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Welcome to the Internet Crime Complaint Center
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is the central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime. It is run by the FBI, the lead federal agency for investigating crime.
For more information about the IC3 and its mission, please see the About Us page.
File a Complaint with Us
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local police.
The IC3 focuses on collecting cyber-enabled crime. Crimes against children should be filed with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children . Other types of crimes, such as threats of terrorism, should be reported at tips.fbi.gov .
How You Can Help
Tell us what happened..
File a report to share information with the FBI. IC3 is the main intake form for a variety of complaints — everything from cyber-enabled frauds and scams to cybercrime — so file a report even if you are unsure of whether your complaint qualifies.
Your contribution and our mission.
Your report helps us fulfill our mission of protecting the American people. While we cannot guarantee a response to every complaint, your report is still valuable. It helps us understand the broader threat landscape. Furthermore, in those cases where we are able to take action, we will work to provide justice.
Protect yourself and others.
If you have suffered from a cyber-enabled crime, please know that you are not alone. Use the resources on this site to learn more about how to protect yourself and others from cybercrime.
Protecting Our Digitally-connected World is a Top Priority and Focus of the FBI
We need you.
Between staying connected with family and friends, shopping and banking online, and working remotely, we all depend on security in our interconnected digital world. Criminals from every corner of the globe attack our digital systems on a near constant basis. They strike targets large and small — from corporate networks to personal smart phones. No one — and no device — is immune from the threat. The only way forward is together. In cyber security, where a single compromise can impact millions of people, there can be no weak links. Every organization and every individual needs to take smart, reasonable steps to protect their own devices and systems and to learn how to spot and avoid scams.
The Information You Submit to IC3 Makes All the Difference
Combined with other data, it allows the FBI to investigate reported crimes, track trends and threats, and, in some cases, even freeze stolen funds. Just as importantly, IC3 shares reports of crime throughout its vast network of FBI field offices and law enforcement partners, strengthening our nation’s collective response both locally and nationally.
Due to the massive number of complaints, we receive each year, IC3 cannot respond directly to every submission, but please know we take each report seriously. With your help, we can and will respond faster, defend cyber networks better, and more effectively protect our nation.
Recent IC3 Alerts
Counterfeit check scam targets law firms via debt collection scheme, anniversary of october 7, 2023 hamas attacks may motivate individuals to violence in the united states, just so you know: false claims of hacked voter information likely intended to sow distrust of u.s. elections, business email compromise: the $55 billion scam, north korea aggressively targeting crypto industry with well-disguised social engineering attacks, product security bad practices, iranian cyber actors' brute force and credential access activity compromises critical infrastructure organizations, update on svr cyber operations and vulnerability exploitation, principles of operational technology cyber security, iranian cyber actors targeting personal accounts to support operations, terms and conditions.
Prior to filing a complaint with the IC3, please read the following information regarding terms and conditions.
What details will I be asked to include in my complaint?
What happens after I file a complaint?
How are complaints resolved?
Should I retain evidence related to my complaint?
Complaints filed via this website are analyzed and may be referred to federal, state, local or international law enforcement and partner agencies for possible investigation.
The complaint information you submit to this site is encrypted via secure socket layer (SSL) encryption. Please see the Privacy Policy for further information.
We thank you for your cooperation.
By clicking "I Accept" you acknowledge the following:
I understand any contact or investigation regarding any complaint I file on this website is initiated at the discretion of the agency receiving the complaint information. I will not be contacted by the IC3.
The information I'm providing on this form is correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that providing false information could make me subject to fine, imprisonment, or both. ( TITLE 18, U.S. CODE, SECTION 1001 )
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Microsoft processes thousands of requests to review websites everyday. To speed up our reviews, we use automated systems built on artificial intelligence and our Intelligent Security Graph.
These automated systems deliver results that provide almost immediate protection to millions of users worldwide.
Found other unsafe sites?
How to Report a Scam Website and Why It's Important
With more than 2 million fake websites online, it's important to report any you come across to help the authorities shut them down and protect others from falling for scams.
United States Scam & Fraud Statistics 2020
Source: 2019-20 Consumer Sentinel Report
How to Report a Scam Website
Information you need to report a scam website, red flags of scam websites, how to confirm if a website is real or fake, examples of scam websites, frequently asked questions.
There are more than 1.88 billion websites online in 2021—unfortunately, millions of them are scams. Google recently announced detecting more than 2 million fake websites trying to trick users into providing personal information such as passwords, bank account numbers, or credit card information. In 2020, the search engine uncovered an average of 46,000 new phishing websites coming online every week. It's essential to know how to report a scam website to help the authorities shut them down.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the primary government agency that collects and tracks scam reports, so it’s the best place to start when you encounter a fraudulent website. The FTC recommends you take the following actions:
Report scams to the FTC to help warn others. While the government can’t help you recover lost money, they do track complaints and take legal action against companies. You can also call the FTC complaint hotline at 1 (877) 382-4357 between 9 am and 8 pm ET.
Report scam websites to your state’s Consumer Protection Office .
Report online scams to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3 ).
Report international scams to eConsumer.gov , which relays information about international scams to more than 40 consumer protection agencies worldwide.
Report scam websites involving Social Security to the Social Security Administration (SSA) Inspector General. Report SSA scams online or call 1 (800) 269-0271 from 10 am to 4 pm ET.
Report scam websites involving IRS imposters to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) . To report by phone, call 1 (800) 366-4484 .
If you lost money or items in a scam, you should also report it to the police in your area. If you gave out your bank account, credit card, or debit card information, you should also contact your bank or card issuer.
If you believe someone is in immediate danger due to a scam, call 911.
The more information you can provide about a fake website, the easier it will be for the agency to evaluate your complaint.
The FTC asks that you provide the following information when reporting a fake website:
Your contact information , including name, address, phone number, and email.
The type of product or service involved.
Information about the website or online seller, including business name and website address. If you have information such as an address, phone number, email, or company representative's name, the FTC encourages you to report that as well.
Details about any transaction you made, including data, purchase amount, and payment type. Provide the website page linking to any products you purchased if possible.
Legitimate companies will have professional websites, which makes it somewhat easy to spot a scam website. Here are some red flags to look out for:
Obvious spelling and grammatical errors.
Offering products, goods, or services that sound too good to be true.
Incredible offers that are only available for a short time.
Requiring an upfront investment to claim free prizes or vouchers for products or services.
Not a secure website (does not begin with “https”).
Asks for nonsecure payment methods, such as wires, fund transfers, money orders, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
Logos that don’t look right (e.g., a blurry SSA logo).
URLs that don’t look right (e.g., www.apples.com vs. www.apple.com)
If something doesn’t feel right, trust that feeling and do some investigative work to check if the website is a scam.
Scam Websites Take Many Forms
Scam websites come in various forms. They can be fake dating sites, sites offering loans or escrow services, fake e-commerce, or online shopping sites—scammers can basically make a fake website of any kind.
There are several ways to check if a website is a scam. If you see any of the red flags discussed above or have a feeling something may be off, here are some of the ways you can check:
Do an online search for the company's name along with the keyword “scam” or check out review sites.
Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been complaints against the brand.
Examine the URL of the website . Many scam sites have URLs similar to name brands but slightly off to trick you into thinking you’re dealing with a legitimate business.
Check that the URL starts with “https” and shows a padlock symbol that is closed. This shows the site is secure.
Look at the website’s contact page . Scam sites often do not provide ways to contact the company or provide an address.
Scam sites often come and go quickly. You can do a quick search to see how long a website has been active by entering the website address into the search box at the Internet Corporation for Assignment Names and Numbers (ICANN) , a nonprofit that coordinates website addresses.
You can also use a free Google tool called the Transparency Report. By entering the URL of the scam website, Google can let you know if they find unsafe content on it.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of scam websites online. Here are some of the most common ones to be aware of.
Impersonation Scams
A site may look like a well-known eCommerce store or company site but be a fake. Scammers often use website names similar to the actual site, such as substituting a zero for an O in the name, impersonating well-known sites.
Phishing Scams
Phishing websites also pose as legitimate companies. They may ask for your login credentials, bank account information, credit card numbers, Social Security number, or other personal information.
Scam Shopping Sites
Online shopping scam sites often offer great deals to try to convince you to enter your payment information. They may take this information and use your credit card fraudulently or send you a poor-quality product that isn’t what you ordered.
Security Scams
You may see a website pop-up or click on an ad telling you that a security breach has been detected on your computer. The fake site may ask you to download software to fix the problem, which instead launches malicious software , or ask you to grant access to your device for their technicians to fix it.
Is Wish a scam website?
Wish is a legitimate company based in San Francisco that offers actual products. However, Wish is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has received more than 4,400 complaints about Wish in the past three years.
The BBB has placed an alert on the Wish account for a pattern of complaints, including products not being received or being different from how they were described.
How do I report scam websites?
You should report scam websites to the appropriate government authorities. If you’ve been scammed out of money, contact the police, too.
Is Shein a scam website?
Shein is a legitimate clothing reseller. In fact, it was a featured seller on Amazon’s most recent Prime Day. However, customers should know that Shein is not accredited through the Better Business Bureau and currently has an F rating. More than 900 complaints have been filed with the BBB against Shein within the past three years.
How do I get my money back from a scam website?
If you paid with a credit card or debit card, contact the card issuer as soon as possible and let them know of a fraudulent charge. Ask them to reverse the transaction and return your money.
If you paid with a check, you can stop payment through your bank. If you used an eCheck, contact your financial institution and tell them it was an unauthorized withdrawal and ask them to reverse the transaction.
If you send money via a wire transfer, contact the wire transfer company and report the fraud and ask to have your money returned.
If you paid with a gift card, call the company that issued the card and tell them it was used in a scam. Make sure you keep the card and receipt.
If you used an online payment service, such as PayPal, Stripe, Venmo, Google Pay, or Payoneer, contact the provider and report the scam. Most online payment services offer fraud protection.
How do I know if a website is a scam?
If a website offers a deal that sounds too good to be legitimate, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. Before spending any money or falling victim, do your due diligence to protect yourself. Search online for scam reports, check with the Better Business Bureau, and read reviews from independent websites.
About This Article
Statista: How Many Websites Are There?
Forbes: Google Registers Record Two Million Phishing Websites In 2020
USA.gov: Report Scams and Frauds
Federal Trade Commission: Report Fraud to the FTC
Kaspersky: What Are Scam Websites and How To Avoid Scam Websites
Federal Trade Commission: What To Do if You Were Scammed
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Verified.org is free to use. We are funded through a combination of direct investment by the founders and advertising and affiliate links for which we may get paid a fee. When you click on the links you are supporting Verified.org.
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How to Report Websites with Illegal Content: US & Internationally
Last Updated: August 19, 2024 Fact Checked
Where to Report (United States)
Where to Report Internationally
Other Reporting Options
This article was written by Jennifer Mueller, JD and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman . Jennifer Mueller is an in-house legal expert at wikiHow. Jennifer reviews, fact-checks, and evaluates wikiHow's legal content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. She received her JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 161,834 times.
If you stumble across a website with illegal content (like sites with fraudulent, scammy, and malicious content), the most important thing you can do is report it to law enforcement—and we’re here to show you how. Read on to find the best ways to report illegal websites, both online and over the phone. In a matter of minutes, you can do your part to make the internet a little bit safer.
Disclaimer: CSEM is short for Child Sexual Exploitation Material. In some parts of the world, it may be referred to as CSAM.
Things You Should Know
Report websites with illegal content to FBI’s IC3 website if you live in America.
Report websites with CSEM-related content to the CyberTipline website if you live in America.
Visit INHOPE’s website to find the proper contact info to report CSEM-related websites to your country’s authorities.
Where to Report Illegal Websites in the USA
The IC3 is a good place to report most crimes, including fraudulent sites, scam sites/content, and malicious sites/content.
Tip: If you’d rather report the incident in person, visit the nearest FBI field office in your area.
You can also use this form to report a website to Google.
Fraudulent websites peddling investment scams and similar illegal activity can be reported to the SEC here .
If a site has malware, report it to Google with this form .
If someone you know is a victim of copyright infringement, send them the link to this form and encourage them to fill it out.
Facebook: Hit the triple-dot icon on the post, followed by Report post and False information . [2] X Research source
YouTube: Hit the More … option, followed by Report . Then, select NEXT and give more information on why you’re reporting. [3] X Research source
Twitter/X: Hit the triple-dot icon on the post, followed by Report Post . [4] X Research source
Instagram: Hit the triple-dot icon attached to the post, along with Report , False information , and Submit report . [5] X Research source
TikTok: Select Profile , followed by Menu ☰ . Then, hit Settings and privacy , followed by Report a problem . From there, choose the best topic for your report. [6] X Research source
For example, if someone is displaying private photos of you without your permission, your local law enforcement may be able to do something about it.
If someone is directly harassing you or threatening you online and you believe they are a threat to your safety, you should also call local law enforcement.
Where to Report Illegal Websites Internationally
Call [2] to reach the CAFC, or [3] to reach Cybertip.
Country
Websites
Austria
DE EN
Belgium
Belgium
Bulgaria
BG
Croatia
HR
Czech Republic
CZ EN
Denmark
DK EN
Finland
EN
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
HU
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
LT EN
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
PT EN
Romania
RO
Spain
ES 1
Slovakia
EN
Slovenia
EN
Sweden
EN
United Kingdom
If you live in New Zealand, file your report on this site , or call 638 723 .
Country
Website
Phone #
Japan
N/A
Kazakhstan
N/A
Russia
N/A
Taiwan
Thailand
N/A
South Africa
Site
Country
Website
Phone #
Argentina
Brazil
N/A
Colombia
Site
N/A
Peru
N/A
Look in the "help" or "support" section if you're having trouble finding the right place to report. You can also search for the word "report" and see what comes up.
If the platform is obscured, look towards the bottom of the page. You'll typically find a logo or the name of the platform somewhere towards the bottom, with the copyright information. For example, you might see "Powered by WordPress" on a WordPress page, even if "wordpress" does not appear in the URL.
File a report to share information with the FBI. IC3 is the main intake form for a variety of complaints — everything from cyber-enabled frauds and scams to cybercrime — so file a report even if you are unsure of whether your complaint qualifies.
4 Ways to Report a Website - wikiHow
Things You Should Know. Report a site to Google via theSafeBrowsingReportpage. Report a site to your antivirus company using their specified webpage, ticketing system, or portal. Report fraudulent and phishing sites to the FTC and CISA, and report sites with illegal content to IC3.
Report an unsafe site - Microsoft Security Intelligence
Report a website or URL that you believe might contain threats such as phishing or malware.
ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Protect your community by reporting fraud, scams, and bad business practices.
How to Report a Scam Website and Why It's Important
Report scam websites to your state’s Consumer Protection Office. Report online scams to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Report international scams to eConsumer.gov, which relays information about international scams to more than 40 consumer protection agencies worldwide.
How to Report Websites with Illegal Content - wikiHow
If you stumble across a website with illegal content (like sites with fraudulent, scammy, and malicious content), the most important thing you can do is report it to law enforcement—and we’re here to show you how.
COMMENTS
File a report to share information with the FBI. IC3 is the main intake form for a variety of complaints — everything from cyber-enabled frauds and scams to cybercrime — so file a report even if you are unsure of whether your complaint qualifies.
Things You Should Know. Report a site to Google via the SafeBrowsing Report page. Report a site to your antivirus company using their specified webpage, ticketing system, or portal. Report fraudulent and phishing sites to the FTC and CISA, and report sites with illegal content to IC3.
Report a website or URL that you believe might contain threats such as phishing or malware.
Protect your community by reporting fraud, scams, and bad business practices.
Report scam websites to your state’s Consumer Protection Office. Report online scams to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Report international scams to eConsumer.gov, which relays information about international scams to more than 40 consumer protection agencies worldwide.
If you stumble across a website with illegal content (like sites with fraudulent, scammy, and malicious content), the most important thing you can do is report it to law enforcement—and we’re here to show you how.