How to report a scam in Iowa

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 Iowa

• Iowa Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division. Phone: 515-281-5926, or 888-777-4590 outside the Des Moines metro area. File a consumer complaint.
• Your local police. File a report. Your bank may ask for it.

Phone numbers and links last verified Oct. 21, 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.

Iowa scam numbers

FBI, 2025. Iowa residents reported 5,436 internet crimes to the FBI's IC3, 35th in the U.S. Reported losses were $95,520,131, 36th. That's 167.9 complaints per 100,000 people, 51st per person. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report, state data appendix)

Crypto, 2025. Iowa residents filed 887 crypto complaints with reported losses of $43,685,423. (According to the FBI.)

Older adults, 2025. Iowa residents age 60 or older filed 1,202 complaints and reported losses of $44,136,901. (According to the FBI.)

FTC, 2024. Iowa had 22,855 fraud and other reports to the FTC. Reported fraud losses were $52.0 million, and the median (middle) loss was $400. Iowa ranked 48th of 50 states for reports per 100,000 people (715). It also had 3,919 identity theft reports, ranking 44th. The top three report types were imposter scams (19%), identity theft (15%), and online shopping (8%). (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 Iowa officials are warning about

• Government imposter scams. In March 2026, the Attorney General warned about callers pretending to be police or government officials who threaten arrest and demand payment, sometimes in gold or cash handed over in person. (Iowa AG release, March 5, 2026)
• Imposter scams in the top complaints. In February 2026, the Attorney General listed imposter scams, like fake job offers, romance scams, and IRS or Social Security calls, among the top complaints of 2025. (Iowa AG release, Feb. 19, 2026)

What to do right now

1. Stop all contact. Never meet someone in person to hand over cash, gold, or other valuables.
2. Call your bank or card company and ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed.
3. Change passwords on any account the scammer touched, and turn on two-step login.
4. Save proof: screenshots, texts, emails, call logs, receipts, and phone numbers.
5. Report it to the state agency listed above, plus the FTC or IC3.
6. 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

• How to report a scam in Illinois
• How to report a scam in Kansas
• How to report a scam in Minnesota

Learn more

• How to report a scam anywhere in the U.S.
• How a $25 million email payment scam worked
• The fake closing email that cost $1.3 million

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.