The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, IC3, receives reports of cyber-enabled crime. A useful report gives a clear chronology, accurate identifiers and the available transaction details. Start from the official IC3 website, organize what you already know, and keep supporting records securely. This guide focuses on the US reporting route; IC3 also accepts complaints involving people or subjects in other countries.
Separate reporting from urgent action
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 in the United States or the appropriate local emergency service. For a time-sensitive criminal matter, contact local law enforcement directly. IC3 submission is a reporting channel; it does not dispatch emergency help. These distinctions are explained in the IC3 FAQ.
If money was sent because of fraud, promptly contact the bank or payment provider through a known official channel and ask what recovery or account-protection steps are available. Record the contact, time and reference number. For an active organizational compromise, involve the designated incident-response lead as well. These actions can proceed while the complaint is being prepared; the complaint itself does not reverse a payment.
Type ic3.gov into the browser or use the official link here, then follow its complaint entry point. Check the address before entering personal information. Keep payment requests from purported recovery agents separate from verified instructions from your own institution. FBI online-safety information provides current scam context.
Build a short factual chronology
| Information | Useful detail | Keep uncertainty visible |
|---|---|---|
| People and contacts | Your contact details and whether you report for another person. | Distinguish a displayed name from a verified identity. |
| Events | Dates, times, time zones, communication channel and what happened. | Label estimated times and missing intervals. |
| Payments | Amount, currency, date, recipient details and transaction reference. | Separate attempted payments, completed transfers and money returned. |
| Identifiers | Relevant email addresses, domains, account handles and message references. | Record their source; do not invent an IP address or identity. |
Keep the narrative in sequence: how contact began, what was represented, what action followed, when you recognized a problem and what you did next. Explain unfamiliar abbreviations. Separate the loss amount from other costs and describe the basis for each figure. For cryptocurrency, follow the current IC3 cryptocurrency guidance for transaction and wallet details.
Preserve supporting records privately
Keep original communications, payment receipts and relevant records in a secure location. Retain email headers where available through the mail service’s supported export process. A screenshot may illustrate what was visible, while an original message can preserve additional context. Record what you have and where it is stored.
IC3’s FAQ says its complaint process does not accept attachments or collect the underlying evidence. An investigating agency may request that material later. Do not open suspicious attachments, collect new malware or perform a device search simply to make a report more complete. Organizations should use the authorized evidence-handoff process for technical material.
The downloadable preparation sheet uses private references rather than asking you to duplicate every sensitive number. Supply information required by the official form there, and protect both the submission copy and your supporting files.
Save the submission and understand follow-up
Review the form for names, amounts, currencies, dates and factual accuracy. After successful submission, save or print the complaint before leaving the confirmation page. The current IC3 instructions say this is the opportunity to retain the report; an electronic copy is not emailed to you.
IC3 analyzes complaints and shares information with law enforcement and partner agencies as appropriate. Receiving agencies decide whether to investigate or prosecute. Keep expectations separate from the confirmation: a successful submission records receipt, not a guaranteed investigation, refund or individual status update.
For additional information, follow the current FAQ instruction to file a new complaint explaining that it supplements the earlier one. Keep the reports linked in your private records. Record any later contact, verify the requester through an independently found agency channel, and use its approved method to transfer evidence.