Internet-related crime, like any other crime, should be reported to appropriate law enforcement investigative authorities at the local, state, federal, or international levels, depending on the scope of the crime.  Citizens who are aware of federal crimes should report them to local offices of federal law enforcement.

 

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 and Firearms (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.

 

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). IC3's mission is to serve as a vehicle to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints regarding the rapidly expanding arena of cyber crime. The IC3 gives the victims of cyber crime a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of suspected criminal or civil violations. For law enforcement and regulatory agencies at the federal, state, and local level, IC3 provides a central referral mechanism for complaints involving Internet related crimes.

 

For specific types of Internet crime, consider these agencies:\

 

Computer intrusion/hacking

• FBI local office
• U.S. Secret Service
• Internet Crime Complaint Center

  
Password trafficking

• FBI local office
• U.S. Secret Service
• Internet Crime Complaint Center

 

Counterfeiting currency

• U.S. Secret Service

 

Child pornography or exploitation

• FBI local office
• If imported, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• Internet Crime Complaint Center

 

Child exploitation and Internet fraud with a mail nexus

• U.S. Postal Inspection Service
• Internet Crime Complaint Center

 

Internet fraud and spam

• FBI local office
• U.S. Secret Service (Financial Crimes Division)
• Federal Trade Commission (online complaint)
• if securities fraud or investment-related SPAM e-mails, Securities and Exchange Commission (online complaint)
• The Internet Crime Complaint Center

 

Internet harassment

• FBI local office

 

Internet bomb threats

• FBI local office
• ATF local office

 

Trafficking in explosives, incendiary devices and firearms over the Internet

• FBI local office
• ATF local office

 

Other cybercrime reporting resources

• Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Coordinating Center: (202) 282-9201 (for reporting incidents relating to national security and infrastructure issues)
• U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (U.S. CERT) (online reporting for technicians)
• National Association of Attorney General's Computer Crime Point of Contact List (for all state-related cyber questions)