ScamLens
US FTC

The FTC is best for documenting consumer fraud patterns, not replacing urgent bank or police action

If you were targeted by online fraud, a fake merchant, impersonation, identity theft, or another consumer scam in the US, an FTC report helps create an official record, but it should run in parallel with bank, platform, and police actions.

Quick Answer

Quick answer: FTC reporting is most useful as an official consumer-fraud record. Secure your money and accounts first, then submit the scam details, payment path, and evidence to the FTC.

Fake merchants, fake shopping sites, fake investment offers, or impersonation scams
Cases where personal information was provided to a fraud actor
Situations where you need an official consumer-fraud record to supplement banks, police, or platforms

Official Entry

ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Official FTC reporting portal

Open official page

Official reporting channels · United States

If this is where you are based, report to your national bodies — they can act on your case directly.

ScamLens is an independent service, not a government agency. We only link to official channels; only the agency itself can process your report.

Official links last verified2026-04-24

When This Reporting Route Fits

  • Fake merchants, fake shopping sites, fake investment offers, or impersonation scams
  • Cases where personal information was provided to a fraud actor
  • Situations where you need an official consumer-fraud record to supplement banks, police, or platforms

Prepare These Details First

  • List the websites, company names, phone numbers, emails, and social accounts involved
  • Record the payment time, amount, payment method, and any transaction references
  • Prepare screenshots of promises, chats, landing pages, and failed delivery or withdrawal evidence

Suggested Order of Actions

Stabilize money and account risk first, then file formally, then add the acknowledgment to your recovery plan.

Stabilize funds and accounts first

If cards, bank transfers, or compromised accounts are involved, contact the financial institutions and change credentials before spending all your time on the form.

Submit the core facts through the FTC portal

Use a clear timeline showing how contact started, what was promised, what you paid, and what happened next.

Keep the submission confirmation

Save the confirmation page, email, or reference details so the report can be shared with banks, police, or legal teams later.

What to Do After Submission

Continue with bank, card-issuer, exchange, or platform escalations
Add the FTC confirmation and your evidence pack to the rest of your recovery plan
If the risk is still active, also consider local police reporting or an IC3 filing where relevant

What happens after you report

  1. 1

    First 0–48 hours

    Freeze funds and secure accounts. Submit the official report and save the confirmation / reference number. This is the window where money is most recoverable.

  2. 2

    1–4 weeks

    Agencies screen and aggregate reports to spot patterns — most do not reply individually, and silence does not mean nothing is happening. Keep your bank dispute and any platform case moving.

  3. 3

    1–6 months

    Patterns across many reports can trigger investigation or enforcement. Your report adds to that evidence base even if your own case is not resolved directly. Watch for follow-on "recovery" scams targeting recent victims.

Report in parallel, not one at a time

Contact your bank or card issuer FIRST to freeze or dispute the payment — that is the only step with a real recovery deadline. Then file with the official agency and any platform at the same time; these reports do not conflict and filing in parallel does not slow any of them down.

Next Step

Need to connect the official report with your evidence pack?

ScamLens can turn your jurisdiction, payment method, websites, chats, and wallet evidence into a more executable action plan so you repeat yourself less across institutions.

Get an action plan See more reporting routes

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the FTC directly recover my money?
Usually no. The FTC is mainly useful for documenting consumer fraud and identifying patterns. Recovery usually still depends on banks, card issuers, platforms, and police.
Should I file the FTC report before contacting my bank?
No. Handle the money movement first with the bank or card issuer, then file the FTC report as soon as practical.
Can I use the FTC if I am outside the US?
You can review the guidance, but in most cases you should prioritize the official reporting route in your own jurisdiction.

Related Reporting Guides

Country guide

ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Step-by-step reporting guide for this country

US FBI IC3

How to Report a Scam to FBI IC3

How to file an Internet Crime Complaint Center report for online fraud, cyber-enabled scams, and crypto-related cases.

UK Action Fraud

How to Report a Scam to Action Fraud

How to report fraud to Action Fraud in the UK, including when to call your bank first and how to prepare the case details.