Skip to main content

This is archived content from the U.S. Department of Justice website. The information here may be outdated and links may no longer function. Please contact webmaster@usdoj.gov if you have any questions about the archive site.

Report Financial Fraud

If you would like to report financial fraud, please contact the FBI at 202.324.3000 or online at https://tips.fbi.gov.  You may also wish to contact the United States Attorney's Office where you are located or where the fraud was committed.  Visit the Offices of the United States Attorneys for a list of the 93 United States Attorney's Offices and links to their websites.  In addition, certain government agencies target particular types of financial fraud.  Below are some common types of fraud and contact information for the agencies that routinely handle them.

 

Bankruptcy Fraud:

Department of Justice, U.S. Trustee Program
Phone: Regions and Offices
E-mail: USTP.Bankruptcy.Fraud@usdoj.gov

 

Commodities, Investment and Securities Fraud

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): Center for Complaints and Enforcement Tips
Online Form: www.sec.gov/complaint.shtml
Phone: (800) 732-0330

You can file a complaint or provide the SEC with tips on potential securities law violations though the links on this page.

U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Online Form: www.cftc.gov/TipOrComplaint
Phone: 866.366.2382 (Consumer Hotline) 202.418.5514 (TTY)

If you have questions, are aware of suspicious activities, or believe you have experienced commodity futures trading, commodity options trading or foreign currency trading (forex) fraud, please let the CFTC know immediately.

 

Cyber Crime

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.IC3.gov) receives, develops, and refers complaints regarding the rapidly expanding area of cyber crime. For law enforcement and regulatory agencies at the federal, state, local and international levels, IC3 is the central clearinghouse for complaints on internet related crimes. The IC3 complaint process provides victims of cyber crimes a convenient, easily accessible, online reporting mechanism to alert law enforcement of suspected criminal and civil violations.

See the "File a Complaint" section of the IC3 Website for information and direction on how to submit a complaint to IC3. Visit the IC3's Internet Crime Schemes page for a list of the types of frauds and scams that IC3 handles.

 

Housing Discrimination

Department of Housing and Urban Development: Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
Online Form: http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/online-complaint.cfm
Phone: (800) 669-9777
Mail: Complete a claim form and mail to:

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Room 5204, 451 Seventh St. SW, Washington, DC 20410-2000

 

Identity Theft

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Complaint Assistant
Web Site (Spanish): https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/Consumer_HomeES.htm
Phone (for complaints against companies, organizations, or business practices): (877) FTC-HELP
Phone (for complaints about identity theft): (877) ID-THEFT
Email Address (for complaints about spam or phishing): spam@uce.gov

The Federal Trade Commission collects complaints about companies, business practices, identity theft, and episodes of violence in the media.

 

Mass Marketing/Telemarketing Fraud

Federal Trade Commission
Phone: 1 (877) FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
Online Form: Mass Marketing Fraud Complaint Form

If you have a complaint about any type of consumer fraud, including any type of mass-marketing fraud, you can file a complaint through a toll-free Consumer Help Line, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or online with the Federal Trade Commission

 

Mortgage Fraud or Loan Scams

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Phone: 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324)
Online Tips: FBI Tips and Public Leads Form

To file a complaint with the FBI contact the nearest FBI field office. Locations are listed at www.fbi.gov/contactus.htm or https://tips.fbi.gov/ or for major cases, you can also report information by calling toll-free number 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324).

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of the Inspector General Hotline
Phone: (800) 347-3735
Fax: (202) 708-4829
Email: hotline@hudoig.gov
Address: HUD OIG Hotline (GFI), 451 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410

PreventLoanScams.org: A project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
Website: PreventLoanScams.org
Phone: 1-888-995-HOPE

PreventLoanScams.org - was launched to serve as a nationwide clearinghouse for loan modification scam information on complaints filed, laws and regulations, and enforcement actions. If you think you’ve been scammed or approached by a company or individual promising to help you with your foreclosure, report it today.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Complaint Assistant
Web Site (Spanish): https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/Consumer_HomeES.htm
Phone (for complaints against companies, organizations, or business practices): (877) FTC-HELP
Phone (for complaints about identity theft): (877) ID-THEFT
Email Address (for complaints about spam or phishing): spam@uce.gov

The Federal Trade Commission collects complaints about fraud, companies, business practices, identity theft, and episodes of violence in the media.

 

Rescue Fraud or fraud related to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP)

Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program
Online Form: https://www.sigtarp.gov/Pages/crimetips.aspx
Phone: (202) 622-1419
Mail:  Office of the Special Inspector General For The Troubled Asset Relief Program Hotline, 1801 L St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20220

 

Retirement Plan Fraud and Abuse

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Phone: (410) 962-9547 (not toll-free)
Fax: (410) 962-0132
Email: tegeepsheltercoord@irs.gov
Mail: Internal Revenue Service, EP Tax Shelter Coordinator, 31 Hopkins Plaza, Room 1542, Baltimore, Maryland 21201

IRS Employee Plans maintains the Abusive Transaction Hotline that people can use to share information (anonymously, if preferred) about abusive tax shelters and emerging issues that may be abusive in retirement plans.

 

Social Security Fraud

US Social Security Administration (SSA) Fraud Hotline
Online Form: https://oig.ssa.gov/report-fraud-waste-or-abuse/fraud-waste-and-abuse

The SSA National Fraud Hotline provides an avenue for individuals to report fraud, waste, and abuse within SSA programs and operations. Additionally, the misuse of a Social Security number can also be reported.

 

Student Loan Fraud

U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General
Phone: 1-800-MIS-USED
Email: oig.hotline@ed.gov
Online Complaint Forms

Anyone suspecting fraud, waste or abuse involving Department of Education funds or programs should call or write the Inspector General's Hotline (choose the method of contact which best suits you):

Send an email message to oig.hotline@ed.gov

Call the OIG Hotline's toll free number 1-800-MIS-USED. The Hotline's operating hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM, Eastern Time; Tuesday and Thursday, 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM, Eastern Time except for holidays.

Complete and submit a Complaint Form

To ensure complete anonymity, download a hardcopy of the special complaint form complete, and mail to:

Inspector General's Hotline
Office of Inspector General
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1500

 

Tax Fraud

Internal Revenue Service

For noncompliance with tax laws :
Form: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3949a.pdf
Mail: Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, CA 93888

For abusive tax promotions and/or promoters :
Form: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14242.pdf
Mail: Internal Revenue Service Lead Development Center Stop MS5040 24000 Avila Road Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Fax: (949) 389-5083

For unresolved issues :
Taxpayer Advocate Service

 
Updated December 6, 2018