Report a crypto scam: the first hour
- Stop all payments and contact with the scammers.
- Call your bank if you paid by transfer or card: banks can sometimes stop or recall payments.
- Secure your accounts: change passwords from a clean device, remove remote-access software, check email forwarding rules.
- Contact the exchange you used, through its official website, and give the scam addresses.
Evidence to keep when you report a crypto scam
- Messages, emails and the scammers' profiles or phone numbers.
- Website addresses and screenshots of the platform.
- Wallet addresses and transaction IDs.
- Bank statements and exchange transaction history.
- A timeline of what happened.
Who to report a crypto scam to
| Where | Why |
|---|---|
| The police in your country | Fraud is a crime; a report is often needed by banks and insurers |
| Your bank | Payment recalls and fraud cases |
| The exchange used | It can flag addresses and may freeze funds that reach it |
| Your national financial regulator | Unauthorised firms and warning lists |
| Europol (for information) | Guidance on reporting cybercrime in EU countries |
Europol's website links to the cybercrime reporting channels of EU countries.
After you report a crypto scam
Investigations can take time, and recovery is not guaranteed, especially once crypto has moved through several addresses.
Expect scammers to try again with "recovery" offers, as the guide to recovery scams explains.
The emotional impact of a scam can be heavy; talking to someone you trust helps.
How to report a crypto scam: building a timeline
A clear timeline helps the police, your bank and exchanges act quickly.
| Date and time | What happened | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Example: 3 May, 18:40 | First message from "Anna" on a dating app | Screenshot of profile and messages |
| Example: 20 May, 09:15 | Deposit of €500 to "platform" | Bank statement, transaction ID |
| Example: 2 June, 14:00 | Withdrawal blocked, "tax" demanded | Screenshot of platform message |
Fictional example of a timeline format.
How to report a crypto scam: what your bank can do
If you paid by bank transfer or card, your bank may be able to try to recall a payment, flag the receiving account or start a dispute, depending on the payment type and timing.
The sooner you contact the bank, the better the chances.
If you bought crypto at an exchange and sent it to the scammers, the bank usually cannot reverse the crypto transfer, but the exchange may be able to flag the receiving addresses.
How to report a crypto scam: what exchanges can do
Exchanges can sometimes freeze funds if stolen crypto reaches an account on their platform, especially when alerted quickly with transaction IDs.
Contact both the exchange you sent from and, if known, the exchange where the funds arrived, through their official support channels.
How to report a crypto scam: looking after yourself
- Tell someone you trust what happened.
- Expect follow-up scams and ignore unsolicited "help".
- If losses have caused debt, contact a free debt advice service.
- If you feel overwhelmed, speak to your doctor or a support service.
How to report a crypto scam: what to tell the police
- Your name and contact details.
- How the scammers first contacted you.
- Names, profiles, phone numbers, email addresses and websites used.
- Every payment: date, amount, method and recipient.
- Crypto transfers: wallet addresses and transaction IDs.
- Screenshots of conversations and the platform.
Keep the report reference number; banks and exchanges may ask for it.
How to report a crypto scam: reporting to a regulator
National financial regulators collect reports about unauthorised firms and scam websites, and they use them to issue warnings.
Find your regulator in the table on the MiCA regulators page, and use the reporting form on its own website.
A regulator report is unlikely to recover your money, but it can stop others from losing theirs.
How to report a crypto scam: reporting to platforms
Report scam profiles, ads and pages to the social media, dating or messaging platforms where they appeared.
Platforms can remove accounts and ads, which limits the scam's reach.
How to report a crypto scam: protecting your accounts afterwards
- Change passwords from a clean device.
- Turn on app-based 2FA everywhere.
- Remove remote-access software if installed.
- Check bank and card activity for unauthorised payments.
- Consider an identity fraud alert if you shared ID documents, where your country offers one.
How to report a crypto scam: timing matters
| When | What can still help |
|---|---|
| Within hours | Bank recall attempts, exchange freezes on fresh transfers |
| Within days | Bank disputes, exchange flags, police coordination |
| Weeks or later | Police investigation, warnings to protect others |
Even a late report is worth making, because it can link your case to others.
How to report a crypto scam across borders
Crypto scams often involve people and servers in several countries.
Report to the police where you live; they coordinate with other countries where needed, and Europol's site lists national reporting channels in the EU.
How to report a crypto scam: a checklist to print
- Payments stopped and scammers blocked.
- Bank contacted, with a case reference.
- Police report made, with a reference number.
- Exchanges informed, with transaction IDs and addresses.
- Regulator informed through its website.
- Platform where the scam started informed.
- Passwords changed and 2FA enabled.
- Evidence saved in one folder.
- Someone you trust told.
How to report a crypto scam: language for the bank
When you call your bank, be clear and specific: "I have been the victim of investment fraud; I made the following payments on these dates; please try to stop or recall them and note fraud on my account."
Ask for a case number and what the bank needs from you, and follow up in writing.
How to report a crypto scam: what not to do
- Do not send more money to "release" funds.
- Do not hire a recovery service that contacts you.
- Do not delete messages or accounts before saving evidence.
- Do not confront the scammers in a way that warns them before reports are made.
How to report a crypto scam: what happens next
Police may contact you for more information, and cases can take months.
Banks may reach a decision on disputes or recalls sooner, depending on the payment type.
Keep a simple log of every contact, with dates and names, so you can follow up.
How to report a crypto scam: preventing a repeat
After a scam, many people are targeted again, so treat new investment offers with extra caution for a long time.
The scam check and the MiCA licence checker take minutes and catch most repeat attempts.
How to report a crypto scam: questions readers ask
Is it worth reporting a small loss? Yes; small reports help police connect cases, and the same scammers usually have many victims.
Will I be blamed? Investment fraud is a crime against you; reporting it is the right step, and authorities deal with many such cases.
Can I report anonymously? Some channels allow anonymous tips, but a full report with your details is needed for your own case to be followed up.
What if the scammers are abroad? Report to the police where you live; cross-border cooperation goes through them.
How to report a crypto scam: keeping evidence safe
Evidence is easy to lose: chats are deleted by scammers, websites disappear and accounts are closed.
- Take screenshots that show dates, names and amounts.
- Export chat histories where the app allows it.
- Save web pages, or at least their addresses and screenshots.
- Download bank and exchange statements.
- Keep everything in one folder, with a backup.
More on reporting a crypto scam and related safety tools
Safety works best as a set of habits, and each guide and tool below covers a different part of the picture around reporting a crypto scam.
Use them together: check the firm, check the offer, secure your account and know what to do if something goes wrong.
If you remember one thing from this page, make it this: check before you send, and never let urgency decide for you.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I report a crypto scam in the EU?
To the police in your country, your bank, the exchange involved and your national financial regulator.
Can my bank recover money sent to a crypto scam?
Sometimes, if you act quickly. Contact the bank immediately.
Should I report a crypto scam if I lost a small amount?
Yes. Reports help authorities link cases and warn others.
What evidence do I need?
Messages, website addresses, wallet addresses, transaction IDs, bank statements and a timeline.
Will reporting get my crypto back?
Not always. Recovery depends on how quickly funds can be traced and frozen.
Sources
- Report cybercrime online, Europol
Every figure on this page is checked against the ESMA register, the exchange's own terms and fee pages or another primary source, and the sources are listed above. Editorial policy · How we rate