The First Place to Report a Crypto Scam
- Go-Crypto
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
If you’ve been scammed, hacked, or tricked into sending cryptocurrency, take a breath. You’re not alone, and you didn’t fail. Crypto scams are sophisticated, professional, and emotionally manipulative.
At Go-Crypto, we help people every day who are asking the same question:
“Where do I report this first?”
The answer is, for those who live in the United States, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
This post will walk you through why IC3 matters and how to file a report.
Why IC3 Should Be Your First Report
IC3 is run by the FBI and acts as the central reporting hub for online crimes in the U.S. That includes cryptocurrency scams.
When you file a report with IC3:
Your case is logged into a federal system
The information is shared with relevant agencies (like the FBI or Secret Service)
Patterns are identified across victims
Serious or time-sensitive cases can be escalated
Think of IC3 as the front door to federal cybercrime investigations.Even if your funds can’t be recovered right away, your report matters. It helps protect others and builds real cases against scammers.
What You Need Before You Start
You do not need to have everything perfect. Just gather what you can.
Helpful items include:
Wallet addresses involved
Transaction IDs (TXIDs or hashes)
The website, app, or platform used
Dates and amounts sent
Emails, messages, or screenshots (if available)
If you’re missing something, that’s okay. Submit anyway.
What Happens After You File?
Here’s what to expect and what not to expect.
IC3 may:
Share your report with federal or local law enforcement
Use your data to identify scam networks
Contact you if more information is needed
IC3 will not:
Immediately recover your funds
Contact the scammer
Provide real-time updates
That can feel frustrating, but your report is now in the system, where it belongs.
Should You Report Anywhere Else?
Yes — but after IC3.
Depending on your situation, you may also report to:
The United States Secret Service
The Federal Trade Commission
IC3 should always be step one. File your IC3 complaint here at https://www.ic3.gov/
A Final Word from Go-Crypto
If you’re reading this because something just happened — we’re sorry. Crypto scams don’t just steal money; they steal trust, peace, and confidence.
Reporting to IC3 is about taking your power back and helping stop the cycle. We've included a checklist to make the reporting process simple. You can download it here.
If you need help gathering transaction data, understanding what happened, or creating a clear report, Go-Crypto is here to support you.
Educating. Investigating. Protecting Digital Assets. Visit us at https://www.go-crypto.org
Comments