How to Report Crypto Fraud: Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Reporting increases your chances of recovery and protects others from the same scam
⚠️ Only 15% of crypto fraud victims ever report it — don't be silent⚠️ Before You Report — Gather This Evidence First
The quality of your report determines whether law enforcement can act. Collect every item below before filing — you cannot add attachments after submission on most platforms.
📋 Step-by-Step Reporting Guide
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center is the single most important report you can file. IC3 aggregates complaints to identify crime networks, and FBI agents actively monitor crypto fraud patterns. When multiple victims report the same wallet addresses or scam operation, it triggers coordinated investigations.
What they do: track crypto crime patterns across all 50 states, share intelligence with federal and local law enforcement, and — critically — have the legal authority to compel exchanges to freeze accounts tied to fraud.
What to include: all wallet addresses, TxHash for every transaction, dates and amounts, the platform name and URL, and all communication screenshots you saved.
→ File at ic3.gov ↗
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The FTC is the primary consumer protection agency in the United States. Reporting here ensures your case enters the Consumer Sentinel Network — a database shared with over 2,800 law enforcement agencies worldwide.
While the FTC doesn't typically prosecute individual cases, your report can trigger public fraud alerts, industry enforcement actions, and rulemaking that results in exchange policy changes.
→ Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov ↗
SEC (Investment Fraud) or CFTC (Crypto Commodities)
Report to the SEC if the scammer posed as a licensed investment advisor, promised returns on a crypto "investment platform", or operated what looked like a securities product. sec.gov/tcr ↗
Report to the CFTC if the fraud involved Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other crypto traded as a commodity — which includes most pig-butchering and fake trading platform scams. cftc.gov/complaint ↗
Your Country's Regulator
If you are outside the United States, report to your national authority. We still recommend filing with FBI IC3 as well — US agencies often have broader reach over international exchanges.
🌍 View reporting links by country
Report to the Crypto Exchange
If the scammer directed you to purchase crypto via Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, or any other exchange, that exchange has the ability to freeze accounts flagged by law enforcement referrals. Your abuse report creates the paper trail that law enforcement references.
How to report: Submit a support ticket through the exchange's fraud/abuse form. Include the transaction hash (TxHash) of every transfer — exchanges can trace exactly where funds moved on-chain and flag receiving wallets.
- Coinbase: help.coinbase.com → Report Fraud
- Binance: Binance Fraud Report
- Kraken: Kraken Support → Report Abuse
Report the Platform, App, and Social Profiles
Taking down the scammer's infrastructure protects future victims. Report on every channel they used:
- Fake website: Use a WHOIS lookup to find the hosting provider, then submit an abuse report. Google Safe Browsing: report phishing URL
- Fake app — Apple App Store: Report > Flag as Inappropriate on the app listing
- Fake app — Google Play: Flag the app as fraudulent on the store listing
- Facebook / Instagram: Three dots → Report → Scam or Fraud
- WhatsApp: Long press message → Report
- Telegram: Report fake channels/bots via @notoscam or Telegram's report function
File a Local Police Report
Many victims skip this step because local police often say they cannot investigate international crypto fraud. File anyway — not because local police will pursue the case, but because you need a crime reference number.
- Crime reference numbers are required for insurance claims
- Banks may require them when you dispute wire transfers or card payments
- Civil attorneys and asset recovery firms need them for legal proceedings
- Some countries (e.g. UK) require a police report before Action Fraud will escalate
📊 What Happens After You Report
- Honest reality: Most individual cases don't result in arrests, especially when scammers are overseas. Prosecutions are primarily of the networks, not individual transactions.
- Pattern recognition: Your report is combined with hundreds of others. When enough victims report the same wallet addresses or operation, it triggers FBI task force deployment.
- Exchange freezes: Law enforcement referrals to exchanges can freeze accounts within days — before funds are fully laundered. Reporting quickly maximizes this window.
- Civil asset recovery: Even without criminal prosecution, blockchain tracing firms can support civil lawsuits that result in partial fund recovery through exchange cooperation.
- Protecting others: Reported scam wallets get flagged across blockchain analytics tools, warning future victims before they send funds.
Beyond Reporting — Blockchain Forensics Can Help
Professional blockchain forensics firms can trace stolen funds across wallets and chains, generate court-admissible reports, and work directly with law enforcement to support asset freezing and civil recovery.
Check Your Recovery Eligibility →