How to report a scam in Delaware

Scammed? Call your bank or card company first. Calling quickly may improve the chance of stopping a payment, but recovery isn't guaranteed. Then use the list below.

Who to report to in Delaware

Delaware Department of Justice, Consumer Protection Unit. Phone: 800-220-5424. File a consumer complaint.
Investor Protection Unit (Delaware DOJ). Delaware's securities regulator, for investment and crypto fraud. Phone: 302-577-8424. Investor Protection Unit. Check whether a broker or adviser is licensed before you hand over any money.
Delaware Department of Insurance, Fraud Prevention Bureau. Phone: 800-632-5154 (toll free in Delaware) or 302-674-7350. Report insurance fraud.
Delaware State Police. dsp.delaware.gov. Local police can also take a scam report.
Adult Protective Services. Phone: 1-888-277-4302 (1-888-APS-4302). APS page.

Phone numbers and links last verified Oct. 20, 2026. Check the agency's official contact page before calling.

Federal places to report (all states)

FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov for most scams.
FBI IC3: ic3.gov for online scams, crypto, and email payment scams.
Identity theft: IdentityTheft.gov gives you a recovery plan.

Delaware scam numbers

FBI, 2025. Delaware is small, but its scam reports aren't. Delawareans filed 3,089 internet crime complaints with the FBI's IC3 and reported $62,012,494 lost. That's 45th and 43rd by total. By population, though, Delaware was 15th, at 291.4 complaints per 100,000 people. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report, state data appendix)

Crypto, 2025. 436 crypto complaints, $26,893,098 lost. (FBI 2025 data.)

Older adults, 2025. People 60 and over: 796 complaints and $16,189,240 lost. (FBI 2025 data.)

FTC, 2024. Delaware had 18,870 fraud and other reports to the FTC. Reported fraud losses were $34.3 million, and the median (middle) loss was $466. Delaware ranked 3rd of 50 states for reports per 100,000 people (1,876). It also had 3,942 identity theft reports, ranking 5th. The top three report types were credit bureaus (27%), identity theft (17%), and imposter scams (11%). (FTC, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024)

These numbers only count people who reported. Many people don't, so real losses are likely higher. FTC figures come from unverified consumer reports, not a survey.

Scams Delaware officials are warning about

Fake DMV texts. In April 2026, the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles warned about texts that say you have an unpaid traffic violation. They threaten to suspend your registration or license unless you click a link and pay. The DMV says don't click. The texts also threaten to send you to a debt collector. The DMV says the goal is to get your money and your personal and bank information. (DMV scam alert, April 9, 2026)
High-pressure door-to-door sales. In July 2026, the Attorney General announced a $600,000 settlement with a door-to-door pest control company. The office said its sellers used high-pressure pitches and didn't disclose a cancellation fee. Sellers came to homes mostly in the summer and misrepresented what was in the contract. General tip: if someone at your door pushes you to sign today, consider reading the whole contract first and asking what it costs to cancel. (DOJ press release, July 29, 2026)
Social media investment ads. The Delaware DOJ warns that real brokers rarely advertise on social media. Watch for "guaranteed" returns, pressure to invest now, and fake celebrity endorsements. (DOJ investor alert)

What to do right now

Stop all contact. Don't click links in texts that say you owe a DMV or traffic fine.
Call your bank or card company and ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed.
Change passwords on any account the scammer touched, and turn on two-step login.
Save proof: screenshots, texts, emails, call logs, receipts, and phone numbers.
Report it to the state agency listed above, plus the FTC or IC3.
Beware of "recovery" offers. A request for a fee to get your money back is a common warning sign of a recovery scam.

Nearby states

Learn more

Common questions

Who do I report a scam to in Delaware?

Call your bank first if money left your account. Then report to the Delaware Department of Justice Consumer Protection Unit at 800-220-5424, and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Who handles investment scams in Delaware?

The Investor Protection Unit, which is part of the Delaware Department of Justice. Call 302-577-8424.

How do I report abuse or money theft from an older adult in Delaware?

Call Delaware Adult Protective Services at 1-888-277-4302. If the person is in immediate danger, call 911.

Last checked October 2026. Phone numbers and links come from each agency's official website. Agencies change them, so check the agency's site if something doesn't work. FraudMeNot is an independent publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for any government agency listed here. Links go to official sites. We can't take reports or get your money back. General education only, not legal, financial, tax or security advice. No guarantee. Consult a qualified professional. Stories may be dramatized or composite; see each label. See our disclaimer. Found an error? Tell us.