How to report a scam in New York

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 York

• New York Attorney General. File a consumer complaint online. Help Line: 1-800-771-7755.
• 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 York scam numbers

FBI, 2025. New York residents reported 45,255 internet crimes to the FBI's IC3, 4th in the U.S. Reported losses were $1,226,307,877, 4th. That's 226.2 complaints per 100,000 people, 37th per person. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report, state data appendix)

Crypto, 2025. New York residents filed 8,088 crypto complaints with reported losses of $593,370,013. (According to the FBI.)

Older adults, 2025. New York residents age 60 or older filed 8,537 complaints and reported losses of $408,741,632. (According to the FBI.)

FTC, 2024. New York had 278,662 fraud and other reports to the FTC. Reported fraud losses were $534.0 million, and the median (middle) loss was $429. New York ranked 13th of 50 states for reports per 100,000 people (1,402). It also had 58,692 identity theft reports, ranking 12th. The top three report types were credit bureaus (25%), 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 New York officials are warning about

• Fake investment friends ("pig butchering"). In February 2026, the Attorney General warned about strangers who build trust online and then push fake crypto investments. (AG release, Feb. 17, 2026)
• Gold bar couriers. In August 2026, the Attorney General warned that scammers tell older adults to buy gold bars and hand them to a courier. (AG release, Aug. 7, 2026)
• AI tax scams. In April 2026, the Attorney General warned that scammers are using AI tools to run more convincing tax preparation and refund scams during tax season. (AG release, April 1, 2026)
• Student loan scams. In September 2026, the Attorney General warned that scammers are using recent federal student loan changes, like the end of the SAVE plan, to target borrowers looking for lower payments. (AG release, Sept. 2, 2026)

What to do right now

1. Stop all contact. Never hand cash or gold to a courier. Hang up and call the Help Line.
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 New Jersey
• How to report a scam in Pennsylvania
• 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.