How to report a crypto scam or theft so the report gets used

• —The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. The IC3 asks people to file even if they're unsure whether their complaint qualifies.
• —The FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and your state attorney general.
• —Your local police. Exchanges such as Binance ask for a police report before they will act on a theft claim.

Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025 as the national reporting service run by City of London Police. Report online at reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland.

Yes, as soon as the trace shows funds arriving at an exchange. Binance asks for a description of what happened and when, the compromised wallet and receiving account, every related transaction hash, and a police report. Coinbase asks customers to report unauthorized transactions on their account immediately and to contact local authorities.

Exchanges generally can't freeze an account on a victim's word alone. Binance, for example, says it needs an official freezing order from law enforcement or a court, which is why the police report matters.

• —A short timeline: how you were contacted, what you were told, and when each payment was made.
• —Every transaction hash (TXID), with the sending and receiving addresses.
• —The blockchain and token for each payment, for example USDT on Tron.
• —Amounts, in the coin and in your currency at the time.
• —Website addresses, app names, usernames, phone numbers and email addresses the scammer used.
• —Screenshots of conversations and of the platform showing your “balance”.
• —Any reference numbers from reports you have already made.

Never include your seed phrase or private keys. No police force, exchange or tracing firm needs them.

A report saying “my crypto was stolen” gives an investigator little to act on. A forensic trace names the addresses where the funds ended up and the exchanges or services that control them, with each step documented. That is what an officer, prosecutor or exchange compliance team needs before sending a freeze or disclosure request. You can file your report first and add a tracing report later.

Keep every reference number. Don't expect the IC3 to contact you: it says it will never contact you directly for information or money, and that it doesn't work with law firms or crypto services to recover funds. In July 2026 the FBI warned specifically about scammers impersonating the IC3: the IC3 will never ask for payment to recover lost funds, and never refers people to a company that charges for recovery. Anyone claiming to be an “IC3 agent” or offering to speed up your case for a fee is a scammer.