How to report a scam in Washington

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 Washington

• Washington Attorney General. File a complaint. Call 1-800-551-4636 in Washington, or 206-464-6684.
• 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.

Washington scam numbers

FBI, 2025. Washington residents reported 25,619 internet crimes to the FBI's IC3, 11th in the U.S. Reported losses were $458,165,375, 11th. That's 320.2 complaints per 100,000 people, 6th per person. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report, state data appendix)

Crypto, 2025. Washington residents filed 4,589 crypto complaints with reported losses of $263,067,281. (According to the FBI.)

Older adults, 2025. Washington residents age 60 or older filed 5,392 complaints and reported losses of $179,706,909. (According to the FBI.)

FTC, 2024. Washington had 87,780 fraud and other reports to the FTC. Reported fraud losses were $297.2 million, and the median (middle) loss was $465. Washington ranked 25th of 50 states for reports per 100,000 people (1,134). It also had 13,068 identity theft reports, ranking 30th. The top three report types were imposter scams (21%), identity theft (13%), 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 Washington officials are warning about

• Fake ticket and toll texts. In March 2026, the Attorney General warned about fake traffic ticket and toll texts aimed at drivers. (AG release, March 30, 2026)
• Investment scams on Meta. In April 2026, the Attorney General warned about investment scams on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. (AG release, April 6, 2026)
• Workers' comp scams. In June 2026, the Attorney General warned about scammers who contact injured Spanish-speaking workers by phone, text, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger about their claims. (AG release, June 4, 2026)
• Fake disaster charities. In June 2026, after the Longview paper mill disaster, the Attorney General warned about fake charity requests and asked people to report them. (AG release, June 8, 2026)

What to do right now

1. Stop all contact. Don't click links in a ticket or toll text.
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 Oregon
• How to report a scam in Idaho

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.