Knowing how to report cyber fraud is the single most important first step a victim can take, and yet it is one of the most consistently misunderstood aspects of fraud recovery. Many victims report to the wrong authority. Many report too late. Some never report at all, believing that nothing can be done or that reporting will not help.
All three of these outcomes harm recovery prospects. Reporting to the correct authority, in the correct order, within the shortest possible time after discovery, creates the official record that every subsequent action: bank reimbursement claims, law enforcement investigation, forensic asset tracing, and legal proceedings depends on.
According to the FBI’s IC3 2025 Annual Report, the Recovery Asset Team achieved a 58 percent success rate in freezing fraudulently transferred funds but this rate applies overwhelmingly to cases where fraud was reported quickly. UK Finance’s 2025 data confirms that prompt reporting significantly improves bank reimbursement outcomes under the mandatory APP fraud rules. ACCC Scamwatch in Australia, the CAFC in Canada, MAS in Singapore, and the SFC in Hong Kong all emphasise the same point: reporting speed is the most important single variable in fraud outcomes.
This guide tells you exactly where to report cyber fraud in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, in what order, what information you will need, and what to expect after you report.
| 58%
FBI Recovery Asset Team success rate when fraud is reported immediately Source: FBI IC3 2025 Annual Report |
Before You Report: What to Preserve
Before contacting any fraud authority, preserve the following evidence. This takes fifteen minutes and will significantly improve the quality and actionability of every subsequent report you make.
- All communications with the scammer: WhatsApp, Telegram, email, dating app messages, social media direct messages. Screenshot every message thread.
- The fraudulent platform’s URL, login page, your dashboard (screenshot), and any transaction records visible on the platform.
- Any documents sent by the scammer: certificates, terms, identity documents, trading reports, regulatory letters.
- Your bank statements showing every transfer made to the scammer or their platform. Note exact dates, times, and amounts.
- Any cryptocurrency transaction IDs, wallet addresses, or exchange confirmation emails.
- The phone numbers, email addresses, LinkedIn profiles, and usernames of everyone involved.
- Any app you were asked to download, note the app name, version, download source, and screenshots of its interface.
Do not delete any of this material, even messages that feel embarrassing or incriminating. Everything is evidence. Evidence you delete cannot be recovered.
The Universal Reporting Sequence
Regardless of which country you are in, the following sequence applies to all cyber fraud cases. Complete these steps in order.
| 1 |
Contact Your Bank ImmediatelyCall the fraud line on the back of your bank card. Say: ‘I have been the victim of fraud and need to stop any pending transactions.’ Ask them to flag the transaction as APP fraud (UK), initiate an FFKC referral (US), or open a fraud investigation (all jurisdictions). Get a fraud case reference number from your bank. |
| 2 |
Report to Your Country’s Primary Fraud AuthoritySee the per-jurisdiction section below for exact authorities, phone numbers, and online reporting portals. Report as early as possible, within hours if you can. Obtain a crime reference number. This number is required for bank reimbursement claims and all subsequent legal or investigative action. |
| 3 |
Report to the Financial Regulator if Investment FraudIf the fraud involved an investment platform, trading scheme, or forex operation, report to the financial regulator in your jurisdiction in addition to the fraud authority. Regulators can issue warnings, investigate platforms, and take enforcement action. See per-jurisdiction details below. |
4 |
Report to the Cryptocurrency Exchange if Crypto Was InvolvedIf your funds entered a cryptocurrency exchange or were sent to a crypto wallet address, report directly to that exchange’s compliance team. Provide the wallet address, transaction ID, and fraud reference number. Many exchanges have dedicated fraud reporting channels. The earlier this report is made, the greater the chance of a voluntary freeze before legal action is required. |
| 5 |
Contact a Forensic Investigator for Crypto CasesBank fraud reporting processes are not designed for cryptocurrency losses. If your funds entered the crypto ecosystem, engage a specialist forensic investigator as quickly as possible. Blockchain tracing, wallet clustering, and exchange cooperation are the primary tools for recovering cryptocurrency and they are most effective within the first 72 hours of a fraud being reported. |
| 6 |
Document Your TimelineWrite a clear chronological account of the fraud: when you were first contacted, what you were told, when each transfer was made, and when you discovered the fraud. Include dates, times, and amounts. This document will be required by your bank, the fraud authority, any legal proceedings, and any forensic investigator you engage. |
| 7 |
Monitor and Follow UpFraud investigations take time. Follow up with your bank’s fraud team and the reporting authority every two to three weeks. If you receive contact from anyone claiming to be recovering your funds on your behalf, verify their credentials independently before engaging. Recovery scams specifically target people who have recently reported fraud. |
Learn more about What to do in the first 48 hours after being scammed
How to Report Cyber Fraud — By Jurisdiction
The following section provides complete reporting information for each of the six jurisdictions ICAR serves. Each card includes the primary fraud reporting authority, the financial regulator, and key supplementary reporting channels.
🇬🇧 UNITED KINGDOM |
| PRIMARY AUTHORITY: Action Fraud (National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre)
📞 0300 123 2040 (24/7) 🌐 actionfraud.police.uk ALSO REPORT TO: FCA (investment fraud): fca.org.uk/consumers/report-scam · NCSC (cyber incidents): report.ncsc.gov.uk · NCA (serious/organised crime): nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk · Your bank’s fraud team APP fraud since October 2024: banks must reimburse most victims up to £85,000 under PSR mandatory rules. Cite this when contacting your bank. Obtain a crime reference number from Action Fraud — this is required for reimbursement claims. For cryptocurrency losses: the bank reimbursement rules do not apply — contact a forensic investigator in parallel. High-value or organised fraud cases may be referred to the Metropolitan Police Cyber Crime Unit or the NCA. |
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES |
| PRIMARY AUTHORITY: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
📞 N/A — online only 🌐 ic3.gov (report online — available 24/7) ALSO REPORT TO: FTC (Federal Trade Commission): reportfraud.ftc.gov · SEC (investment fraud): sec.gov/tcr · CFTC (commodity/forex fraud): cftc.gov/complaint · FinCEN (money laundering): fincen.gov · Your state’s Attorney General · Your bank’s fraud team File with IC3 first — this creates the federal record and may trigger FBI involvement in high-value cases. The FBI’s Recovery Asset Team (RAT) initiates Financial Fraud Kill Chain (FFKC) freeze actions from IC3 reports — the 2025 success rate was 58% with $679M frozen. For cryptocurrency: contact the exchange directly using the IC3 report reference. Also file with the FTC — this generates consumer data that supports FTC enforcement actions. For investment fraud specifically: also file with the SEC and your state’s securities regulator. |
🇨🇦 CANADA |
| PRIMARY AUTHORITY: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC)
📞 1-888-495-8501 🌐 antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca ALSO REPORT TO: RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police): rcmp-grc.gc.ca · Provincial police (Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, etc.) · Provincial securities commissions: securities-administrators.ca · FINTRAC (financial intelligence): fintrac-canafe.gc.ca · Your bank’s fraud team Report to both the CAFC and your local police. The CAFC compiles intelligence that feeds into RCMP and international enforcement actions but does not investigate individual cases directly. For investment fraud: report to your provincial securities commission — in Ontario, the OSC (osc.ca); in BC, the BCSC (bcsc.bc.ca); in Quebec, the AMF (lautorite.qc.ca). For cryptocurrency: Canadian banks may initiate Interac e-Transfer reversals for recent transfers, ask immediately. |
🇦🇺 AUSTRALIA |
| PRIMARY AUTHORITY: ACCC Scamwatch
📞 N/A — online reporting 🌐 scamwatch.gov.au ALSO REPORT TO: Australian Federal Police (AFP): afp.gov.au/report · State and territory police · ASIC (investment fraud): asic.gov.au/report-misconduct · AUSTRAC (financial intelligence): austrac.gov.au · Your bank’s fraud team · ReportCyber (Australian Signals Directorate): cyber.gov.au/report File with both Scamwatch and ReportCyber (cyber crime specific). For investment fraud: file with ASIC — they can act on unregistered managed investment schemes and fraudulent advisers. For high-value cases: contact the AFP directly. Australian banks are required to comply with the ePayments Code — contact your bank and cite ‘unauthorised transaction’ or ‘scam’ to initiate a reimbursement assessment. Australia’s Scams Prevention Framework (SPF), introduced in 2025, has strengthened bank obligations for certain scam types. |
🇸🇬 SINGAPORE |
| PRIMARY AUTHORITY: Singapore Police Force — Anti-Scam Command (ASCom)
📞 1800-255-0000 (police hotline) or 999 (emergency) 🌐 police.gov.sg/iwitness (online reporting) ALSO REPORT TO: MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore — investment fraud): mas.gov.sg/consumer-help · Cybercrime Command: police.gov.sg/cybercrime · Anti-Scam Helpline: 1800-722-6688 · Your bank’s fraud team File a police report first — Singapore Police have strong enforcement powers and the Anti-Scam Command is highly active. For investment fraud: check the MAS Investor Alert List (mas.gov.sg/investor-alert-list) and report unregulated entities to MAS directly. Singapore banks have implemented real-time kill switches for suspicious transfers — contact your bank immediately to attempt a reversal. The SGX Investor Alert List covers listed securities fraud. For large losses: engage a lawyer early — Singapore courts are experienced in crypto asset freezing orders. |
🇭🇰 HONG KONG |
| PRIMARY AUTHORITY: Hong Kong Police Force — Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC)
📞 18222 (Anti-Deception Hotline — 24 hours) 🌐 police.gov.hk/hk/antifraud (report online) ALSO REPORT TO: SFC (Securities and Futures Commission — investment fraud): sfc.hk/en/complaints · HKMA (banking fraud): hkma.gov.hk/eng/consumer-corner/complaints · ICAC (corruption-related fraud): icac.org.hk · Your bank’s fraud team The ADCC’s 18222 hotline is specifically designed for scam victims and operates 24 hours — call this first. For investment fraud: report to the SFC, which maintains the Alert List of suspicious investment entities (sfc.hk/en/alert-list). The HKMA oversees banking conduct — report bank-related fraud elements to them separately. Hong Kong courts have extensive experience with Mareva injunctions (freezing orders) and can move quickly in high-value fraud cases with proper legal representation. The Arup deepfake case (2024) was investigated by Hong Kong Police — demonstrating the force’s capability in sophisticated fraud cases. |
What Happens After You Report
Understanding the post-reporting process helps fraud victims engage productively rather than becoming frustrated by investigation timelines.
Crime reference number: Every official report generates a reference number. Keep this, it is required for bank reimbursement claims, insurance claims, and any subsequent legal proceedings.
Investigation timeline: Law enforcement investigation of complex fraud cases is measured in months or years, not days. Do not wait for a police outcome before pursuing parallel civil or forensic recovery options.
Bank reimbursement: In the UK, the PSR mandatory APP reimbursement process runs separately from the police investigation. Your bank will conduct its own assessment. The crime reference number is required to initiate this claim.
Parallel civil action: In all six jurisdictions, you can pursue civil recovery, freezing orders, asset tracing orders, and judgments against identified defendants, in parallel with criminal reporting. Civil action often moves faster than criminal investigation.
Secondary victimisation risk: After reporting, victims frequently receive contact from individuals claiming to be recovery specialists or law enforcement liaisons. The FBI recorded $1.4 billion in recovery scam losses in 2025. Verify any contact claiming to be assisting with your case independently before engaging.
How ICAR Works Alongside Fraud Reporting
ICAR’s forensic investigation services are complementary to, not a replacement for official fraud reporting. We work alongside law enforcement referrals and bank fraud claims, not in opposition to them.
An ICAR investigation produces a blockchain forensic trace, wallet clustering analysis, OSINT platform report, and victim statement that can be used to support exchange freeze requests, regulatory complaints, civil legal proceedings, and police referral packages. These documents are designed to be court-admissible and to meet the evidentiary standards required by exchanges, regulators, and courts in all six jurisdictions.
Frequently Asked Questions: Reporting Cyber Fraud
These questions reflect what ICAR hears most often from fraud victims navigating the reporting process.
Where do I report cyber fraud in the UK?
Report to Action Fraud: the UK’s National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre by calling 0300 123 2040 (available 24/7) or online at actionfraud.police.uk. If the fraud involved an investment platform or financial product, also report to the FCA at fca.org.uk/consumers/report-scam. Contact your bank immediately to flag the transaction and initiate an APP fraud claim under the PSR mandatory reimbursement rules (in force since October 2024). Obtain a crime reference number from Action Fraud, this is required for your bank reimbursement claim.
How do I report online fraud to the FBI in the US?
Report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov this is an online-only reporting system available 24/7. There is no phone number for IC3 reports; all submissions must be made online. Also report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For investment fraud specifically, file with the SEC at sec.gov/tcr or the CFTC at cftc.gov/complaint depending on the nature of the scheme. Your IC3 report may trigger involvement of the FBI’s Recovery Asset Team, which initiates freeze actions through the Financial Fraud Kill Chain.
How do I report a scam in Australia?
Report to ACCC Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au. For cyber crime specifically, also report to ReportCyber (Australian Signals Directorate) at cyber.gov.au/report. For investment fraud, file with ASIC at asic.gov.au/report-misconduct. Contact your bank immediately, Australian banks must comply with the ePayments Code and may be able to initiate a reversal for recent transfers. For high-value cases, contact the Australian Federal Police directly at afp.gov.au/report.
Where do I report investment fraud in Canada?
Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or by calling 1-888-495-8501. Also report to your local police and your provincial securities commission in Ontario: OSC (osc.ca); in BC: BCSC (bcsc.bc.ca); in Quebec: AMF (lautorite.qc.ca); for a full list: securities-administrators.ca. Contact your bank immediately to attempt a transfer reversal. For cryptocurrency losses, report the exchange used to the CAFC with wallet address details.
How do I report a scam in Singapore?
Call the Singapore Police Force on 1800-255-0000 or report online at police.gov.sg/iwitness. For emergencies, call 999. Contact the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688 for immediate guidance. For investment fraud, also report to the MAS Consumer Help at mas.gov.sg/consumer-help and check the MAS Investor Alert List. Contact your bank immediately, Singapore banks have real-time kill switches for suspicious transfers that may still be reversible.
How do I report fraud in Hong Kong?
Call the ADCC Anti-Deception Hotline on 18222 — this line operates 24 hours and is specifically for scam victims. Report online at police.gov.hk. For investment fraud, file a complaint with the SFC at sfc.hk/en/complaints and check the SFC Alert List at sfc.hk/en/alert-list. Report banking aspects of the fraud to the HKMA at hkma.gov.hk. Contact your bank immediately to attempt a freeze. For high-value cases, engage a Hong Kong lawyer early, HK courts can move quickly on Mareva injunctions in fraud cases.
What information do I need to report cyber fraud?
To make the most complete and actionable fraud report, have the following ready: the date, time, and amount of each financial transfer you made; the platform name, URL, and any registration or account numbers they provided; screenshots or records of all communications with the scammer; bank statements showing the transfers; any cryptocurrency transaction IDs or wallet addresses; the phone numbers, email addresses, and usernames of the scammer; and any documents they sent you. You do not need all of this to begin a report even a partial report is better than no report, but more complete information produces more actionable outcomes.
About ICAR: International Cyber Asset Recovery (ICAR) is a UK-based forensic investigation and asset recovery firm operating across the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. ICAR works alongside official fraud reporting providing blockchain tracing, OSINT investigation, and exchange cooperation services that complement law enforcement and bank fraud processes. Free initial case assessments, complete case form or contact support via WhatsApp