File a Federal Trade Commission Complaint

Where to File an FTC Complaint

Use the FTC’s general fraud reporting system for scams, deceptive conduct, and unfair business practices. This is the usual channel for an online shopping scam, an impostor, a dishonest seller, a misleading offer, or a company practice that may affect other consumers. Open {site} and choose the option for reporting fraud or a bad business practice.

Identity theft has a separate FTC reporting process. Choose the identity theft option if someone used your personal information without permission, opened an account in your name, or took over an existing account. That process may provide a recovery plan and documents based on the type of identity theft reported.

For unwanted telemarketing calls, illegal robocalls, or unwanted texts, use the FTC option specifically labeled for unwanted calls. If the caller also took money or personal information, submit a fraud report as well. Selecting the closest category helps route the information correctly, but you can still explain the full situation in your own words.

How to Submit a Complaint Online

1. Open the official reporting page through {site}. Select the category that best describes what happened.
2. Answer the screening questions. These may ask how the person or business contacted you, what they claimed, and whether you paid or shared information.
3. Enter the incident details. Give a short, factual account in date order. Include what was promised, what actually happened, and what you did after discovering the problem.
4. Add information about the person or company involved. Enter only details you know, such as a business name, caller information, email identifier, mailing details, social media name, or payment recipient.
5. Provide your own contact information if requested and if you choose to do so. Review the privacy explanation shown with the form before entering sensitive details.
6. Check the report carefully. Correct dates, amounts, names, and spelling before selecting the final submission button.
7. Save or print the confirmation page and any report or reference information shown after submission.

A federal trade commission complaint online can usually be completed without writing a formal legal statement. Use plain language and separate facts you observed from anything you only suspect.

Information to Gather Before Filing

You do not need every detail before reporting. Submit what you have, and do not delay solely because one record is missing. The following information can make a federal trade commission complaint clearer:

• Your name and preferred contact details, if you are willing to provide them.
• The name of the company, seller, caller, website operator, or individual involved.
• Dates and approximate times of calls, messages, transactions, deliveries, or account changes.
• Receipts, invoices, order confirmations, contracts, statements, and transaction records.
• The payment method, amount paid, and the name shown as the recipient or merchant.
• Email messages, text messages, letters, advertisements, screenshots, and social media conversations.
• Caller information or account names exactly as they appeared, while remembering that displayed details can be falsified.
• A brief timeline explaining how contact began, what was represented, and when you noticed the problem.
• Any steps already taken with the business, payment provider, or another agency.

Keep original records in a safe place. Before uploading or copying anything, check what the official form requests. Do not include passwords, access codes, or complete financial account credentials in a narrative field.

What Happens After Submission

The reporting system may display confirmation, reference, or recovery information after the form is submitted. Save that page before closing the browser. If the system offers a report copy or recovery plan, store it somewhere only you can access.

The FTC uses consumer reports to identify patterns, investigate possible violations, educate the public, and support law-enforcement work. Report information may be available through a secure law-enforcement database to authorized agencies. A report can be useful even when the loss was small or you recognized the scam before paying.

The FTC generally does not act as a personal dispute-resolution service. Filing does not promise an individual investigation, a direct response, reimbursement, or recovery of money. If you need to challenge a charge or correct an account, contact the relevant business or financial institution separately using contact information you independently verify.

Other Ways to Contact the FTC

If the online form is unavailable or difficult to use, call the FTC through the verified contact information displayed with this page. A representative can take reports by telephone. Have your notes nearby and ask for any reference information available at the end of the call.

The FTC provides language assistance for callers. Ask for help in your preferred language when connected. Spanish-language online reporting is also available through the FTC’s official reporting system.

People who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or speech disabled can review the FTC’s official accessibility contact options, including the listed text-telephone or relay method. If the form itself creates an accessibility barrier, use the verified telephone or accessibility channel rather than sending sensitive information to an unverified address.

Protect Your Information While Reporting

Start from the verified FTC contact block on this page or navigate independently to the federal agency’s official site. Check that the page clearly identifies the Federal Trade Commission and uses the official United States government domain ending. Do not trust a reporting link merely because it appears in a search advertisement, text message, email, or social media reply.

The FTC does not require payment to accept a consumer report. Be suspicious of anyone who asks for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, remote access to your device, or a verification code to file or speed up a complaint. Do not give a supposed FTC representative your password or permit them to move money for safekeeping.

If someone contacts you unexpectedly after you file, do not rely on the caller information or message link. End the contact and return through the independently verified FTC channel. Keep your confirmation private, and share report details only when you have verified who is requesting them and why.