Act quickly after suspected fraud

What To Do If You Were Scammed

The best next step depends on how you paid and what information you shared. Move quickly, preserve evidence, and contact the organization that handled the payment or account.

Check a suspicious link or message Scam guides

Immediate steps

Stop further contact with the scammer and do not send more money to recover earlier losses.

Contact your bank, card issuer, payment app, crypto exchange, gift-card issuer, or wire service immediately and tell them the transaction was connected to fraud. Ask whether it can be stopped, reversed, or disputed.

Change passwords for affected accounts. If you reused the same password elsewhere, change those accounts too and enable multi-factor authentication where available.

Save messages, email headers, phone numbers, usernames, website URLs, receipts, transaction IDs, wallet addresses, screenshots, and dates.

If sensitive identity information was exposed, use official identity-theft resources and monitor financial accounts and credit for unauthorized activity.

Do not pay a recovery scammer

After a loss, another scammer may claim they can recover your money for an upfront fee. Treat unexpected recovery offers with extreme caution.

The FBI warns that criminals have impersonated the IC3 and other authorities. Use official government websites you type or verify yourself rather than links from recovery messages.

Official resources

Frequently asked questions

Can a bank reverse money sent to a scammer?

It depends on the payment method and circumstances. Contact the bank or payment provider immediately and ask what fraud or dispute options are available.

Should I send more money to unlock a refund?

No. Requests for another fee, tax, deposit, or recovery payment are a common follow-up scam pattern.

What evidence should I keep?

Keep messages, receipts, transaction details, usernames, phone numbers, URLs, wallet addresses, and screenshots. These can help financial institutions and authorities understand what happened.

Related guides

This page provides general fraud-response information, not legal or financial advice. Contact your financial institution and appropriate authorities promptly when money or sensitive information may be at risk.