Crypto sent to a non-custodial wallet
Funds sent to a wallet address the scammer controls directly, outside any exchange.
Honest: recovery is effectively zero. Filing still matters for documentation (tax loss, future legal action, aggregate enforcement data) but no individual recovery should be expected. The most common follow-up scam is a fake 'crypto recovery service' targeting your loss — every one of those is itself a scam. Do not pay anyone who promises to recover this.
Do this first
File IC3 immediately. Then read the warning below about recovery scammers. Do not engage with anyone who promises crypto recovery.
Calls to make first
Phone calls move faster than online filings, especially in the first 24–48 hours. Make these calls before, or while, you work through the templated filings below.
1. AARP Fraud Watch Helpline
Mon–Fri 8am–8pm ETWhat to say: Free helpline staffed by trained volunteers. Walk through your situation; they'll help you decide what to file first. You do not have to be an AARP member or over 50.
Why this one: If you'd like to talk to a real person before doing any of the filings. They cannot recover funds for you, but they will help you think through the order.
2. Your local police non-emergency line
24/7 for non-emergency; online forms available anytimeSearch '[your city] police non-emergency' or 311 in many cities. Online report option exists in most US cities.What to say: Say: 'I want to file a police report for fraud. I'm not asking for an investigation — I need a case number for my bank and federal filings.' Get the case number in writing or by email.
Why this one: The case number is the deliverable. Most departments do not investigate losses under ~$5,000, but the case number is required by many banks for dispute processing and by the FTC identity-theft flow.
Channels in priority order
1. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Collects your report for FBI analysis. The FBI rarely investigates individual cases, but the report still matters. For wire transfers over $50,000 to a bank in another country, the FBI has a fast-acting recall program (the Financial Fraud Kill Chain) that can sometimes get the money back — but only if you file IC3 quickly.
Go to ic3.gov, click 'File a Complaint.' The form asks for the incident narrative, financial details, scammer information, and how you were contacted. Plan 20–40 minutes for the first complete filing. Save the confirmation number — some banks and platforms accept it as evidence of a federal report.
Expected outcome: Confirmation number you can cite to banks, platforms, and law enforcement. No individual investigation for most cases. Aggregate data drives federal action against fraud rings over time.
2. FTC ReportFraud
Feeds the Consumer Sentinel database used by state attorneys general and law enforcement. Does not investigate individual cases.
Go to reportfraud.ftc.gov. The form is shorter than IC3 — about 10–15 minutes. Same incident narrative, less detail required.
Expected outcome: Aggregate enforcement signal. Useful for documentation. Not a recovery channel on its own.
3. Local police report
Provides a case number that banks often require for dispute processing and that the FTC identity-theft flow uses. Most departments will not investigate losses under ~$5,000, but the report itself is the deliverable.
In person at the local precinct, online for most US cities (search '[your city] police online report'), or by non-emergency phone. Have the incident narrative, transaction details, and any scammer contact information ready. Request a case number before ending the report.
Expected outcome: Case number you cite in bank disputes, platform reports, and federal filings. Investigation unlikely for small losses; the documentation is the value.
Free, official help from a real person
If you'd like to talk to someone before filing, these are free public services. They cannot recover funds for you, but they will walk you through what to do next.
- AARP Fraud Watch Helpline — 877-908-3360. Free, 7 days/week, you do not need to be an AARP member or over 50. Trained volunteers who specialize in scam recovery guidance.
- FTC ReportFraud advisor — reportfraud.ftc.gov. After filing, the FTC sometimes connects you with a consumer- advice specialist.
- FTC IdentityTheft.gov — identitytheft.gov. Best place to start if your Social Security number, accounts, or personal information were exposed.
- FBI IC3 — ic3.gov. Federal intake for internet-enabled crime.
- CFPB — consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Use this if your bank refuses your fraud dispute.