How to report a scam in New Jersey

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 New Jersey

• New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. File a consumer complaint. Division of Consumer Affairs.
• 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.

New Jersey scam numbers

FBI, 2025. New Jersey residents reported 20,648 internet crimes to the FBI's IC3, 16th in the U.S. Reported losses were $660,411,901, 5th. That's 216.2 complaints per 100,000 people, 42nd per person. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report, state data appendix)

Crypto, 2025. New Jersey residents filed 4,459 crypto complaints with reported losses of $383,662,185. (According to the FBI.)

Older adults, 2025. New Jersey residents age 60 or older filed 4,111 complaints and reported losses of $249,808,786. (According to the FBI.)

FTC, 2024. New Jersey had 139,551 fraud and other reports to the FTC. Reported fraud losses were $314.4 million, and the median (middle) loss was $500. New Jersey ranked 8th of 50 states for reports per 100,000 people (1,506). It also had 29,037 identity theft reports, ranking 11th. The top three report types were credit bureaus (26%), identity theft (17%), and imposter scams (10%). (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 New Jersey officials are warning about

• Fake Health Department calls. In January 2026, the New Jersey Department of Health warned about callers who fake its caller ID and say your personal information was used to get prescription drugs. (NJ Department of Health release, Jan. 27, 2026)
• Fake toll and MVC texts. New Jersey's cybersecurity office (NJCCIC) has warned about texts pretending to be the Motor Vehicle Commission or toll agencies about unpaid tolls. In February 2026, the state's homeland security office repeated the warning and said a surge was expected. (NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness bulletin, Feb. 11, 2026; NJCCIC alert)

What to do right now

1. Stop all contact. If a caller says they're from a state agency and demands money, hang up.
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 Delaware
• How to report a scam in Maryland
• How to report a scam in Connecticut

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.