Contact

Reaching the right channel for Federal Trade Commission matters depends on whether the inquiry relates to consumer complaints, business compliance questions, media requests, or general information about agency operations. This page outlines the established communication pathways the FTC maintains for different inquiry types, the geographic scope of the agency's jurisdiction, what information to prepare before submitting a message, and what response timelines are realistic given the volume of contacts the agency processes.

How to reach this office

The Federal Trade Commission operates its primary public-facing contact infrastructure through ftc.gov. The agency maintains distinct channels depending on the nature of the inquiry:

Consumer complaints and fraud reports
Complaints are submitted through the FTC's online reporting portal at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This system routes submissions into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure database accessible to more than 2,800 law enforcement agencies across the United States, Canada, and partner nations. Phone-based complaint reporting is available through the agency's Consumer Response Center at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), with TTY service at 1-866-653-4261.

Business and compliance inquiries
Businesses seeking guidance on advertising standards, merger notification thresholds, or regulatory compliance can consult the business guidance library at ftc.gov/business-guidance or direct written inquiries to the FTC's main Washington, D.C., headquarters at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580.

Media and press inquiries
Journalists should contact the Office of Public Affairs directly through the press contact form on ftc.gov. Press releases, statements, and enforcement announcements are published at ftc.gov/news-events.

Regional offices
The FTC maintains regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. Regional offices handle investigations and consumer protection matters within their respective territories, and contact information for each location is listed on the agency's regional offices directory page.

Service area covered

The FTC's jurisdiction is national in scope. Under the FTC Act, the agency has authority over most commercial entities operating in or affecting interstate commerce within all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and, through coordination agreements, cross-border conduct involving foreign entities that harms U.S. consumers.

Key jurisdictional boundaries worth understanding:

• Covered: For-profit businesses, including online platforms, financial service companies, health product marketers, and telecommunications firms, subject to Section 5 of the FTC Act.
• Excluded by statute: Banks, savings and loan institutions, federal credit unions, common carriers, air carriers, and certain other entities regulated by sector-specific federal agencies fall outside FTC jurisdiction under the FTC Act's enumerated exemptions.
• Shared jurisdiction: Antitrust matters are handled jointly with the Department of Justice Antitrust Division under a clearance process; merger reviews are divided between the two agencies based on industry expertise.

International matters are coordinated through the FTC's Office of International Affairs, which maintains bilateral cooperation agreements with enforcement counterparts in the European Union, Canada, Australia, and more than 100 other jurisdictions.

What to include in your message

The completeness of an initial contact determines how efficiently it can be routed or acted upon. The FTC's complaint intake system and correspondence guidelines identify the following as essential information:

1. Full name and contact information — The submitting party's name, mailing address, email address, and phone number.
2. Identification of the company or individual — The legal name, trade name, website URL, and physical address of the entity about which the inquiry or complaint is made.
3. Clear description of the conduct — A factual account of what occurred, including specific dates, dollar amounts involved, product or service names, and any transaction or account reference numbers.
4. Supporting documentation — Copies of contracts, receipts, advertisements, email or text communications, and any prior correspondence with the company. Original documents should be retained; copies only should be submitted.
5. Prior complaint history — Whether the matter has been reported to any other agency, including a state attorney general, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or the Better Business Bureau.
6. Desired outcome — A clear statement of what resolution is sought, such as a refund, cessation of contact, or investigation referral.

For Civil Investigative Demands or matters involving active investigations, parties should direct correspondence to the specific bureau or regional office identified in the CID or investigative letter, referencing the assigned matter number.

Response expectations

The FTC receives millions of contacts annually; the agency processed more than 5.7 million reports in 2023 (FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2023). Individual complaints do not generate a personal response or open a case on behalf of the submitting consumer. The agency uses aggregate complaint data to identify patterns, prioritize enforcement targets, and initiate investigations at a systemic level.

Distinctions in response timelines by inquiry type:

Parties subject to an active consent order or enforcement action should communicate only through legal counsel and direct correspondence to the assigned bureau attorney listed in the order documentation.

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