# Instagram or Facebook Hacked in the US: Should I File With the FBI's IC3 or the FTC? > Instagram or Facebook hacked in the US? Whether to file with the FBI's IC3, the FTC or both, what each does, and how to recover your account. - URL: https://www.awarexone.com/research/us-hacked-ic3-or-ftc - Author: Md Shariar Shanaz Shuvon, Founder & CEO, AwareXone - Published: 2026-10-29 - Topics: Instagram, Facebook, United States, Hacked accounts - Related service: Account security: https://www.awarexone.com/services/account-security ## Short answer In the US, recover a hacked Instagram or Facebook account through Meta's hacked flows. Then report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or IdentityTheft.gov if your identity is misused. File with the FBI's IC3 if you lost money or were extorted. Filing both is fine. Neither agency recovers accounts. ## Summary - Recover the account through Meta first. - FTC handles fraud and identity theft reports. - IC3 handles cybercrime, especially money loss. - Filing with both is allowed. - Neither recovers accounts. Here's how the US reporting options fit together. Last checked: 29 October 2026 against the sources listed at the end of this guide. ## Where do I report? | Situation | File with | | --- | --- | | Hacked, no money lost | FTC ReportFraud | | Identity misused | IdentityTheft.gov | | Money lost or extortion | IC3 and FTC | | Card charged | Your bank | > Warning: **One wrong step can cost you the account.** One wrong step can cost you the account, so know what you are doing before you start. If you are not sure, do not submit an appeal yet. Ask AwareXone for a free expert review first, then act. ## What should I do first? 1. Recover through Meta. 2. Call your bank. 3. File with the FTC. 4. File with IC3 if money was lost. Related guides: [Hacked Instagram or Facebook in Australia: Do I Report to ReportCyber or IDCARE First?](https://www.awarexone.com/research/australia-hacked-reportcyber-or-idcare), [Instagram or Facebook Hacked in Singapore: Where Do I Report It and Who Can Help Me Recover?](https://www.awarexone.com/research/singapore-instagram-facebook-hacked-report). ## What common mistakes should I avoid? - Expecting agencies to recover accounts. - Not calling your bank. - Paying 'IC3 agents' who contact you. - Skipping Meta recovery. ## How do I keep the account safe while I sort this out? - Never share a login code, password or backup code with anyone, including people who say they work for Meta, the police or a recovery service. - Make sure the email address and phone number on the account are ones you still control, and remove any you do not recognise. - Turn on two-factor authentication where the platform offers it, ideally with an authenticator app, and keep your backup codes somewhere offline. - Log in only from the official app or by typing the address yourself, not from links in messages, comments or ads. - Keep screenshots of every notice, email and step you take, with dates, in case you need them for a review or a report. - Make one careful attempt at each official step rather than many rushed ones, because repeated failed attempts can trigger extra checks. ## When It Is Safer to Get Expert Help Ask for help before you appeal if the account matters to your income, your business or your memories, if you have already had one appeal rejected, or if you cannot tell whether the problem is a bug, a restriction or a hack. That is where most avoidable losses happen. AwareXone has solved 1,300+ cases and works only through official platform processes. Support is available 24 hours, every day. We never ask for your password, login codes or backup codes, and we never name our clients. [Request a free case review](https://www.awarexone.com/contact?interest=account-recovery-case) or [message us on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/601137634679). Malaysian cases are priced in MYR; other markets are quoted in USD after review. AwareXone is independent and not affiliated with Meta, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp or Threads. Recovery work is best-effort and the platform makes the final decision. ### Does IC3 reply? Not always; it collects reports. ### Will Meta use my report? Not directly. ### Can you help? Yes, a free review. ### Can AwareXone check my case before I appeal? Yes. AwareXone offers a free case review. Send us what you see on screen and what you have already tried, and an expert will tell you whether to appeal, wait or take another route. We never ask for your password or codes. ## Official sources - [Official: ReportFraud.ftc.gov (read 29 October 2026)](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/) - [Official: IdentityTheft.gov (read 29 October 2026)](https://www.identitytheft.gov/) - [Official: Home Page - Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (read 29 October 2026)](https://www.ic3.gov/) --- AwareXone is an independent Malaysia-based provider, not affiliated with any platform. The platform makes the final decision on every account. AwareXone never asks for passwords, OTP codes, backup codes or session cookies.