How to report a scam in Massachusetts

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 Massachusetts

• Massachusetts Attorney General, Consumer Advocacy & Response Division. Consumer Hotline: 617-727-8400, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 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.

Massachusetts scam numbers

FBI, 2025. Massachusetts residents reported 22,936 internet crimes to the FBI's IC3, 13th in the U.S. Reported losses were $410,924,066, 14th. That's 320.6 complaints per 100,000 people, 5th per person. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report, state data appendix)

Crypto, 2025. Massachusetts residents filed 2,983 crypto complaints with reported losses of $180,158,815. (According to the FBI.)

Older adults, 2025. Massachusetts residents age 60 or older filed 5,463 complaints and reported losses of $113,880,471. (According to the FBI.)

FTC, 2024. Massachusetts had 81,434 fraud and other reports to the FTC. Reported fraud losses were $210.3 million, and the median (middle) loss was $425. Massachusetts ranked 24th of 50 states for reports per 100,000 people (1,165). It also had 27,141 identity theft reports, ranking 6th. The top three report types were identity theft (25%), credit bureaus (17%), and imposter scams (13%). (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 Massachusetts officials are warning about

• Crypto ATM scams. In February 2026, the Attorney General sued a Bitcoin kiosk company, saying it knowingly helped scams that took money from Massachusetts consumers. Scammers often tell people to put cash into these machines. (Massachusetts AG release, Feb. 3, 2026)
• Fake RMV violation texts. In November 2025, the RMV warned about texts saying you owe money for traffic violations and threatening to take your license. (MassDOT release, Nov. 24, 2025)

What to do right now

1. Stop all contact. If someone tells you to put cash into a Bitcoin ATM, stop. That is a common sign of a scam.
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 Connecticut
• How to report a scam in Maine

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.