Money and taxes
Who handles reports of a scam, fraud or identity theft?
Who handles it
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) takes reports of scams and identity theft. Your state consumer protection office also helps with scams and fraud.
- Federal
- State
- Not Local
Facts checked November 5, 2026 · 3 sources
Why federal and state government
The FTC uses reports to build cases against scammers and spot trends. State consumer protection offices investigate scams and complaints against businesses.
What to do next
- Report a scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- If someone used your identity, report it at IdentityTheft.gov and follow its list of steps to recover.
- If you paid a scammer, contact your bank, card issuer, or payment app right away and ask them to reverse the payment.
In your state
Find your state’s official offices on our state pages.
Sources
Official recordFTC: What to do if you were scammed
Official recordUSAGov: Identity theft
Official recordUSAGov: State consumer protection offices