Reporting Online Harassment to Police
If you’re being harassed online, one of the most frustrating parts can be not getting taken seriously when you try to report it. Most of the victims who come to us have already been to the police, only to be told there’s nothing that can be done or that it falls outside their experience. In many cases, it’s not because they don’t care—it’s because they don’t have the tools or the digital evidence they need to move forward.
Police often need more than just your word to open a case. They need clear, well-organized proof that shows what happened, when it happened, and ideally who was behind it. If you want law enforcement to act, the way you collect and present your digital evidence makes all the difference.
Here’s how to gather digital evidence for harassment cases for the police to increase the chances of getting a proper response. We included an example of a poorly structured report and of a clear, and factual report.
Why Accurate Reporting is Critical
Many cybercrime cases fail to reach a resolution simply because the initial crime reports submitted by victims are poorly written or incomplete. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed with cybercrime cases, and the harsh reality is that global resolution rates for these cases are extremely low. A poorly written report with vague descriptions, emotional language, or missing details can make your case seem too complex or unreliable, resulting in the authorities deprioritizing it.
For your case to stand the best chance of being accepted and investigated, you need to present yourself as a clear, concise, and credible witness. Your report needs to stand out by being well-organized and free of unnecessary details that might confuse investigators.
Give Police a Clear and Simple Summary
When you’re ready to report the case, don’t overwhelm officers with dozens of screenshots right away. Lead with a short written summary that explains:
- What kind of harassment has been happening
- When it started
- Which platforms were used
- How often it has occurred
- Why you feel it’s serious or escalating
Attach the full evidence as supporting material. This helps them understand the situation quickly and makes it easier to decide how to proceed.
How to Document a Detailed, Organized Harassment Report for Police
You need to take at least a day to collect your thoughts and prepare a detailed report using the template below as a guide. Do not send multiple emails with snippets of information. Prepare one concise report for the police. Create a Word document or text file on your computer, take your time, and don’t send it until you are sure you have all the important details included.
Go through all your message histories—emails, chats, social media accounts, or any other means through which you communicated with the criminals. Ensure that nothing is missed. If you don’t provide all the key information upfront, investigators may overlook something that could be crucial in solving your case.
Exporting WhatsApp Chats
If you need to save a conversation from WhatsApp, you can export the full chat directly from within the app. Open the conversation, tap the name of the contact or group at the top, then scroll down and select “Export Chat.” You’ll be given the option to include or exclude media. The exported file is a .txt document that you can email to yourself or store in your files for backup. This makes it easier to preserve long conversations in their entirety, without relying on dozens of individual screenshots.
Saving and Naming Files
If exporting isn’t available or you’re using a platform that doesn’t support it, take full screenshots instead. Make sure each image clearly shows the contact name or handle, message content, and the time and date. To keep everything organized, save your files using a consistent naming format that starts with the date. For example: 2025-07-01_InstagramThreat1.png or 2025-06-28_WhatsAppTranscript.txt. This will keep your evidence in the right order and make it easier for investigators or legal teams to follow the timeline of events.
Poorly Structured Example of a Crime Report:
This is a hypothetical scenario:
“Back in October 2023, my ex-partner’s new girlfriend started attacking me online. She messaged me from different Instagram accounts, and I knew it was her, even though the names were fake. She kept accusing me of being mentally unstable and a liar. Then she began commenting on my business page, telling clients not to trust me and saying I had stolen money from people. I blocked the accounts, but more kept popping up. On 12 November, one of the fake profiles posted a photo of me with captions saying I was dangerous and had ruined lives. I tried to report it to Instagram, but nothing was done. By late November, people I know started asking me about the claims. I went to the police, but they said they didn’t know how to help. I just want it to stop.”
What’s wrong with this report?
- Vague references and missing identifiers:
There are no usernames, profile links, or handles included, which makes it impossible to verify who made the posts or even view them. The mention of “different Instagram accounts” and “fake profiles” doesn’t provide investigators with anything they can search or trace. - Lack of specific dates and times:
There is only one clear date mentioned (12 November). Other events are described with general time frames like “back in October” and “by late November,” which doesn’t help track a timeline of escalation. - No screenshots or message content:
There’s no reference to evidence. No screenshots of messages, no quotes of what was said, and no proof of the defamatory statements. - Emotional and informal language:
Statements like “I just want it to stop” and “I knew it was her” are emotional but don’t offer factual support. It’s understandable, but it weakens the report if you’re trying to get law enforcement to act. - Unstructured narrative:
The report is written like a conversation, not a report. That makes it hard for an officer or investigator to pull out actionable details like dates, platform names, user IDs, or evidence of harm.
Creating a Clear, Factual Crime Report
Here’s a format that would help investigators piece together what happened clearly and efficiently. Please follow these steps:
- Stick to the Facts: Avoid including emotions, personal feelings, or assumptions. Be clinical, focusing on dates, times, account names, and transaction details.
- Use Proper Nouns: Always refer to individuals by the name or alias they used. Avoid pronouns like “he,” “she,” or “they” to prevent confusion. This applies to the antagonists, accomplices, or any other third parties. Note: While it may feel repetitive or unnatural to consistently use proper names or aliases, this is necessary to ensure there is no confusion for investigators reviewing your case.
- Chronological Order: Present events in a strict timeline with each new development clearly dated and timestamped, if possible.
- Include All Communication Identifiers: Make sure to mention every email address, phone number, social media account, or website URL that was used during your interactions with the criminal.
- Organized Format: Break down the report in a timeline format, as shown below.
Well-Formatted Example:
This is a fictitious example!
Timeline Crime Report
Victim Name: John Doe
Criminal Alias: Angela (Used WhatsApp number +1-234-567-8910)
Platform/Website Involved: www.fraudinvestments.com
Scam Type: Cryptocurrency Investment Scam
Suspects Involved
Suspect:
-
- Jane (Alias)
-
- WhatsApp: +1-234-567-8910
-
- Email: [email protected]
Timeline of Events
2 December 2023, 10:15 AM
I received a direct message on Instagram from an account using the handle @wellness_truth_2023, claiming to be “just trying to help” and accusing me of unethical business practices. The account had no clear profile image and was created within the last two weeks.
5 December 2023, 3:50 PM
I was tagged in a post by @wellness_truth_2023 on Instagram that claimed I had scammed clients, included a distorted photo of me, and used the hashtag #fraudalert. The caption referenced my business by name. I took full screenshots including the username, timestamp, and post link: instagram.com/p/CxyzFakePost
7 December 2023, 9:20 AM
A second Instagram account, @wellness_exposed_files, reposted the original claim. The bio linked to a blog hosted at wellnessexposedinfo.blogspot.com, where a detailed article included my name, photo, and a false narrative that I was being investigated for fraud. I preserved the entire webpage using Archive.today and saved the full HTML.
10 December 2023, 2:30 PM
I received an anonymous email from [email protected] accusing me of criminal activity and threatening to “expose me further” if I didn’t respond. The email did not include a signature or name but was sent via Gmail’s web client. I preserved the full email with headers intact.
12 December 2023, 8:05 AM
A Google review was posted on my business page by a user named “Loyal_TruthSeeker” claiming I had “stolen from a friend” and was “being investigated.” The review had no purchase history or interaction with my business. I flagged the review and took a screenshot including the username, date, and profile ID: reviewer ID #R8732119.
15 December 2023, 11:30 AM
A Twitter account with the handle @JusticeForClients began replying to my business posts using slanderous accusations. Their replies included screenshots from my Instagram account and personal Facebook photos, some of which are only visible to my private network. This suggests the individual had access to someone close to me.
18 December 2023, 1:15 PM
I was sent a direct message on Facebook by a profile named “Michelle Kramer” (facebook.com/michelle.kramer.90210) who warned me to “come clean before things get worse.” The profile was created in November 2023 and has no mutual friends or identifiable information. I captured the profile and message thread using screen recording and saved the URL.
20 December 2023, 10:45 AM
A Reddit thread was created in r/SmallBusinessNightmares titled “Avoid This Fraud Coach” by user u_ClientVoice. The post falsely claimed I had defrauded clients and linked to the same blog listed earlier. I screenshotted the post, user profile, and saved the post ID and permalink: reddit.com/r/SmallBusinessNightmares/comments/xyz123
22 December 2023, 4:00 PM
My Google Business listing was edited to include the phrase “currently under investigation,” which was not submitted by me. I restored the listing and documented the unauthorized changes via the Google Business dashboard with screenshots and timestamps.
3 January 2024, 2:00 PM
After documenting the above incidents, I filed a report with [Local Police Department Name]. I included an evidence folder with screenshots, URLs, email headers, metadata, and a written summary of each incident. I also created a timeline spreadsheet and shared access to a secure online folder with all collected data.
Summary of Key Identifiers and Evidence
Instagram Accounts:
- @wellness_truth_2023
- @wellness_exposed_files
Posts & Tags:
- Instagram post ID: CxyzFakePost
- Hashtags used: #fraudalert, #scammerwatch
- Screenshot and archive links saved
Email:
- Sender: [email protected]
- Sent: 10 December 2023, 2:30 PM
- Headers preserved in .eml format
Google Review:
- Username: Loyal_TruthSeeker
- Reviewer ID: R8732119
- Screenshot and profile link saved
Twitter:
- Handle: @JusticeForClients
- Replies archived with timestamps
Facebook:
- Profile: Michelle Kramer (facebook.com/michelle.kramer.90210)
- Screenshot of messages and profile metadata saved
Reddit:
- Username: u_ClientVoice
- Subreddit: r/SmallBusinessNightmares
- Post permalink: reddit.com/r/SmallBusinessNightmares/comments/xyz123
Google Business Tampering:
- Unauthorized edits logged via dashboard
- Restored and screenshot with timestamps
Identify an Anonymous User First
If you’re being targeted by someone using a fake account or hiding behind layers of anonymity, you might not be able to identify them yourself. At Rexxfield, we help victims collect and organize court-ready evidence. Our team uses open-source intelligence tools and proprietary methods to trace digital footprints, identify anonymous abusers, and assist police with actionable data.
We also help ghostwrite subpoenas and structure evidence in ways that law enforcement can use directly. If you’re not sure what to collect, or your case involves impersonation, threats, or harassment from someone hiding their identity, reach out before key data disappears.
How to Gather Digital Evidence for Harassment Cases for the Police
Don’t delete anything, even if it’s disturbing
Your first instinct might be to block the person, delete the messages, or remove the account from your view. Try not to. Even if it’s upsetting to look at, the content is your proof. Once it’s gone, it’s a lot harder to prove what happened.
Save everything. Messages, emails, comments, DMs, tags, profile details—anything that came from the person harassing you. Don’t just rely on in-app blocking or reporting. Those actions might remove your access to the evidence entirely.
Take full screenshots with timestamps, usernames, and URLs
When you take a screenshot, make sure it captures all the identifying information. That means:
- Username or handle
- Profile photo
- Date and time
- The content itself
- The platform it’s from
- If possible, the URL
Use the built-in screenshot tools on your device or install a browser extension like GoFullPage (for Chrome) that captures entire pages. Don’t crop out context. The more complete your screenshots are, the more useful they are to police.
Don’t just screenshot—record patterns
If the harassment has been going on for a while, don’t just collect individual messages. Create a timeline. Use a spreadsheet or document where you log each incident. Include the date, time, platform, what was said or done, and a reference to the screenshot or file where it’s saved.
Police often need to see that there’s a sustained pattern, not just a one-off message. A log shows the timeline clearly and makes your case easier to understand.
Preserve original files, emails, and metadata
If you’re receiving threats or abuse by email, save the full original message. That means not just what’s visible in the inbox, but the email headers too. Those can show where the message came from, the sender’s IP address, and what service was used.
If you’re sent files or photos, don’t rename or convert them. Keep the original filenames and formats. If something came through a cloud link, download and preserve a copy before it disappears.
Capture vanishing content and live activity
Some platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp use disappearing messages. If you’re dealing with someone using those, use screen recording when possible. Both iPhone and Android have built-in recording tools. On computers, OBS Studio or Loom work well.
If the person is posting in public forums or stories that may disappear, record that too. Don’t assume you’ll be able to go back and find it later.
Document the profile, even if it’s fake
Take screenshots of the profile doing the harassment. Include:
- The username
- Display name
- Profile photo
- Account creation date (if available)
- Followers/following lists
- Any mutual contacts
- Links to other accounts
Even if the account looks anonymous, this kind of data helps investigators build a technical profile. Don’t wait for the account to disappear—document it early.
Stay organized and back everything up
Create a folder just for the case. Inside, organize by platform or date. Keep a backup copy somewhere safe, like a cloud service or external hard drive. Label screenshots in a way that makes them easy to reference. Use plain filenames like “Instagram_threat_2025-06-19_10AM.png” instead of random numbers.
When police ask for the information, being able to hand over a well-organized set of files—rather than a messy phone gallery—makes a difference.
Avoid editing the evidence
Don’t crop, annotate, or alter the original files. If you want to make notes or highlight something, save a separate copy and keep the original untouched. Investigators and prosecutors need clean, unedited material. It’s okay to include a summary or explanation, just don’t modify the core files.
Bottom line
If you’re being targeted online, the most important thing you can do is document everything. Don’t assume you’ll have time to come back to it later. We’ve seen countless cases where fake profiles are created, used to attack someone, and then deleted just minutes later. Once they’re gone, that content is often impossible to recover.
Most people who contact us have already gone to the police and gotten nowhere. It’s not always because officers don’t care, but because they don’t have much to work with. Online harassment cases are often dismissed unless there’s a solid, clear record showing what happened and when.
If you give law enforcement a well-organized timeline, with screenshots, account links, and dates that are easy to follow, it changes how seriously they treat your case. You’re not just telling them what happened, you’re showing them.
So start saving everything now. Keep it all backed up. The stronger your report, the more likely someone will actually take action.
