FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
For scams and fraud that happened online, by text or by phone.
ic3.gov ↗If You Are in Danger
Get Safe First
- 911 If you are in immediate danger.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, by call or text, at any hour.
- 800-799-7233 National Domestic Violence Hotline, at any hour. Or text START to 88788, or chat at thehotline.org ↗
- 800-656-4673 RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline, at any hour.
- 844-762-8483 StrongHearts Native Helpline, for American Indians and Alaska Natives affected by domestic, dating or sexual violence. Call, text or chat at strongheartshelpline.org ↗
- LOVEIS to 22522 love is respect, for teens and young adults in an abusive relationship, at any hour. Or call 866-331-9474.
- HOME to 741741 Crisis Text Line, free support by text at any hour.
After Fraud
Your First Seven Steps
01
Stop Sending Money
Even if you’re promised it will be returned. Don’t warn or confront the person.
02
Save Everything
Messages, emails, statements, receipts and screenshots, with dates. Don’t delete anything, even if it’s embarrassing.
03
Call Your Bank
Use the number on your card or statement. Ask them to stop or reverse payments and secure your accounts.
04
Freeze Your Credit
A freeze is free at each of the three credit bureaus and stops new accounts being opened in your name.
05
Report It
To the FBI, the FTC and your local police. Ask for a report number and keep it.
06
Write a Timeline
While it’s fresh: what happened, when, how much, and who was involved. It doesn’t need to be perfect.
07
Get Support
Talk to someone you trust, a counselor or an advocate. You don’t have to do this by yourself.
Where to Report
Official Places to Report
Federal Trade Commission
Reports help the FTC spot patterns and bring cases against scammers.
reportfraud.ftc.gov ↗IdentityTheft.gov
If your name, Social Security number or accounts were used. You get a personal recovery plan.
identitytheft.gov ↗National Elder Fraud Hotline
833-372-8311 (833-FRAUD-11). Free help from the U.S. Department of Justice, seven days a week.
justice.gov/stopelderfraud ↗Texas Abuse Hotline
800-252-5400. Report abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of an older adult or a person with a disability. In another state, see Adult Protective Services.
txabusehotline.org ↗Your Local Police
Use the non-emergency number. A police report is often required by banks, insurers and compensation programs.
Wherever You Live
Find Help
in Your State
Choose your state to see its crime victim compensation program and where to report a scam. Wherever you live, we can also help you get organized for your lawyer, by phone and video.
More Free Help in Every State
Your State’s Compensation Program
Every state has a program that may help with costs such as counseling, lost wages and relocation after a crime. The national association links to each one.
nacvcb.org ↗Adult Protective Services
Report abuse, neglect or financial exploitation to the office in the person’s state. For other local help for older adults, call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116, weekdays.
napsa-now.org ↗ABA Find Legal Help
Lawyer referral services and legal resources in each state, from the American Bar Association.
findlegalhelp.org ↗Legal Aid Near You
Nonprofit legal aid for people with low incomes, with free legal information and court forms, in every state.
lawhelp.org ↗lsc.gov ↗ABA Free Legal Answers
If you qualify by income, post a civil legal question online and a volunteer lawyer licensed in your state answers it. Available in about 40 states, including Texas.
abafreelegalanswers.org ↗Your State Attorney General
Report scams and fraud to the consumer protection office in your state.
naag.org ↗Anywhere in the U.S.
Help for Your
Specific Situation
VictimConnect Resource Center
855-484-2846, by call or text, weekdays. Free, confidential help finding victim services where you live, in English and Spanish.
victimconnect.org ↗AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline
877-908-3360, weekdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. Free for anyone, any age; you don’t need to be an AARP member.
aarp.org ↗Identity Theft Resource Center
888-400-5530, by call or text, or chat online. Free one-on-one help building a recovery plan.
idtheftcenter.org ↗Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
If a bank, lender or other financial company won’t help after fraud, file a complaint online or call 855-411-2372.
consumerfinance.gov ↗SEC and FINRA
Report suspected investment fraud to the SEC. Investors 60 and older can also call the FINRA Securities Helpline for Seniors at 844-574-3577, weekdays.
sec.gov/tcr ↗U.S. Postal Inspection Service
877-876-2455, or report online. The Postal Inspection Service does not call people from this number, so treat any such call as a scam.
uspis.gov ↗Protect Your Credit
Freeze Your Credit
at All Three Bureaus
A credit freeze is free and doesn’t affect your score. You need to place it at each bureau separately, and you can lift it any time you apply for credit.
Your Rights as a Victim
Compensation, Notices
and Your Voice in Court
- Compensation in Texas The Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Program may help with costs such as counseling, lost wages and relocation after a crime. 800-983-9933 · texasattorneygeneral.gov ↗
- Compensation in Other States Every state has its own program. Find yours
- Custody Alerts Free notifications when an offender is released or transferred, through VINELink ↗
- Impact Statements You can tell the court how a crime affected you. Ask the prosecutor’s victim assistance coordinator how and when to submit it, or ask us to draft it with you
- Victim Services National information and help finding local services from the Office for Victims of Crime ↗
Finding an Attorney
Get Legal Advice
from a Licensed Attorney
- In Texas State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral Service, 800-252-9690 · texasbar.com ↗
- Free Legal Help in Texas Information and legal aid for Texans with low incomes at TexasLawHelp.org ↗
- In Other States Lawyer referrals, legal aid and free legal answers. See help in every state
- Through VAA We can introduce you to vetted attorneys in our network. Ask Us
Stalking and Safety
If Someone Is
Following or Watching You
- Stalking Information, safety planning and a log to record incidents, from SPARC ↗
- Tech Safety How to check phones, accounts and devices for tracking, from NNEDV Safety Net ↗
- Your Records Keep a dated log, save messages and keep camera footage that can be exported. Evidence helps if you seek a protective order.
These organizations are independent of Victim Advocacy Associates. We list them because they are free and official; VAA is not affiliated with them. Phone numbers and links were checked in October 2026.
Not Sure Where to Start?
A free 15-minute call is enough to talk through what happened and what to do next.