FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center Support
Official FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center Website
Open {site} to reach the official FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, commonly called IC3. The page should clearly identify itself as an official United States government service connected with the FBI.
Avoid links in unexpected emails, text messages, online ads, or social media posts. A copied logo or official-looking seal does not prove that a page is genuine. If anything looks unusual, leave the page and return through the verified link.
The official service does not need an outside company to submit a complaint for you. Be cautious if a page asks for payment, promises to recover money, or claims that filing through it will receive special treatment.
How to Submit an Internet Crime Complaint
Use the complaint form on the official IC3 site. Before starting, collect the facts and records that explain what happened. Useful information may include:
- Your contact information and details about the person or organization affected.
- Dates, transaction amounts, payment methods, and financial account details relevant to the incident.
- Names, usernames, email details, website information, and other identifiers used by the suspected party.
- A clear timeline describing how contact began, what was requested, and what loss or harm occurred.
- Copies or descriptions of messages, receipts, transaction records, and other evidence.
Read the form instructions and required acknowledgments, complete the relevant fields, review the entries, and submit the complaint. Save any confirmation page, complaint identifier, or other reference details displayed after submission.
Keep the original evidence even if the form only asks you to describe it. Filing a complaint does not guarantee that the FBI or another agency will contact you, open an investigation, recover property, or reimburse a loss. Information may be reviewed or shared with an appropriate law enforcement agency.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center Phone Number
IC3 does not present an official public support number for filing complaints or checking their progress. Do not trust a number merely because it appears in a search result, message, directory, or caller ID.
If you need a verified FBI contact option, open {site} and use the official contact or field-office information provided there. A local FBI field office may accept information, but an online crime complaint is generally submitted through the IC3 form.
Someone claiming to provide an FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center phone number may be an impersonator. Never disclose passwords, verification codes, or financial credentials to an unexpected caller.
Accessing or Updating a Submitted Complaint
IC3 is a reporting portal, not a customer account dashboard. Do not assume that you can sign in to retrieve a complaint, edit the original form, or view an investigation status.
If you receive confirmation details after submitting, store them securely. They may be needed to identify the earlier report. Follow the current instructions on the official site for supplying additional information. If those instructions require another submission, clearly state that it supplements an earlier complaint and include the original complaint identifier when available.
Do not file repeated copies simply to request a progress report. IC3 generally cannot provide individual status updates. If a law enforcement agency contacts you, use the reference and contact method in that verified communication.
Problems Using the Complaint Form
If the form will not load or submit, first check that every required field is complete. Remove unsupported characters if the page identifies them, shorten an entry only when a field limit is shown, and try again using a current browser. Do not repeatedly press the submission control while the page is processing.
An interrupted session may not preserve unfinished entries. Draft a timeline in a separate note before restarting, but protect sensitive information if the device is shared. If no confirmation appears, do not assume the complaint was received. Follow the official instructions displayed by IC3 rather than guessing.
If you lost confirmation details, IC3 may not be able to recreate them for you. Keep any available date, name, and incident details together in case you need to refer to the report later.
For an accessibility barrier, use the verified accessibility or contact guidance provided on the official FBI pages. Describe the page, the action you were attempting, the device or browser, and any error shown. Do not send passwords or unrelated sensitive records with a technical question.
Urgent Threats and Financial Loss
The IC3 form is not an emergency service. If someone faces immediate danger, contact emergency services or local law enforcement now. For a credible threat involving a specific person or location, preserve the message and give the details to the appropriate authorities.
If money has just been sent, contact the bank, card issuer, payment provider, wire service, or cryptocurrency platform involved immediately through its verified channel. Ask whether the transaction can be stopped, recalled, or flagged. Change exposed passwords from a trusted device and notify affected account providers.
These urgent steps are separate from filing an IC3 complaint. Act promptly with the financial institution and law enforcement, then submit a complete online report when it is safe to do so.
How to Avoid IC3 Impersonation Scams
Scammers may pretend to be IC3 or FBI personnel after learning that someone has already lost money. Common warning signs include:
- A demand for payment, gift cards, cryptocurrency, account access, or a fee to release recovered funds.
- A promise that money will certainly be recovered or that a complaint will receive a guaranteed outcome.
- Pressure to act secretly or immediately.
- A request for passwords, one-time security codes, or remote access to your device.
- An unexpected link or attachment that supposedly opens your complaint.
- A threat of arrest or punishment unless you pay or provide financial information.
Caller ID, email display names, badges, and case numbers can be copied or fabricated. End unexpected contact and independently return to the verified official source. Do not use contact details supplied by the suspicious caller or message.