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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf you think you’ve been scammed, stop contact with the person or company, don’t send more money, and contact the bank, card issuer, payment app, or other service that handled the payment using its official app, website, or a number you find independently. Ask whether the transaction can be stopped or reversed; getting the money back is not guaranteed. Then secure any exposed accounts or devices and preserve the evidence.
What to do first
- Stop the interaction. Don’t reply, click more links, install software, send another payment, or share additional information with the suspected scammer. If you’re unsure whether a message is genuine, contact the organization through a channel you independently verify.
- Contact the payment provider promptly. Tell the bank, card issuer, transfer service, payment app, gift card issuer, or crypto exchange that the payment was connected to a scam. Ask whether it can be cancelled, reversed, disputed, or otherwise contained, and follow its fraud-reporting process. Use the provider’s official app or website, or a trusted number you look up yourself. The provider may not be able to recover the money.
- Keep the evidence. Save messages, emails, receipts, transaction records, usernames, phone numbers, website addresses, and account details. Write down a short timeline while events are fresh. Don’t delete relevant messages or records before making a report.
- Secure anything the scammer may have accessed. Change compromised passwords and any passwords reused elsewhere. Contact your bank or card issuer if financial details were exposed. If the person accessed a device or took over an account, use the relevant steps below.
- Report the incident through verified channels. Reporting options depend on your country and the kind of scam. U.S.-specific routes are listed below. Avoid using links or phone numbers sent by the person who contacted you.
What to do based on how you paid
| Payment method | What to do |
|---|---|
| Credit or debit card | Contact the card issuer, explain that the charge was connected to a scam, and ask about disputing it or reversing it. If the card details were exposed or used, ask whether the card or account number should be replaced. |
| Bank debit, wire transfer, or bank-account details | Contact your bank or credit union immediately through an official channel. Report the transaction and ask whether it can be stopped or recalled. If you shared account or routing details, ask whether the account should be closed and replaced. |
| Payment app or money-transfer service | Contact the app or service that sent the money and report the scam. If it was linked to a bank account or card, contact that bank or card issuer as well. Ask what action is possible, but don’t assume a completed payment can be reversed. |
| Gift card | Keep the card and receipt, and contact the card issuer. Explain what happened and ask whether any remaining balance can be protected or recovered. |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the exchange or service you used and report the transaction. Ask whether it can take any action. Cryptocurrency payments typically are not reversible, so be wary of anyone who promises a guaranteed recovery. |
If you shared personal or account information
Password
Change it right away, including on every other account where you reused it. Choose a new password rather than a variation of the exposed one. If you can’t access the account, use the provider’s official account-recovery process.
Social Security number or other identity information
If you’re in the United States and shared your Social Security number, use IdentityTheft.gov to report the exposure and get a recovery plan. The CFTC also advises considering a credit freeze or fraud alert when personal information is exposed. A fraud alert can be requested from one national credit reporting company, which notifies the others; a freeze requires contacting each company. Check the current requirements with the credit reporting companies before acting.
Bank or card information
Contact the bank or card issuer quickly using its official app, website, or independently verified number. Tell it what information was shared and whether you see unfamiliar transactions. Ask whether it recommends replacing the card or closing and replacing the account.
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If the scammer accessed your device or phone account
Remote access to a computer
If you let someone connect to your computer, update its security software, run a scan, and remove any problems it identifies. Check your financial and other important accounts for unfamiliar transactions or changes. If you shared passwords while the person had access, change them from a device you trust.
Phone-number or account takeover
Contact your mobile or other service provider through an independently verified channel to regain control of the phone number or account. Once access is restored, change the account password and check financial accounts for unauthorized charges or changes.
Reporting the scam in the United States
These reporting routes are for people in the United States; the appropriate authority elsewhere depends on the country. The CFPB names the FTC, FBI, state attorneys general, and local police as U.S. options. For an online scam, you can report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). If the fraud involved commodities or derivatives—including futures, options on futures, swaps, commodity pools, binary options, foreign exchange, or digital assets—the CFTC accepts reports. For other fraud types, the CFTC points people to the Department of Justice directory and also identifies local police, district attorneys, state financial regulators, and state attorneys general.
Use official sites and contact details you find independently. Scammers may impersonate banks, agencies, police, and card providers, including in messages that appear to offer help after the original incident.
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Watch for a second scam
People who have already lost money may be targeted again by someone claiming they can recover it. The FTC warns that scammers buy or trade information about prior victims, then may offer a fake refund or recovery service in exchange for a fee or personal and financial details.
- Don’t pay an unexpected upfront fee to recover money or goods.
- Don’t give account numbers, passwords, or other financial details to someone who contacts you with a promised refund.
- Verify any organization independently rather than relying on the caller’s number, link, or instructions.
Some people may choose to consult a lawyer or recovery company, but that is not a default step and no service should be treated as a guaranteed route to a refund. The CFTC advises getting services, costs, and billing terms in writing and verifying an attorney’s license. It cautions that some asset-recovery companies charge high fees for limited work; complaints to regulators can be submitted at no cost.
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