How to Report Phishing Scams

As of early 2025, New York has witnessed over 6,000 reported phishing cases in just three months, resulting in losses exceeding $250 million. These incidents have evolved, often targeting victims with fake delivery notifications, IRS threats, or urgent calls from spoofed numbers to create immediate panic, a key element in successful phishing scams. Furthermore, the FBI's annual report indicated that phishing/spoofing remains one of the top three cybercrimes by complaint volume nationwide. Middle-aged individuals and senior citizens are among the most affected, highlighting the social vulnerability exploited by these criminals through targeted phishing scams.

Residents should ignore calls requesting immediate transfers, personal banking information, or account logins, as legitimate organizations will never ask for such details over the phone. Official entities like the NYPD, IRS, or NY Department of Financial Services will never request such details by phone; this is a clear sign of attempted phishing scams. Before acting on any financial offer received by call or message, confirm the institution’s legitimacy via NMLS or official websites, and if a relative asks for money through text, call them directly before responding to prevent falling victim to the scheme. Be wary of unsolicited messages that create a sense of urgency or contain misspellings, as these are common phishing clues.

First, contact the NYPD or the NYC Scam Hotline at 1-888-NYC-SCAM to file a complaint and immediately freeze the affected bank account to limit financial damage from the phishing scams. Next, notify your bank and request a transaction hold on suspicious transfers, and if your phone may be compromised, reset it to factory settings and contact your carrier. Submit your complaint through the NY Attorney General’s Internet Bureau and register your identity theft case with the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov; this multi-step approach is vital when dealing with complex cases of phishing scams. Also place a fraud alert with one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian, and finally, submit an online report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to support federal investigations into this type of crime.

Save all call recordings if legally permitted; in New York, one-party consent laws allow you to record calls as long as you are one of the participants, which can serve as critical evidence of the phishing scams. Take screenshots of text messages, call logs, emails, and messaging app conversations, and maintain a detailed list of transaction amounts, dates, and account numbers involved in the alleged fraud. Request official transaction records or remittance statements from your bank after filing your report, and secure digital and printed copies of everything, organizing them with time stamps and brief descriptions to streamline legal or investigative processes regarding the phishing scams. This collection should also include any spoofed caller IDs or malicious URLs used in the attack.

If law enforcement successfully convicts the scammer, the court may order compensation through a restitution order under NY Penal Law § 60.27, allowing victims to reclaim financial losses directly from the offender as part of the sentencing process for the scams. Victims can also file civil lawsuits if the fraudster is identifiable and resides in the U.S.; this is useful when criminal cases do not cover full damages or fail to proceed, providing an alternative path to recover losses from the phishing incident. In cases involving large-scale fraud or organized rings, affected individuals may file a class action or pursue collective legal action for broader impact and shared restitution from the widespread phishing scams.