Filing a police report after crypto theft is an important step many victims skip — either because they assume police cannot help with cryptocurrency, or because they don’t know how. This step-by-step guide explains how to file a police report for crypto theft, what information to prepare, and why it matters even when local police cannot directly recover funds.
Why Filing a Police Report for Crypto Theft Matters
- Creates an official record — necessary for insurance claims, tax loss documentation, and civil litigation
- Supports federal investigations — local reports feed into FBI and FTC databases that track patterns across victims
- Required for credit card chargebacks — many banks require a police report number when disputing fraud-related transactions
- May trigger exchange cooperation — some exchanges freeze associated wallets when presented with a police case number
What to Prepare Before Filing
- All transaction IDs / hashes for funds sent to the scammer
- Scammer wallet addresses
- Screenshots of all communications (messages, emails, platform chats)
- Names, usernames, or profile URLs used by the scammer
- Dates and amounts of all transactions
- Name of the platform or exchange involved
- Any website URLs associated with the scam
Step-by-Step: How to File a Police Report for Crypto Theft
- Contact your local police department — call the non-emergency line or visit in person. Ask to file a fraud report. Bring printed copies of all your documentation.
- Request a case number — always get this in writing. Even if officers cannot investigate immediately, the case number is your official record.
- File with the FBI’s IC3 — go to ic3.gov and complete the complaint form. IC3 aggregates reports and forwards to relevant agencies. This is often more effective than local police for crypto fraud.
- File with the FTC — at reportfraud.ftc.gov. This creates a federal record and may result in referral to enforcement actions.
- File with your state attorney general — many states have consumer protection divisions that handle fraud complaints.
- Report to your country’s financial regulator — in the UK, Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk); in Australia, ReportCyber; in Canada, the CAFC.
After Filing: What to Expect
Local police rarely investigate individual crypto theft cases below six figures due to resource constraints and jurisdictional complexity. However, your report contributes to datasets that identify repeat offenders across multiple victims — which can trigger federal action. Stay in contact with your IC3 report reference number and update it if you discover new information about the scammer. For a complete post-scam action plan, read our guide on what to do after a crypto scam and our full reporting guide.
Important Warning
After filing a report, you may be contacted by individuals claiming to be investigators who can recover your funds — for a fee. This is a common secondary scam targeting fraud victims. Legitimate law enforcement never charges victims fees and never contacts you through social media or messaging apps. These are recovery scams.
