How to Call the FBI and Reach the Right Office
Official FBI Phone Numbers
Use only telephone details published by the FBI. The verified contact block above this article is the safest starting point for a national FBI phone number. For a local number, open {site} and use the field-office locator.
Search results, social posts, directories, and caller-identification screens can contain outdated or false details. Searches such as “call fbi number,” “fbi phone number,” “fbi call number,” or “1800 call fbi” may lead to unofficial pages. Confirm every number through an official FBI source before calling.
Be suspicious if someone claiming to represent the FBI demands money, requests gift card information, or pressures you to reveal passwords or verification codes. End the call and locate the FBI’s verified contact information yourself. Do not return a call using only the number shown on your screen or supplied in an unexpected message.
Which FBI Office to Call
The right office depends mainly on where the event happened and whether it involves the United States.
Contact an FBI field office for a crime, threat, suspicious activity, or possible federal offense connected to its local area. The office can receive the information and decide whether it belongs with another FBI office or law-enforcement agency.
Use the FBI’s national contact information for general questions or when you cannot identify the appropriate field office. Explain the location and subject of your call so staff can direct it correctly.
Look for an overseas legal attaché office when the matter occurred outside the United States but has a clear United States connection. These offices work through United States embassies and consulates. Use the official FBI locator rather than an unofficial embassy directory.
You do not need to determine which federal law might apply before you call the FBI. Give a short factual summary and the relevant location. If another agency is better placed to handle it, ask where the report should go and write down the guidance.
What to Have Ready Before Calling
Organize the basic facts before making an FBI call. Do not delay a time-sensitive report just because some details are missing.
Your name and reliable contact information, unless you intend to ask about submitting information without identifying yourself.
The names, usernames, organizations, or descriptions connected with the event.
Where the event happened, including the city, state, country, or online service involved.
Dates, approximate times, and the order in which events occurred.
A plain description of what you personally saw, heard, received, or experienced.
Information about weapons, injuries, stated targets, travel, or other facts that may affect urgency.
Supporting records such as messages, emails, photographs, transaction records, account names, or file details.
Any report or reference information previously provided by local police or another agency.
Keep original records when possible. Avoid editing files, adding notes inside screenshots, or forwarding suspicious material repeatedly. Tell the person receiving the report what evidence exists and follow official instructions for providing it. Do not send sensitive files to an address found on an unofficial page.
Reporting a Crime or Threat
You may call the FBI to report information that could involve a federal crime, national-security concern, terrorism, cybercrime, public corruption, civil-rights violation, organized crime, or a threat crossing jurisdictions. You can still provide information when you are unsure how the matter is classified.
For a detailed report with several names, dates, files, or online identifiers, the official online tip form may be easier than describing everything by phone. Open {site} and choose the option for submitting a tip. Follow the prompts and keep any confirmation or reference information the system provides.
Internet-enabled fraud and certain cyber incidents may have a dedicated official reporting channel. Read the descriptions on the FBI site and choose the channel that best matches what happened. Do not submit repeated versions through every available route unless an official instructs you to do so.
When you call the FBI, separate direct observations from assumptions. State what happened, where it happened, who may be involved, and why you believe the information matters. Mention any deadline or recent change that increases the risk. A report does not guarantee an investigation or a personal reply.
If There Is Immediate Danger
If violence is happening now, someone faces an immediate threat, or urgent medical or police help is needed, contact local emergency services immediately. Do not wait for an FBI response and do not travel to an FBI office during an active emergency.
Move to a safer place if you can do so without increasing the danger. Follow instructions from emergency responders. Tell them about weapons, injuries, the suspect’s location, and any immediate risk to other people. After the emergency is under control, local authorities or the FBI can advise whether additional federal reporting is needed.
If a threat is serious but not unfolding at this moment, preserve the message or record and report it promptly through a verified FBI channel or the appropriate local field office. Avoid confronting the person or publicly announcing details that could put someone at greater risk.
Other Ways to Contact the FBI
The FBI’s official site provides a tip-submission tool and a locator for domestic field offices and overseas legal attaché offices. These tools help when you need to share written details, identify the office serving a particular location, or verify contact information before you call the FBI.
People who need a communication accommodation should use the accessibility contact options published by the FBI. Review the official accessibility information and select the method that fits your needs. If you use relay or assistive communication services, have the same factual summary and supporting details ready.
Before sending information online, confirm that you reached the official FBI site through a trusted route. Never rely on a sponsored result, copied contact list, or unsolicited message. Whether you need an FBI number to call or an online reporting option, verification is the most important first step.