Why Reporting Fraud to the FTC and FBI Protects You and Others

Fraud and identity theft are pervasive threats that impact millions annually. While victims often focus on recovering lost funds or stolen personal information, experts emphasize the importance of reporting scams to authorities like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Even if no monetary loss or sensitive data exposure occurs, submitting a report contributes to a broader defense against cybercrime.

In 2024, only 38% of fraud reports to the FTC involved financial loss, highlighting that many scams are attempts to gather information or exploit victims in other ways. Reporting these incidents helps the FTC and FBI identify emerging scam trends, educate the public, and support law enforcement investigations. Popular scams recently flagged include toll road fraud, fake USPS texts, and impersonation of government agencies.

When you report fraud, your information is added to databases accessed by thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This collective intelligence enables authorities to build cases against criminals and issue timely public warnings. Both the FTC and IC3 publish annual reports analyzing complaint data by demographics, geography, and fraud type, providing valuable insights to consumers and policymakers.

To report fraud, consumers can visit reportfraud.ftc.gov for general scams or ic3.gov for cyber-related crimes. Identity theft victims have a dedicated portal at identitytheft.gov, which provides a recovery plan tailored to their situation. While filing a report may not result in direct contact from these agencies, the data submitted plays a critical role in combating fraud nationwide.

Victims should also take proactive steps to protect themselves, such as freezing credit reports, changing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and monitoring financial accounts for unauthorized activity. Contacting banks or credit card companies promptly can help reverse fraudulent transactions, though recovery is more difficult if money was sent directly to scammers or if cryptocurrency was involved.

Experts warn against falling for follow-up scams where fraudsters impersonate recovery services promising to get your money back. Staying vigilant and reporting every scam attempt strengthens the collective fight against cybercrime and helps protect others from becoming victims.