How to report a scammer on TikTok

Most TikTok scams reuse a small number of patterns, adapted to whatever is trending that month:

• Fake giveaways: a video or LIVE claims to be giving away cash, phones or gift cards, usually asking viewers to follow, comment, or pay a small "shipping" or "verification" fee to claim a prize that does not exist.
• Investment and crypto promotions: videos or comments promise guaranteed returns from a trading bot, signal group or "mentor," directing viewers to a third-party app, Telegram group or website to deposit funds.
• Impersonation of creators or brands: a duplicate account copies a real creator's or brand's name, photo and videos, then messages followers offering a fake collaboration, discount code or prize claim.
• Fake shops linked in bio: a video shows a product at an unrealistic discount, with a link in the bio or comments leading to a storefront that takes payment and never ships, or ships a counterfeit.
• LIVE gifting pressure: a host during a LIVE stream pressures viewers to send paid gifts by promising to "return double," host a fake giveaway, or reveal exclusive content that never materializes.

TikTok content can be deleted or an account can go private soon after a scam is reported or exposed, so collect what you can first:

• Username and profile link: the @handle and the full profile URL (tiktok.com/@handle).
• Video and comment links: use the Share option to copy the direct link to the specific video, comment or LIVE, not just the profile.
• Screenshots with visible dates: capture the video caption, comment thread, or direct message conversation together with TikTok's on-screen timestamps.
• Payment references: note any bank details, cryptocurrency address, payment app handle, or order confirmation linked to a purchase, gift, or "deposit" you were asked to make.
• Bio links and external sites: record the exact URL shown in a profile's bio or linked in a video, since these often point to the actual payment page used in the scam.

Save copies somewhere outside the app, since a deleted account removes your access to the original content.

TikTok provides a dedicated in-app flow for each type of content. All of them start from the Share button or a press-and-hold gesture, followed by Report and a reason category.

• Report an account: go to the person's profile, tap the Share button at the top, tap Report, then Report account, select a reason and submit. On TikTok's web version, use the More options button instead of Share. TikTok Help Center
• Report a video (post): open the video, tap Share, tap Report, choose the reason that best matches the issue (for example fraud or scam) and, if prompted, a subtopic, then submit. TikTok Help Center
• Report a comment: press and hold the comment you want to report, tap Report, select a reason and, if prompted, a subtopic, then submit.
• Report a LIVE or a LIVE comment: while watching a LIVE, use the Report option from the share or more-options menu to report the stream itself, or press and hold a specific comment in the LIVE chat, tap Report, choose a reason and subtopic, then tap Submit. TikTok Help Center
• Report a direct message: open the conversation, press and hold the specific message (or use the conversation's options menu), tap Report, select a reason and submit. Reporting a message also gives you the option to block the sender from the same screen.

For impersonation specifically, TikTok also offers separate webforms for accounts pretending to be someone else, split by whether the account is based in the United States or elsewhere. TikTok Help Center

TikTok states that reports are reviewed against its Community Guidelines and that the person you report is not told who reported them. TikTok Safety Center

TikTok says it reviews reported content against its Community Guidelines and may remove content or take action on an account when a violation is confirmed. What TikTok does not generally do is confirm to you the specific outcome of an individual report, disclose the identity behind an account, or recover any money you sent through a linked payment site, gift, or off-platform transfer. A removed account can also be recreated under a new username, since TikTok signup does not require the previous history to be disclosed.

Because of this, reporting inside TikTok is a content-moderation step, not a fraud-recovery step. If money changed hands, the report to TikTok should be paired with a report to whoever processed the payment.

If you sent money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, or shared payment card or bank details after being contacted through TikTok, contact your bank or card issuer as soon as possible to ask about disputing the charge or flagging the account, since banks and card networks apply their own deadlines that can be short. If you shared login credentials, change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication on any affected accounts.

File a report with your local police, and where available, a national fraud-reporting body such as the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in the United States or Action Fraud in the United Kingdom. Bring the profile links, video and message links, screenshots with timestamps, and payment references you collected earlier.

Fraudpol accepts reports that identify an individual or group operating through a TikTok account, including the handle, profile link, and any linked payment or messaging details. Each report is reviewed manually. Fraudpol does not recover money, never charges victims a fee, never contacts victims unsolicited asking for payment, and is not a government agency or law enforcement body; substantiated cases are referred to the competent authorities for further action, without a promised timeline or a guaranteed outcome.

If you believe a specific person or group ran a scam through TikTok, you can report a scammer. If a similar pattern appeared on another platform, see our guides to reporting an Instagram scammer and reporting a scammer on Facebook.

Last checked: September 2026.

• TikTok Help Center: Report a problem
• TikTok Help Center: Report an account
• TikTok Help Center: Report a LIVE comment
• TikTok Safety Center: Reporting on TikTok