Equipment sale scams: where to report in the US and Canada
This page reports which official bodies in the United States and Canada take reports of online sale fraud, and what the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says about fraud against people who sell goods online.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. Questions to put to a seller of used kit are on the buying used gear guide. Reporting a stolen machine is a different route, covered on the stolen equipment page. Only the three bodies named below are covered here.
At a glance
| Country | Body | What the source says it takes |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Federal Trade Commission, ReportFraud.ftc.gov | Describes itself as a place to report fraud, scams and bad business practices |
| United States | FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | The central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime, including cyber-enabled frauds and scams |
| Canada | Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) | Fraud and cybercrime reports online, by anyone who is a victim or a witness; also by phone |
United States
The Federal Trade Commission runs ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The page describes its purpose as protecting a community by reporting fraud, scams and bad business practices.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center says it is run by the FBI and is the central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime. It says it is the main intake form for a variety of complaints, from cyber-enabled frauds and scams to cybercrime, and that a person should file a report even if unsure whether the complaint qualifies. It says it cannot respond directly to every complaint, and that after analysis a complaint may be passed to law enforcement and partner agencies at the federal, state, local or international level. It warns that scammers impersonate the IC3, that the IC3 will never contact a person directly for information or money, and that it does not work with law firms or crypto services to recover lost funds. For immediate danger the page says to call 911 or the local police. See the IC3 home page.
Canada
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says that a victim or a witness can report a fraud or cybercrime online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca, with the option to report anonymously. The toll-free phone line is 1-888-495-8501, answered on weekdays between 10 am and 4:45 pm Eastern time, with no service on holidays. The centre says a victim should contact local police as quickly as possible, and that it is the role of local police to investigate. The centre keeps a central repository of information to assist those investigations. See the CAFC page on reporting fraud and cybercrime.
The centre's merchandise fraud page describes fake ads on classified ads sites and resale sites, and lists electronic equipment and motor vehicles among the goods offered. It says fraudsters target anyone selling goods on social media or online classifieds with a fake "etransfer" message, and that frauds tied to buying or selling goods or services online accounted for more than CA$21.1 million in reported losses in 2021. Under vendor fraud it describes three tactics aimed at sellers: a spoofed payment notice, a claimed account problem and an overpayment with a request to send back the excess. The centre's A to Z index of frauds also lists resale, vendor fraud and supplier or contractor swindle as separate entries. See the CAFC merchandise fraud page and the CAFC frauds A to Z index.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, ReportFraud.ftc.gov, read October 9, 2026
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, home page, read October 9, 2026
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Report fraud and cybercrime, read October 9, 2026
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Merchandise fraud, read October 9, 2026
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Frauds by A-Z index, read October 9, 2026