IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center) - Cybercrime Reporting Guide

Last Updated: November 7, 2025
Agency Type: FBI - Federal Law Enforcement
Response Time: Acknowledgment within 1-2 business days; Investigation varies
Success Rate: N/A (Complaints feed criminal investigations, not immediate takedowns)

Overview

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). IC3 serves as a central hub for reporting internet-enabled criminal activity.

What IC3 Does

✅ Accepts complaints about internet crimes
✅ Feeds data to law enforcement agencies for investigation
✅ Analyzes trends in cybercrime
✅ Supports criminal prosecutions with complaint data
✅ Issues public alerts about emerging threats

What IC3 Does NOT Do

❌ Does not take down individual websites
❌ Does not provide case-by-case updates
❌ Does not recover lost funds
❌ Does not act as a civil attorney

Important: IC3 is for criminal complaints. If you need immediate website takedowns, report to service providers (hosting, domain registrars) in addition to filing an IC3 report.

Who Should File an IC3 Complaint

Businesses

You should file if:

A fraudulent website is impersonating your business
The operation involves criminal fraud (not just civil trademark issues)
You have evidence of financial harm to consumers
You want to establish a law enforcement record
The scam is sophisticated or large-scale

Individual Victims

IC3 is designed primarily for individuals who have lost money or been victimized by internet crime. Businesses can file on behalf of their customers or their own losses.

Prerequisites

Before filing, gather:

Required Information

Your personal/business information
Fraudulent website URL
Description of the crime
Financial loss amount (if any)
Date(s) of incident
Any known suspect information

Evidence to Attach

Screenshots of the fraudulent website
Email correspondence
Transaction records (receipts, bank statements)
WHOIS/DNS lookup data
Customer complaints
Any other relevant documentation

Filing a Complaint

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Navigate to IC3.gov

URL: https://www.ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint

Click "File a Complaint"
You do not need to register or create an account
Complaints can be filed 24/7

2. Read the Instructions

IC3 provides guidance on:

What types of crimes they accept
Information you'll need
How to describe your complaint

Common Crime Types for Fraudulent Websites:

Phishing/Spoofing: Fake sites collecting credentials
Identity Theft: Using your business identity to defraud
Non-Payment/Non-Delivery: Sites taking payment but not delivering
Extortion: Threatening to harm your brand
IP Theft/Counterfeiting: Selling fake products under your brand

3. Enter Your Information (Complainant)

Required:

Name
Address
Phone number
Email address

Optional but recommended:

Business name
Business address
Relationship to the business (owner, employee, representative)

4. Describe the Subject (Scammer)

Provide any known information about the scammer:

If you know:

Name (or fake name they're using)
Email address
Phone number
Physical address
Website URL (most important!)
Social media profiles
Payment accounts (PayPal, Venmo, etc.)

If you don't know:

Just enter the website URL
Note "Unknown" for other fields

5. Describe the Crime

This is the most important section. Be clear, detailed, and chronological.

Template for Brand Impersonation Fraud:

NATURE OF COMPLAINT: Brand Impersonation / Consumer Fraud

I am [Your Name], [Title] of [Your Company Name], owner of the legitimate website [legit-business.com].

On [Date], we discovered a fraudulent website at [fraudulent-domain.com] that is impersonating our business and defrauding consumers.

FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY:
The fake website:
- Uses our trademarked company name and logo without authorization
- Copies our website design to appear legitimate
- Advertises products/services they do not intend to deliver
- Collects payment information from unsuspecting customers
- Does not fulfill orders or provide services
- Disappears after receiving payment

FINANCIAL IMPACT:
- We have received [X] customer complaints from victims
- Estimated total consumer losses: $[Amount] (based on reported cases)
- Individual losses range from $[Low] to $[High]
- Our business has suffered reputational damage

EVIDENCE:
- Screenshots of the fraudulent website (attached)
- WHOIS lookup showing domain registration (attached)
- Customer complaints and correspondence (attached)
- Transaction records from victims (if available)

SUSPECT INFORMATION:
- Website: [fraudulent-domain.com]
- Domain Registrar: [From WHOIS - e.g., GoDaddy]
- Hosting Provider: [From IP lookup - e.g., AWS]
- Payment Methods: [Credit card processor visible on site]
- Email: [If they provided one]
- Phone: [If they provided one]

REQUESTED ACTION:
We are filing this complaint to:
1. Create an official law enforcement record
2. Support investigation and potential prosecution
3. Protect other potential victims
4. Contribute to pattern analysis of this fraud operation

We have also reported this to:
- [Domain Registrar Name]
- [Hosting Provider Name]
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- [Any other agencies]

We are available to cooperate fully with any investigation and can provide additional documentation, customer lists, or technical details as needed.

Be sure to include:

Timeline: When you discovered it, how long it's been active
Specific actions: What the scammer is actually doing
Harm: How customers/your business have been damaged
Evidence: Reference attached documents
Cooperation: State your willingness to assist investigation

6. Provide Financial Information

If applicable:

How much money did the scammer obtain? (Total across all victims if known)
Payment method used: Credit card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, etc.
Financial institution: Bank, payment processor, etc.
Transaction dates

If you're the business (not direct victim):

Enter estimated total losses based on customer reports
Note that these are losses to consumers, not your direct losses
Your direct losses (reputation, lost sales) can be mentioned in the description

7. Attach Supporting Documentation

Recommended attachments:

Screenshots of the fraudulent site (with full URL visible)
WHOIS/DNS lookup results
Email from the scammer (if any)
Customer complaints
Transaction receipts
Comparison screenshots (fake site vs. real site)

Formats accepted: PDF, JPG, PNG, DOC, TXT
Size limit: 10MB total

8. Review and Submit

Carefully review all information
Check that URLs are correct
Ensure your contact info is accurate
Click Submit

9. Save Your Confirmation

After submission:

Complaint ID number will be provided (save this!)
Email confirmation will be sent (check spam folder)
Print or screenshot your complaint ID

What Happens Next

Immediate Response

Automated confirmation within minutes
Email acknowledgment within 1-2 business days with your complaint ID

Long-Term Actions

The IC3 does not:

❌ Provide case-by-case updates
❌ Investigate every individual complaint
❌ Take down websites directly
❌ Recover your money

The IC3 does:

✅ Analyze complaints for patterns
✅ Forward relevant complaints to appropriate law enforcement agencies
✅ Support FBI investigations
✅ Contribute to criminal prosecutions
✅ Publish annual reports on internet crime trends

Realistic Expectations

Individual complaints rarely trigger immediate action
Multiple complaints about the same operation increase priority
Criminal investigations take months or years
You may never hear about the outcome (investigations are confidential)
Your complaint creates an official record that can help future victims

Complementary Actions

IC3 reporting is important but not sufficient for immediate takedowns.

For Immediate Takedowns

✅ Domain Registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
✅ Hosting Provider (AWS, Cloudflare, etc.)
✅ Payment Processors (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)

For Consumer Protection

✅ FTC (Federal Trade Commission) - ReportFraud.ftc.gov
✅ State Attorney General - Consumer protection division

For Search/Browser Protection

✅ Google Safe Browsing - Flag phishing sites
✅ Microsoft SmartScreen - For Edge/Windows Defender

Following Up

Checking Status

IC3 does not provide status updates. There is no portal to check your complaint.

Adding Information

If you discover new information:

File a supplemental complaint through IC3
Reference your original complaint ID in the description
Attach new evidence

If Criminal Charges Are Filed

In rare cases where prosecution occurs:

You may be contacted by law enforcement
You may be asked to provide testimony or additional evidence
This can take 1-3+ years after your initial complaint

Tips for an Effective Complaint

Do's:

✅ Be detailed and specific about the fraud
✅ Include all known suspect information (especially URLs)
✅ Attach high-quality evidence
✅ Provide accurate financial loss estimates
✅ Mention if other agencies have been notified
✅ State your willingness to cooperate with investigation
✅ File promptly after discovering the crime

Don'ts:

❌ Don't exaggerate losses or make unverifiable claims
❌ Don't include personal attacks or emotional language
❌ Don't expect immediate results
❌ Don't file duplicate complaints
❌ Don't include irrelevant information

IC3 vs. FTC: Which to File?

File with IC3 if:

The crime involves clear criminal activity (fraud, theft, extortion)
There are identifiable financial losses
You want a law enforcement record
The operation appears sophisticated or large-scale

File with FTC if:

The issue is primarily consumer protection
You're reporting for trend analysis
No specific criminal activity (just misleading practices)

File with BOTH if:

The fraudulent website is both a consumer protection issue AND a crime
You want maximum documentation
You're unsure which is more appropriate

Best practice: File with both. They serve different purposes and share data.

Additional Resources

IC3 Homepage: https://www.ic3.gov
File a Complaint: https://www.ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint
IC3 Annual Report: https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport (statistics and trends)
FBI Cybercrime: https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber

Common Questions

Q: Will the FBI investigate my case?
A: Not necessarily. IC3 receives hundreds of thousands of complaints annually. Investigations are prioritized based on severity, dollar amounts, patterns, and available resources.

Q: Can I remain anonymous?
A: No. You must provide your contact information, but it is kept confidential in law enforcement databases.

Q: How long does it take to hear back?
A: You'll receive an acknowledgment within 1-2 days. If your case is investigated, you may never hear about it due to confidentiality rules. Some cases take years.

Q: What if the scammer is in another country?
A: File anyway. IC3 works with international law enforcement through partnerships like Interpol and Europol.

Q: Will my report help take down the website?
A: Not directly. IC3 does not remove websites. However, if your complaint leads to an investigation, law enforcement may seize domains as part of a criminal case.

Q: Should I also file a police report?
A: IC3 serves as your federal law enforcement report. Local police typically defer cyber crimes to FBI/IC3.

Summary Checklist

Before submitting your IC3 complaint, confirm you have:

Gathered all required information (URLs, dates, financial data)
Prepared a detailed, chronological description
Collected all available evidence (screenshots, emails, transactions)
Entered accurate contact information
Attached supporting documentation
Noted any other agencies you've reported to
Realistic expectations about outcomes

After filing:

Saved your complaint ID number
Filed with FTC for consumer protection record
Reported to service providers for immediate takedown efforts
Encouraged victims to file their own complaints

Document Version: 1.0
Contributors: ScamSnitch.ai Research Team
License: Public Domain - Free to use and distribute

This guide is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. IC3 filing is for criminal complaints and does not replace civil legal action. Consult with an attorney for specific legal guidance.

IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center)

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