If you spot a cryptocurrency scam post, save evidence, report the post and account through the platform, and do not engage, click its links, connect a wallet, or send money. If you already paid or shared account details, act separately: contact the payment provider, secure affected accounts, and report the loss to the appropriate authorities. These steps can help preserve information and limit further harm, but they cannot guarantee a takedown or recovery.
If you only spotted a suspicious post
Save evidence before it disappears
Capture screenshots of the post and profile. Record the account name and username, post URL, date and time, messages, linked websites or apps, and any wallet address or payment details. Keep the original messages and files where possible. The CFTC evidence checklist also recommends retaining social profiles, chats, correspondence, account statements, trade confirmations, sales materials, and transfer receipts.
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Report the post and account on the platform
Use the service’s built-in report option and choose the closest available reason, such as scam, fraud, or impersonation. Include the profile and post identifiers and a brief explanation of what appears fraudulent. Reporting content is separate from reporting a financial loss. Platform controls vary, so use the service’s current official help guidance for exact steps.
Do not argue with the account, repost its link to warn others, or click through to investigate. Do not share a seed phrase, private key, password, PIN, or one-time code. If the account claims to represent a company or public figure, find that organization’s official website and contact details independently rather than using links or phone numbers in the post.
If you sent cryptocurrency or another payment
Contact the payment provider promptly
Contact the exchange or cryptocurrency ATM operator you used, tell them the transaction was fraudulent, and ask whether intervention or reversal is possible. For a different payment method, contact the relevant bank, card issuer, payment app, or transfer service using independently verified contact information. The FTC’s guidance for people who were scammed notes that cryptocurrency payments do not have the same legal protections as credit and debit card payments. A provider may not be able to reverse a crypto transfer, so do not assume the funds can be recovered.
Stop contact and report the loss
Stop communicating with the suspected scammer and send no more money. For suspected cryptocurrency investment fraud, file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or contact a local FBI field office. The FBI says to report even if you do not have all transaction details, and not to alert suspected criminals about law-enforcement involvement.
In the United States, you can also report a consumer scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC says reports help it build cases, identify trends, educate the public, and share information with the community. Its social-media accounts are not official complaint-intake channels; submit the complaint through the reporting site. If the matter concerns an investment account or financial professional, the SEC accepts certain complaints through its investor complaint form.
Gather transaction details for your report
Include what you know, even if some details are uncertain. The FBI’s cryptocurrency fraud guidance identifies useful information such as:
- How the initial contact happened and the names, usernames, email addresses, and phone numbers used.
- Website names, URLs, or apps involved.
- The transaction date and time, amount, and type of cryptocurrency.
- The sending and receiving wallet addresses, transaction hash, and exchanges used.
- A timeline of events and copies of messages, screenshots, and other records.
Keep copies of what you submit. You can also retain the broader evidence listed in the CFTC’s fraud-record checklist for a provider, investigator, or regulator.
If you shared credentials or someone accessed your account
Change the affected password and any other password you reused, then enable two-factor authentication. If you are locked out, use the platform’s official account-recovery process. Never give anyone your wallet recovery phrase, private key, or authentication code, even if they claim they need it to investigate or return funds.
If you think someone accessed your device, FTC guidance recommends updating its security software, scanning it, removing anything detected, and changing passwords. Avoid following security links sent by the suspicious account; use the device maker’s or security provider’s official site.
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Watch for a second scam promising recovery
Someone may contact you claiming to be an agency, company, or law firm that can retrieve your cryptocurrency for a fee. Treat unsolicited recovery offers with suspicion. Verify any purported contact through the organization’s independently located official channels. The FBI says it will never ask for money or move the conversation to private messaging apps; the CFTC also advises independently checking an organization’s official contact information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which U.S. reporting route fits?
| Situation | Where to report or act |
|---|---|
| A scam or impersonation post is still visible | Report the post and account using the platform’s built-in report function. |
| You paid or lost money to a consumer scam | Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov; contact the payment provider promptly as well. |
| You suspect cryptocurrency investment fraud | Report to the FBI at IC3 or a local FBI field office. |
| The issue involves an investment account or financial professional | Check whether it fits the SEC’s complaint scope and use its investor complaint form. |
| You sent cryptocurrency | Contact the exchange or ATM operator you used and ask whether it can intervene or reverse the transaction. |
These agency routes are U.S.-specific. Elsewhere, look for your country’s consumer-protection agency, financial regulator, and cybercrime-reporting authority. Reporting does not guarantee that a post will be removed, that authorities will prosecute, or that money will be recovered.
Why prompt reporting matters
The FTC reported in April 2026 that nearly 30% of people who said they lost money to a scam in 2025 said it started on social media, with reported losses reaching $2.1 billion. Investment scams that originated on social media accounted for $1.1 billion in reported losses—more than half of reported social-media scam losses. These figures cover social-media scams broadly, not cryptocurrency scams alone, and reflect reported losses rather than a count of every loss. See the FTC’s 2026 summary of social-media scam data.
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