How to report crypto scams
If you’ve experienced unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices related to crypto, submit a complaint with us today.
What information should I include in my complaint?
Anything that can help us identify the scammer(s)
The profiles of the scammers you are corresponding with are oftentimes fake. However, any information the scammer is presenting online can be useful in an investigation. Here are some examples of online information about the scammer(s) you can include:
- Phone numbers, usernames, email addresses, and social media handles of the scammer(s) you interacted with
- Screenshots of social media profiles
- Any other information that may be unique to the scammer(s) to help us identify them
Website(s) associated with the fraudulent platform
Provide a list of all the websites associated with the scam so we can investigate and shut them down. Check your browsing history to ensure you capture all the sites you interacted with related to the scam. Screenshots from your browser or phone are also helpful.
Financial transactions with the scammer
To try to trace and recover your stolen assets, we need to know about the transactions that took place. If you made transactions with the scammer using cryptocurrency, please indicate the following for every transaction:
- Date transaction(s) took place
- Amount(s) sent and type of digital asset (e.g. 0.5 ETH)
- Wallet address associated with the scammer
- Transaction hash/ID (receipt) associated with the transaction:
- Ex. “12/22/24 – Sent 0.5 ETH to 0x…”
“On Dec 22, 2024 I sent 0.5 ETH to 0x…”
“Sent 0.5 ETH, tx hash: 0x230q24f…23”
- Ex. “12/22/24 – Sent 0.5 ETH to 0x…”
Note: To find and trace your crypto on the blockchain, we need complete and accurate wallet addresses/transaction hashes. To avoid errors, we recommend copying and pasting this information into your complaint rather than typing it out manually.
How will my complaint be handled?
If we think an issue can be resolved by reaching out to a financial service provider, we’ll work to get a resolution on your behalf. If the complaint involves activity that we think may be illegal, we’ll send your complaint to our enforcement division who will review it and take appropriate next steps, which may involve reaching out to other state and federal agencies or regulatory organizations. While we work to carefully review every complaint, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to resolve your issue. After you have submitted your complaint, you can check the status here.
How we protect consumers
Our mission is to serve Californians by effectively overseeing financial service providers; enforcing laws and regulations; promoting innovation and fair and honest business practices; enhancing consumer awareness; and protecting consumers by preventing potential marketplace risks, fraud, and abuse. To better protect consumers from fraud and abuse in the crypto space, we need your help to provide us with the information necessary to more effectively assess and investigate crypto scams.
Check with us before you invest
Before you put your money at risk, check our Crypto Scam Tracker – a first-of-its-kind searchable collection of scam complaints sorted by company name, scam type, or keywords, as well as a glossary explaining the structures for common scams.