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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteAct quickly. Contact the bank, card issuer, payment app, wire company, gift-card issuer, cryptocurrency company, or delivery service that handled the money and say the payment was connected to a scam. Ask whether the transaction can be stopped or reversed, but do not assume recovery is guaranteed. Then secure exactly what the scammer obtained—your password, Social Security number, phone account, or computer access—and check your financial accounts for unauthorized activity.
The steps below are based on U.S. Federal Trade Commission guidance. Payment protections, reporting agencies, and identity-theft procedures differ in other countries.
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What to do in the first hour
- Contact the payment provider immediately. Tell it the payment was part of a scam, ask whether it can be canceled or reversed, and follow its fraud-dispute process. The provider may need the date, amount, recipient, transaction number, and messages you received.
- Secure the exposed account or device. Change compromised passwords, regain control of a hijacked mobile account, or scan a computer the scammer accessed.
- Inspect your money. Review bank, credit-card, and other financial accounts for charges, withdrawals, transfers, contact changes, or other activity you did not authorize. Report suspicious activity to the institution that holds the account.
- Start identity-protection steps when appropriate. If your Social Security number or other identity information was exposed, use the U.S. recovery tools described below.
- Report the scam. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. A report may help the Federal Trade Commission identify patterns, build cases, educate the public, and share information with law-enforcement partners.
Keep the scammer’s messages, phone numbers, emails, receipts, transaction IDs, usernames, account notices, and delivery tracking details. Save screenshots if a message or profile could disappear. These records can help the payment provider or investigators understand what happened. Do not continue negotiating with the scammer while you are trying to recover funds; further conversation can expose more information or create another payment request.
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Match the response to the way you paid
The provider that moved the money is your first contact. Tell it precisely when and how the payment occurred. The available remedy depends on the payment method and the provider; no method guarantees a refund. Contact the provider even if the payment appears complete, because it can explain what options remain and whether any action is still possible.
| Payment method | What to do now | Important details |
|---|---|---|
| Credit or debit card | Call the card issuer or bank, report a fraudulent charge, and ask whether it can be reversed. | Identify the transaction, merchant, amount, and date. If a payment app was funded by a card, contact both the app company and the card issuer or bank. |
| Unauthorized bank debit or withdrawal | Contact the bank and report the transaction as unauthorized. | Review the account for additional withdrawals, transfers, changed contact information, or other changes. Report each suspicious item. |
| Gift card | Contact the gift-card issuer and report the scam. | Keep the gift card and the purchase receipt. Do not discard either item; the issuer may ask for information printed on the card or receipt. |
| Wire transfer | Contact the wire-transfer company or bank that handled the transfer and report the fraud. | Provide the transfer date, amount, recipient information, and transaction reference if available. Ask whether the transfer can be stopped or reversed. |
| Payment app | Report the fraudulent transaction to the app company. | If the app drew money from a debit or credit card, also contact that card issuer or bank. Tell both providers that the payment was connected to a scam. |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the company or service you used to send the cryptocurrency and report the fraud. | Give the service the transaction details and destination information. Do not send additional cryptocurrency to anyone promising to recover the first payment. |
| Cash mailed through the U.S. Postal Service | Contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service promptly and ask whether the package can be intercepted. | For another delivery service, contact that carrier as soon as possible and ask about interception. Have the tracking number and mailing details ready. |
The FTC’s concise advice for every payment type is: “Act quickly.” A provider may be able to stop a pending transaction, but a completed payment may be difficult or impossible to recover. Do not pay a third party that promises a guaranteed reversal; use the provider that actually handled your payment.
If you gave a scammer your personal information
Social Security number
Use IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. The FTC’s process includes steps for monitoring your credit and responding if someone uses your information. A credit freeze or initial fraud alert may also make sense when new-account fraud is possible; the differences are explained below. Because this is U.S.-specific guidance, people elsewhere should use their own government’s identity-theft service and credit agencies.
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Username and password
Create a new, strong password for the affected account immediately. Change that password anywhere else you reused it. Reusing the same password lets one disclosure expose several accounts, so each important account needs its own password. After changing it, review the account for unfamiliar sign-ins, recovery details, messages, purchases, or other changes and report anything suspicious to the account provider.
Phone number or mobile account
Contact your mobile provider to regain control of the number or account. Once control is restored, change the account password. Then inspect credit-card, bank, and other financial accounts for unauthorized charges or changes and report anything suspicious to the relevant institution. Check whether contact details or account credentials were changed while the scammer had control.
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Other financial or account details
Check every account connected to the information you disclosed. Look for unfamiliar charges, withdrawals, transfers, contact details, passwords, or other changes. Report suspicious activity directly to the bank, card issuer, or other institution that maintains the account. If several accounts used the same exposed password, change each one rather than waiting for suspicious activity to appear.
If a scammer accessed your computer or phone
Computer access
- Update your security software.
- Run a security scan.
- Remove anything the scan identifies as a problem.
- Take further steps to protect personal information, including securing accounts the scammer could have viewed or controlled.
If the scammer saw passwords while connected, change those passwords from a device you trust. If the compromised computer is used for banking or other sensitive activity, avoid signing in until the scan and cleanup are complete. Review financial and email accounts the person could have seen, and report any unauthorized change to the institution involved.
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Start with the mobile provider: regaining control of the number prevents the scammer from continuing to manage the account. Change the provider-account password after control is restored, then inspect financial accounts for unauthorized activity. Report each suspicious charge or change to the institution involved. If you cannot regain control promptly, tell the provider that the account may have been taken over and ask what steps it requires to restore access.
Use a U.S. credit freeze or fraud alert when new-account fraud is possible
Credit freeze
A credit freeze can block new credit accounts from being opened in your name while the freeze is active. The FTC says freezes are free, do not affect your credit score, are available to anyone for any reason, and remain until you lift them. In the United States, place the freeze separately with all three nationwide credit bureaus:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
You must contact each bureau; freezing with one does not automatically freeze your file at the other two. A freeze is especially relevant when a scammer obtained identity information that could be used to apply for credit. It does not by itself reverse an existing fraudulent charge or close an account the scammer already opened; those issues still require the affected bank, card issuer, or creditor.
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Initial fraud alert
A free initial fraud alert asks lenders to verify your identity before granting new credit. It is an additional option when you suspect someone may try to use your information. Choose the protection that fits your situation; a fraud alert and a freeze address new-credit risk, not payment disputes. You can still contact financial institutions directly about accounts or transactions that already show unauthorized activity.
Report the scam and protect yourself from a second loss
File an FTC report
Report the incident at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Include the payment method, amount, date, contact details used by the scammer, and what information or access you provided. The FTC says reports help it build cases, spot trends, educate the public, and share information about scams. Reporting does not replace contacting the payment provider or bank about recovery.
Recognize recovery scams
After a loss, someone may contact you claiming they can recover your money. That person may demand an upfront fee or ask for your Social Security number, bank details, credit-card number, or another payment. Do not pay upfront for a refund and do not provide sensitive payment or identity information to obtain one. A caller may use official-looking names, documents, or threats; those details do not make the offer legitimate.
The FTC states: “The FTC will never threaten you, say you must transfer your money to ‘protect it,’ or tell you to withdraw cash or buy gold and give it to someone. That’s a scam.” — Federal Trade Commission, What To Do if You Were Scammed, June 30, 2026.
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- Money just sent: call the provider that handled the payment before doing anything else.
- Password disclosed: change it and every reused copy, then inspect the account for changes.
- Social Security number disclosed: begin the IdentityTheft.gov recovery plan and consider a freeze with all three U.S. credit bureaus.
- Phone account controlled: contact the mobile provider, regain control, change the account password, and check financial accounts.
- Computer accessed: update security software, scan, remove detected threats, and secure accounts used on that device.
- Several exposures at once: contact the payment provider first, then secure the phone, accounts, identity information, and computer in the order above.
Do not wait for certainty before reporting a suspicious transaction. Tell the institution what you know, identify what you authorized and what you did not, and ask which additional documentation it needs. Continue checking accounts after the first review so that a later unauthorized charge or change is not missed.
What this guidance covers—and what it does not
The procedures in this article are for readers in the United States and reflect FTC guidance available June 30, 2026. They do not establish the recovery rights, credit bureaus, police contacts, postal procedures, or reporting portals used in other countries. If you are outside the U.S., contact the payment provider immediately and use the official consumer-protection, identity-theft, and financial-regulator resources for your jurisdiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get my money back after paying a scammer?
Possibly, but no payment method guarantees recovery. Contact the provider that handled the payment immediately and ask whether it can be stopped or reversed. The answer depends on the method and the provider.
What if I paid through a payment app?
Report the fraudulent transaction to the app company. If the app used a credit or debit card, contact that card issuer or bank as well.
What should I do if I gave away my Social Security number?
Use IdentityTheft.gov for a U.S. recovery plan, including credit-monitoring steps. Consider a free credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion or a free initial fraud alert.
Is a credit freeze free, and will it hurt my credit score?
The FTC says a freeze is free, does not affect your credit score, is available to anyone for any reason, and remains until you lift it. In the United States, request it separately from all three nationwide credit bureaus.
What if a scammer took over my phone number?
Contact your mobile provider to regain control, then change the provider-account password. Check bank, card, and other financial accounts for unauthorized charges or changes and report them.
Should I pay a company that says it can recover my lost money?
No. Do not pay an upfront fee or provide Social Security, bank, credit-card, or other payment information to obtain a refund. Recovery offers can be another scam.
Where do I report the scam?
In the United States, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Include the payment method, amount, date, scammer contact details, and information or access you provided, while separately contacting the payment provider about recovery.
The Bottom Line
Contact the payment provider immediately, secure the exact account or device exposed, inspect every relevant financial account, use U.S. identity-protection tools when appropriate, and report the scam. Never pay an upfront fee to someone promising to recover your money.
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