Where do I report a scam call in the US?

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If money was sent, start with the payment provider

Call the bank, card issuer or payment service promptly using contact details you already trust. Explain that a scammer obtained the payment. Ask whether it can be stopped or reversed. The FTC’s recovery guide has instructions for each payment method; recovery is not guaranteed.

Keep any receipt, transfer reference or gift card and the messages you received. Make a private folder for the report. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For a crime that is not an immediate emergency, contact local police through their official published number.

Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission

Use ReportFraud.ftc.gov to report a scam, a loss, or useful information about the scammer. The FTC’s reporting advice asks for the number called, the displayed number, any callback number and the date and time.

Describe what happened in plain words. Say who the caller claimed to be, what they wanted and how you responded. Separate what you know from what the caller said. If you suspect a cloned voice, describe the familiar voice and the request rather than claiming you proved which tool was used.

Report unwanted calls or spoofing to the FCC

Start at the FCC Consumer Complaint Center and choose the phone complaint route for unwanted calls or texts. Follow the categories currently shown there. Use the official form rather than paying a website that offers to file it for you.

Have your call log ready before starting. Include the number shown even if you think it was faked, and distinguish it from any number you were told to call back. Do not call a suspicious number again to collect more information.

Use Do Not Call for an unwanted call without a loss

The FTC directs people reporting an unwanted call without losing money to DoNotCall.gov. Open DoNotCall.gov and follow its unwanted-call reporting route. Use ReportFraud instead when you have scammer information or lost money.

The registry is free for personal phone numbers. It does not cover business numbers, block calls or stop scammers. Do not confuse registering a personal number with reporting a particular call. Keep a copy of what you submitted so you know which step you completed.

Use IC3 for internet-enabled fraud

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, IC3, accepts reports about cyber-enabled crime. A phone scam tied to an online account, website or internet payment may belong there too. The FBI’s AI-fraud alert also directs victims to IC3.

Include the account names, website addresses and transaction details you already have when the form asks for them. Keep those details in your private report records rather than posting them publicly. Save any confirmation or reference number and use the site’s own instructions for follow-up.

Contact your state attorney general and local police

Find your state’s office through USAGov’s state attorney general directory. Follow that office’s consumer complaint instructions. If you are helping a parent, sit with them while they describe the call and gather records.

For a loss, threat or impersonated family emergency, contact local police as well. Find the department’s contact details independently. Tell them whether the caller claimed someone was injured or detained, and which parts you have checked. The family voice-call guide walks through that immediate check.

Make one clear record before filling out forms

Write a short timeline with the call time, displayed number, claimed identity, request and any payment. Keep original voicemails and messages you already have. Mark details you cannot remember as unknown. Use that same timeline when speaking to your bank and completing official forms.

After reporting, share the practical lesson with family or staff: pause, hang up and verify on a known number. Return to the scam-call hub for free phone settings and guides to specific calls.

Questions people ask

Can I report a call if I did not lose money?

Yes. Use DoNotCall.gov for an unwanted call without a loss, or ReportFraud.ftc.gov when you have information about a scammer.

Do I need to prove the caller used AI?

Describe what you heard and what the caller requested. Include the records you have and make clear what is uncertain. Do not delay contacting a payment provider or reporting a threat while trying to identify the voice technology.