What to do if you were scammed: step by step

2 min read · 9 steps · Updated 3 October 2026

Being tricked can happen to anyone, and scammers are professionals. What counts now is speed: in the first hours, a payment can sometimes still be stopped. Go through these steps in order, and keep every message, number and receipt as evidence.

This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Deadlines and rights differ from country to country, so check with your own bank and the consumer authority where you live.

Step by step

1. Paid by credit or debit card

   Call the card provider or bank at once, on the number on the back of the card. Say it was fraud, ask them to reverse the charge (a chargeback) and to block the card if you gave out its details.

   Done

2. Paid by bank transfer

   Call your bank straight away and ask them to recall the transfer. The sooner, the better the chance. Ask what else they can do and get a reference number.

   Done

3. Paid with a payment app

   Report the payment as fraud in the app or to its support, and ask for it to be reversed. If the app is linked to a card or bank account, tell that bank as well.

   Done

4. Paid with gift cards

   Contact the company that issued the gift card, say the card was used in a scam and ask for the money back. Keep the cards themselves and the receipt.

   Done

5. Paid by money transfer or cryptocurrency

   Contact the transfer company at once and ask them to stop the transfer. With cryptocurrency, contact the exchange you sent it from. Payments in cryptocurrency are rarely recovered, but a report still matters.

   Done

6. Gave away a password

   Change it at once, on the real website, and everywhere else you use the same one. Turn on two-step sign-in. If you are locked out, use the account recovery of that service.

   Done

7. Gave someone remote access to your computer or phone

   Disconnect it from the internet. Remove the remote access program, update the system and run a security scan. Then change your passwords from another device, starting with email and banking.

   Done

8. Gave away identity documents or numbers

   Tell your bank, watch your statements and your credit report for accounts you did not open, and report it to the police. Ask the office that issued the document whether it should be replaced.

   Done

9. Report it

   File a report with the police and with the fraud or consumer authority in your country. In the United States that is ReportFraud.ftc.gov. A report number helps with the bank, and reports are how scammers get caught.

   Done

Good to know

Beware of a second scam: people who contact you promising to get your money back for a fee are scammers too. Real authorities do not charge for that.

Tell the people around you. Scammers work through contact lists, and your story may protect someone else.

How to secure the accounts afterwards: 2-Step Verification for a Google Account, two-factor authentication for your Apple Account and Safety Check on an iPhone.

To recognise the next attempt: how to spot a scam.

In short: Call the bank or card provider at once and ask for a reversal, contact the gift card or transfer company, change passwords, clean the device, report to the police and the consumer authority.