Learn About Reporting Fraud to the Federal Trade Commission

Understanding the Federal Trade Commission's Role in Fraud

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a government agency that works to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive business practices. Founded in 1914, the FTC operates under the Federal Trade Commission Act, which gives it the power to investigate complaints and take action against companies that engage in fraudulent activities. The agency does not handle individual lawsuits or award money directly to victims, but it uses the information from reports to identify patterns, investigate companies, and pursue legal action when warranted.

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The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection is the division most directly involved in handling fraud complaints. This bureau receives millions of reports each year about various scams and fraudulent activities. According to the FTC's data, in 2023 alone, the agency received over 2.4 million reports from consumers, with median losses per consumer reaching concerning levels across different fraud categories. Identity theft remains the most commonly reported type of fraud, followed by online shopping scams and imposter schemes.

Understanding what the FTC can and cannot do is important when considering whether to report fraud. The agency can investigate patterns of fraud, issue warnings to the public, pursue legal cases against companies, and negotiate settlements. However, the FTC typically cannot recover money for individual victims directly. Despite this limitation, reporting to the FTC contributes to a larger database that helps protect the public and may lead to enforcement actions that benefit consumers overall.

The FTC maintains a national consumer complaint database called the Consumer Sentinel. This database contains millions of complaints and is shared with law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Secret Service, and local police departments. When you report fraud to the FTC, your information enters this system and becomes part of a broader investigation effort. This means your report may connect to other reports about the same company or scammer, helping authorities identify organized fraud rings or widespread schemes.

Practical Takeaway: Reporting fraud to the FTC is not about getting money back for yourself, but rather contributing to a national database that helps law enforcement identify fraud patterns and take action against wrongdoers. Understanding this distinction helps set realistic expectations about what reporting accomplishes.

Types of Fraud You Should Report to the FTC

The FTC accepts reports about many different types of fraud and scams. One of the most common is identity theft, which occurs when someone uses your personal information without authorization to open accounts, make purchases, or commit other fraudulent activities. If you notice unfamiliar accounts on your credit report or receive bills for things you didn't buy, you should report this to the FTC immediately. The agency provides a specific process for identity theft cases that may be different from other fraud complaints.

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Online shopping scams represent another major category of fraud reported to the FTC. These include situations where you pay for items that never arrive, receive counterfeit products instead of authentic ones, or discover that the website you ordered from was fraudulent. E-commerce fraud has grown significantly, with losses exceeding $10 billion annually in the United States. The FTC investigates patterns in online marketplace fraud and works with platforms to remove bad actors.

Imposter scams occur when someone pretends to be from a government agency, utility company, bank, or other trusted organization to trick you into sending money or revealing personal information. Common variations include fake IRS calls, Social Security Administration impersonators, and schemes pretending to be from legitimate companies like Amazon or Apple. These scams have become increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using spoofed phone numbers and convincing scripts. In 2023, imposter scams resulted in reported losses exceeding $2.7 billion.

Romance scams and catfishing schemes are also significant fraud categories. In these scams, someone creates a fake profile on a dating app or social media platform and builds a relationship with you, eventually asking for money or financial information. Advance-fee scams, where you're asked to pay money upfront to receive a larger sum, prize, or service, are another category the FTC tracks closely. Lottery scams, prize scams, and inheritance scams all fall into this category.

Other fraud types include work-from-home scams, where companies charge fees to teach you about job opportunities that don't exist or pay far less than promised; tech support scams, where pop-ups or calls convince you that your device has a problem and you need to pay for repairs; and credit repair scams, where companies claim they can remove negative items from your credit report when in fact this is illegal for them to do.

Practical Takeaway: If you've encountered a scam or fraud—whether involving money, personal information, or false promises—the FTC likely accepts reports about it. Identifying which category your situation falls into helps you provide more detailed information when reporting.

How to Report Fraud to the FTC

Reporting fraud to the FTC is straightforward and available through multiple channels. The primary method is through the FTC's official website at reportfraud.ftc.gov. This online complaint system allows you to provide detailed information about your fraud experience in a structured format. The website guides you through questions about what happened, who was involved, how much money was lost (if applicable), and other relevant details. The online process typically takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete and requires no special technical skills.

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For identity theft specifically, the FTC maintains a separate reporting system at identitytheft.gov. This specialized system is designed to help you report identity theft and create an identity theft report, which has legal significance. The identity theft report can be used with credit bureaus and other organizations to dispute fraudulent accounts and activity. This site walks you through specific steps tailored to identity theft cases and provides a customized recovery plan.

If you prefer not to report online, you can mail a written complaint to the FTC at: Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Sentinel Network, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580. You can also call the FTC's consumer response center at 1-877-438-4338 (TTY: 1-866-653-4261), though phone reporting may take longer than online submission since staff will need to document your information.

When reporting, gather as much information as possible about the fraud. Document the company or person's name, website address, phone number, email address, mailing address (if known), and any usernames or social media profiles involved. Keep records of all communications, including emails, text messages, screenshots, and receipts. Note the exact dates of transactions and interactions. If money was involved, record the amounts and payment methods used. The more detail you provide, the more useful your report is to investigators.

After you submit your report, the FTC sends you a confirmation and may provide you with an identity theft report number (if applicable). The agency does not send updates about investigations or tell you what actions resulted from your specific report, as investigations are typically confidential. However, your information becomes part of the Consumer Sentinel database and contributes to the agency's enforcement efforts and consumer protection warnings.

Practical Takeaway: Submitting a report to the FTC online at reportfraud.ftc.gov or identitytheft.gov takes minimal time and requires no technical expertise. Gathering documentation before you report makes your report more detailed and valuable to investigators.

What Information to Include in Your Fraud Report

Providing comprehensive information in your fraud report helps the FTC assess the situation and identify patterns. Start with basic details about yourself: your name, address, phone number, and email address. The FTC uses this information to contact you if needed and to match your complaint with others in the database. Include the date or date range when the fraud occurred, as timing can reveal patterns and help identify organized schemes.

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Describe what happened in clear, chronological order. Explain how you first encountered the scam or fraudulent company—whether through a phone call, email, website, social media ad, or another method. Detail what the company or person claimed to offer. If you were promised a product, job, prize, or service, describe the promise specifically. Explain what steps you took in response, including any money you sent, information you provided, or accounts you opened.

Include all contact information you have for the fraudulent company or individual. This includes phone numbers (especially any number that appeared on your phone as the caller), email addresses, mailing addresses, website URLs, and social media handles. If the scammer used a business name, include that. If you received printed materials, note any addresses or registration information on them. Screenshot any web pages or social media profiles associated with the fraud and reference them in your report.

Document any financial losses precisely. State the exact