Find help near you

These free services are run by government agencies, government-funded programs, or bar associations. They work anywhere in the U.S.

Please note: usaBob does not pick, recommend, or vouch for any specific professional, and no one pays usaBob to appear on this page. Be wary of anyone who charges you to report a scam or promises to get your money back: reporting to the government is free.

Report a scam or identity theft

  • FTC (Federal Trade Commission): report scams and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
  • Identity theft: report it and get a personal recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov (run by the FTC).
  • Internet crime: the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
  • Unwanted calls and caller ID spoofing: the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) Consumer Complaint Center at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov, and the Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov.
  • Scam texts: forward them to 7726 (SPAM).
  • Social Security-related scams: oig.ssa.gov/report.
  • Medicare fraud: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
  • Banks, credit reports, and debt collectors: the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.

Your state attorney general

The National Association of Attorneys General has a lookup of each state’s and territory’s attorney general at naag.org/find-my-ag. Your attorney general’s website may have a way to file a consumer complaint.

211: local help with bills, food, housing, and more

Call 211 or visit 211.org to find local help, such as help paying bills, utilities, health care costs, food, and housing.

Medical bills

No Surprises Help Desk (CMS): 1-800-985-3059. See our medical bills guide.

Debt collectors

Report a debt collector to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint, the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and your state attorney general. Sued over a debt? Find free legal aid through the Legal Services Corporation. See our debt collector guide.

IRS letters and tax problems

Taxpayer Advocate Service (free, independent within the IRS): 1-877-777-4778 or taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov. Low Income Taxpayer Clinics: free or low-cost help with IRS disputes; find one on the IRS LITC page. IRS impersonation calls: report to TIGTA or 800-366-4484. See our IRS letters guide.

Credit report mistakes

Get free weekly credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com or 1-877-322-8228. Dispute mistakes for free with the credit bureau and the business that reported it. Problems with a credit bureau or a credit repair company? Complain to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint and report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. See our fix your credit guide.

Phone number stolen or hijacked

If your phone suddenly loses service, the FCC says to contact your phone company and your bank, file a police report, and place a fraud alert. File a free complaint with the FCC, and report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov. See our new phone number guide.

Your personal info online

California residents can use the state’s free DROP tool to ask registered data brokers to delete their information. Anyone can use Google’s free Results about you tool. See our remove your info guide.

After someone dies

Free civil legal aid may help with probate, an estate, or a relative’s debts if you qualify: find an office through the Legal Services Corporation. The probate court clerk in the county where the person lived can explain local steps. Report debt collector problems to the CFPB. See our after a death guide, which links to every state’s probate pages.

Free Medicare counseling

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) that gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Find your local SHIP at shiphelp.org.

Local aging services

The Eldercare Locator, a public service of the U.S. Administration for Community Living, connects older adults and families to services nearby. Call 1-800-677-1116 or visit eldercare.acl.gov.

Reverse mortgage (HECM) counseling

Before getting a HECM, a borrower must meet with a HUD-approved counselor. Call (800) 569-4287 or search HUD’s HECM Counselor Roster. Read our reverse mortgage guide first.

Finding a lawyer

Bar-association lawyer referral services: the American Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Directory lets you search by city and state for state and local bar association referral services. Ask the service about any fees before you book.

Free civil legal aid: if money is tight, the Legal Services Corporation can help you find a legal aid office.

Your state’s power of attorney rules and forms

Official state sources for power of attorney and health care documents. See our power of attorney guide for what these documents do.

Sources

Last checked Oct 18, 2026.

  1. ReportFraud.ftc.gov: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
  2. IdentityTheft.gov (FTC): https://www.identitytheft.gov/
  3. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): https://www.ic3.gov/
  4. FCC: Consumer Complaint Center: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us
  5. National Do Not Call Registry: https://www.donotcall.gov/
  6. FTC: How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages (7726): https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-report-spam-text-messages
  7. Social Security Administration and OIG: Protect Yourself from Scams: https://www.ssa.gov/scam/
  8. Medicare.gov: Reporting Medicare fraud and abuse: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/reporting-medicare-fraud-and-abuse
  9. CFPB: Submit a complaint: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/
  10. Taxpayer Advocate Service: Contact us (1-877-777-4778): https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/contact-us/
  11. IRS: Low Income Taxpayer Clinics: https://www.irs.gov/advocate/low-income-taxpayer-clinics
  12. IRS: How to know it's really the IRS (TIGTA 800-366-4484): https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/how-to-know-its-really-the-irs-calling-or-knocking-on-your-door
  13. TIGTA: Report crime and misconduct: https://www.tigta.gov/reportcrime-misconduct
  14. National Association of Attorneys General: Find My AG: https://www.naag.org/find-my-ag/
  15. 211.org: https://www.211.org/
  16. CMS: How to read a health insurance explanation of benefits (No Surprises Help Desk number): https://www.cms.gov/medical-bill-rights/help/guides/explanation-of-benefits
  17. SHIP National Technical Assistance Center: find your local SHIP: https://www.shiphelp.org/
  18. Eldercare Locator (U.S. Administration for Community Living): https://eldercare.acl.gov/
  19. HUD: HECM Counselor Roster: https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/hecm_cnslr_look.cfm
  20. HUD: Home Equity Conversion Mortgages for Seniors (counselor phone): https://www.hud.gov/hud-partners/single-family-hecmhome
  21. American Bar Association: Lawyer Referral Directory: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/lawyer_referral/resources/lawyer-referral-directory/
  22. Legal Services Corporation: Get legal help: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/what-legal-aid/get-legal-help

Rules and numbers change. If something here does not match what an agency tells you, trust the agency, and please let us know.