Report a Foreign IP Address to Police

TL;DR

Reporting an attacker’s IP address from another country requires gathering evidence and contacting the appropriate authorities – usually your local police, with potential involvement of international law enforcement. This guide explains how.

How to Report a Foreign Attacker’s IP Address

1. Gather Evidence: Before reporting, collect as much information as possible.
   • IP Address: The attacker’s IP address is crucial.
   • Date and Time: Record the exact date and time of the attack(s).
   • Attack Type: What happened? (e.g., hacking, threats, fraud, DDoS)
   • Logs & Screenshots: Save any relevant logs from your systems or applications. Take screenshots of threatening messages, unusual activity, or error reports.
   • URLs/Domains: If the attack involved websites, note the URLs.
2. Identify Your Local Police Force: Start with your local police station. They will likely handle the initial report and may forward it to specialist cyber crime units.
   • You can find contact details for your local police force on their website (usually a simple Google search like “[Your Town/City] Police” will work).
3. Report to Your Local Police: You have several options:
   • Non-Emergency Phone Call: For non-urgent attacks, call the police’s non-emergency number.
   • Online Reporting Form: Many police forces have online forms for reporting cyber crime. Check their website.
   • In Person: You can visit your local police station to make a report in person.
4. Provide the Evidence: When you report, clearly and concisely explain what happened and provide all the evidence you collected.
   • Be prepared to answer questions about the attack.
   • If possible, organize your evidence into a clear timeline.
5. Consider Reporting to National Cyber Security Agencies: In addition to local police, consider reporting to national agencies.
   • UK: Report to Action Fraud (https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) (https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/).
   • US: Report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (https://www.ic3.gov/).
6. IP Address Location Information (Limited Usefulness): While you can use online IP lookup tools to find the general location of an IP address, this information is often inaccurate and not sufficient for law enforcement.

   ping [attacker's IP address]

   This will show you the IP address but won’t give precise details. Law enforcement has access to more accurate data.

7. International Law Enforcement (Usually Handled by Your Police): Dealing with attackers in other countries is complex.
   • Your local police will likely work with international law enforcement agencies if necessary.
   • Don’t attempt to contact foreign authorities directly unless specifically advised by your police force.

Important Note: Reporting an IP address doesn’t guarantee immediate action or the attacker’s arrest. Law enforcement will assess the severity of the attack and prioritize cases accordingly.