Reporting computer hacking, fraud and other internet-related crime
The primary federal law enforcement agencies that investigate domestic crime on the Internet include: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Secret Service, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) , the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) . Each of these agencies has offices conveniently located in every state to which crimes may be reported. Contact information regarding these local offices may be found in local telephone directories. In general, federal crime may be reported to the local office of an appropriate law enforcement agency by a telephone call and by requesting the "Duty Complaint Agent.
Each law enforcement agency also has a headquarters (HQ) in Washington, D.C., which has agents who specialize in particular areas. For example, the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service both have headquarters-based specialists in computer intrusion (i.e., computer hacker) cases.
To determine some of the federal investigative law enforcement agencies that may be appropriate for reporting certain kinds of crime, please refer to the following table:
| Type of Crime | Appropriate federal investigative law enforcement agencies |
| Computer intrusion (i.e. hacking) | |
| Password trafficking | |
| Counterfeiting of currency | |
| Child p*rnography or Exploitation | |
| Child Exploitation and Internet Fraud matters that have a mail nexus | |
| Internet fraud and SPAM | |
| Internet harassment | |
| Internet bomb threats | |
| Trafficking in explosive or incendiary devices or firearms over the Internet |
Other Cybercrime Reporting Resources
- The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
The mission of the Internet Crime Complaint Center is to provide the public with a reliable and convenient reporting mechanism to submit information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning suspected Internet-facilitated criminal activity and to develop effective alliances with law enforcement and industry partners. Information is analyzed and disseminated for investigative and intelligence purposes to law enforcement and for public awareness.
- Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Coordinating Center: (202) 282-9201 (report incidents relating to national security and infrastructure issues)
- U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (U.S. CERT) (online reporting for technicians)
