How to report a scam in Texas

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 Texas

• Texas Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division. Hotline: (800) 621-0508. File a consumer complaint. The office says Texas complaints are open to the public, so don't include your Social Security or account numbers.
• Texas State Securities Board. For investment and crypto fraud. Report fraud or file a complaint.
• Texas Department of Insurance, Fraud Unit. For insurance fraud. TDI's help line is 800-252-3439. TDI fraud page.
• Texas Department of Public Safety. The state police agency. dps.texas.gov. For most scams, also file a report with your local police or sheriff.
• Texas Abuse Hotline (Adult Protective Services). Call 1-800-252-5400 to report abuse or money theft from an older adult or an adult with a disability. Texas Abuse Hotline.

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.

Texas scam numbers

FBI, 2025. Texans filed 97,912 complaints with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). That's 2nd most in the country. Reported losses were $1,825,636,181, also 2nd. Per person, Texas ranked 10th, with 308.8 complaints per 100,000 people. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report, state data appendix)

Crypto, 2025. Texans filed 13,965 crypto complaints and reported $1,016,062,841 in losses. Crypto alone was more than half of all IC3 losses in Texas. (Same FBI report.)

Older adults, 2025. Texans 60 and older filed 14,410 IC3 complaints and reported $678,564,081 in losses, 3rd most in the country. (Same FBI report.)

FTC, 2024. Texas had 462,667 fraud and other reports to the FTC. Reported fraud losses were $897.9 million, with a median (middle) loss of $500. Texas ranked 6th of 50 states for reports per 100,000 people (1,561). It had 116,484 identity theft reports, ranking 4th. The top three report types were credit bureaus (32%), identity theft (20%), and imposter scams (9%). (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 Texas officials are warning about

• Disaster and charity scams. In July 2026, during flooding, the Attorney General warned about fake charities, donation scams, and price gouging. (AG consumer alert, July 17, 2026)
• Fake legal demand letters to businesses. In September 2026, the Attorney General warned Texas businesses about letters that claim website "privacy violations" and demand quick payment. The office says to talk to a lawyer before you pay or reply. This is a summary of the AG's alert, not legal advice. (AG consumer alert, Sept. 17, 2026)
• Fake state check (warrant) scams. The Texas Comptroller warned in 2026 about scammers who send pictures of fake or altered state warrants. They ask you to deposit it with your phone, then send money back. (Comptroller fraud alerts)

What to do right now

1. Stop all contact. Don't deposit checks or images that strangers send you.
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 Arkansas
• How to report a scam in Alabama
• How to report a scam in North Carolina

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.