I’ve been scammed

I sent money or bank details to a scammer: what to do now

If you paid a scammer or gave them your bank details, the first hour matters most. Call the company that moved the money and ask them to stop or reverse it. Then protect your accounts and report what happened. Some payments can be recovered, especially if you act fast.

By Clutterstrike · Last reviewed · 3 min read

Speed matters more than anything else here. Start with step 1 now.

Do this now

  1. Call the company that moved your money, right now. Use the number on the back of your card or in your banking app, never one the scammer gave you. Say: “I was tricked by a scammer into sending this payment. Please stop or reverse it.” Ask for a reference number.
  2. Stop all contact with the scammer. Don’t send more money to “unlock” a refund, pay a fee, or avoid a threat.
  3. If you shared bank or card details, ask your bank to block the card or account and issue new numbers.
  4. If you shared a password or code, change the password on the real site or app and turn on two-step verification.
  5. If you shared your Social Security number, get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov and freeze your credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
  6. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, for anything that happened online, to the FBI at ic3.gov.

Who to call, by how you paid

Call the company for your payment method first. Then work through the rest of the steps: stop contact, protect your accounts, and report it.

Credit card

Call the card issuer, using the number on the back of the card, and ask to dispute the charge. Federal law limits what you owe for unauthorized credit card charges, and issuers can also reverse charges for things you paid for but never got.

Debit card

Call your bank or credit union right away. Debit card protections depend on how quickly you report the problem, so don’t wait.

Bank transfer or Zelle

Call your bank or credit union and ask them to reverse the payment. Bank transfers have fewer protections than cards, so speed matters most here.

Payment app

For apps like Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal, report the payment inside the app and ask for it to be reversed. If the app is linked to a card, call the card issuer too.

Wire transfer

For companies like Western Union or MoneyGram, call the company, tell them a scammer tricked you into sending the money, and ask for a refund.

Gift card

Call the company that issued the card, using the number on the back. Tell them a scammer has the card number and PIN, and ask them to freeze the card and refund your money. Keep the card and the receipt.

Cryptocurrency

Contact the exchange or crypto ATM operator you used and report the fraudulent transaction. Crypto payments are rarely reversible, but report it anyway, and report it to the FBI at ic3.gov.

Cash sent by mail

Call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455. If the package hasn’t been delivered yet, it may be possible to intercept it for a fee. For other delivery companies, call them as soon as you can.

Keep a record

Write down dates, amounts, how you paid, and every name, phone number, email, and website the scammer used. Keep receipts and screenshots. You’ll need them for your bank, the FTC, and any police report.

If your bank says no

If your bank or card company won’t help and you think they handled it wrong, you can submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.

If an older adult was scammed

Adults 60 and older can get free help from the Justice Department’s National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 (1-833-FRAUD-11).

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Written by Clutterstrike

Clutterstrike makes Cluttersignal, a browser extension that checks emails, texts, links, and websites for signs of a scam. Our guides are written by the team and checked against official guidance from the agencies listed in the sources.

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