details as useful information for a complaint, while the IC3 form asks for details about wallets, transactions, subjects, and technical incidents. Missing fields do not mean you should wait to file. IC3 complaint form.

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Where to report in the United States

These routes can overlap, but their roles differ. The facts determine which agencies may have a relevant remit; filing with one does not guarantee that another will handle the case.

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Route When it may fit How to contact
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Internet-enabled crime, including a cryptocurrency scam conducted online. Submit a complaint to IC3. The FBI also says victims may contact a local field office.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer fraud reporting. Report fraud to the FTC.
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Potentially relevant when the alleged activity falls within the CFTC’s regulatory remit. CFTC complaint portal.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Potentially relevant when the alleged activity falls within the SEC’s remit. SEC tips, complaints, and referrals.
Exchange or payment provider The service used to send, receive, or process the funds. Use the provider’s official website or app, reached independently rather than through links sent by the suspected scammer.

The FTC lists these federal channels and contacting the exchange as reporting options; it does not determine which agency will handle a particular incident. FTC consumer guidance.

If you are 60 or older, the FBI’s cryptocurrency information page says the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311 can assist with filing an IC3 complaint. FBI cryptocurrency scam information.

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How to preserve evidence without sending it to IC3

IC3 says it does not collect evidence or accept attachments with the initial complaint. Keep original records in a secure location in case an agency requests them. Its examples include cryptocurrency receipts, emails with full headers, webpages, chat transcripts, telephony logs, phone bills, and technical records. IC3 FAQ and IC3 complaint form.

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  • Keep original emails, messages, receipts, and files rather than relying only on paraphrased notes.
  • Retain relevant webpages and account records in a form you can access later.
  • Keep your timeline and transaction notes with the records, and store them somewhere secure.
  • Do not send records to an unsolicited “investigator” or recovery service. Provide them only through a verified official channel when requested.

IC3’s instructions do not set out a special forensic chain-of-custody process for every consumer. Preserve originals and follow directions from the agency or legal professional handling your matter.

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Save your IC3 complaint before leaving the confirmation screen

When you submit an IC3 complaint, save or print a copy from the confirmation screen before closing it or navigating away. IC3 says this is the only opportunity to retain a copy; it will not email or send an electronic copy later. If you learn new information after filing, IC3 says to submit a new complaint and identify it as an update. A filed complaint cannot be canceled. IC3 FAQ.

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What happens after you report

IC3 analyzes complaints and may refer them to federal, state, local, or international law-enforcement partners for possible investigation. IC3 says it does not conduct investigations itself, cannot provide investigative status, and cannot promise that an agency will investigate or prosecute. A report also does not establish that funds can be recovered. IC3 FAQ.

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How to recognize a recovery scam

Be wary of anyone who claims they can retrieve your cryptocurrency, especially if they demand an upfront fee. The FBI and IC3 warn that recovery offers may be another scam. Verify any agency or company using contact details you find independently on its official website, not details provided by the person who approached you. FBI guidance and IC3 FAQ.

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