GACS vs IC3 (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center)
Official FBI fraud reporting portal (US only). Honest, factual comparison — last updated September 2026.
IC3 (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center) founded 2000
Pricing: Free
GACS: Free, no ads
| Feature | GACS | IC3 (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Detect + report scams | File formal complaint |
| Instant scam check | Yes | No |
| Public scam database | Yes | No |
| Real-time alerts | Yes | No |
| Geographic scope | Global | US |
| Multilingual | Yes | English |
| Recovery / next-steps guidance | Yes (Panic Guide) | Yes |
Where IC3 (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center) shines
- Official US federal channel — required step for formal investigation.
- Direct law-enforcement escalation path.
Where GACS shines
- Prevents the loss before it happens — IC3 is mostly post-incident.
- Available to users outside the United States.
- Includes a guided 'next 60 minutes' panic guide for fresh victims.
The honest verdict
These are complementary, not competitors. Use GACS to check before sending money and to follow our Panic Guide if you've just been scammed. Then file with IC3 if you're in the US — we link directly to their form from our Report to Authorities page.
All trademarks belong to their respective owners. Information based on each provider's public website at time of writing. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Authoritative sources
Independent primary sources used to check and corroborate the guidance on this page.
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Official US channel for reporting internet-enabled fraud and cybercrime.
- US Federal Trade Commission — ReportFraud
Consumer fraud reporting and published enforcement data.
- UK Action Fraud
UK national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Canada's central repository for fraud reports and scam alerts.
