What to do in the first hour after being scammed
If money has already been sent, contact your bank immediately using the number on your card, report the incident, and change the password on your email account first. Recovery chances are highest within the first hours.
This happens to millions of careful people every year, including people who knew about scams and thought they would spot one. Whatever you are feeling right now, it is not evidence about your judgement, and it is not the useful thing to focus on in the next hour.
Work down this list in order. The first items are time-critical.
1. Stop talking to them
Do not answer again, even to argue or to ask for the money back. Anything you say gives them more to work with. Block the number when you have a moment; it does not have to be now.
2. Call your bank
Use the number printed on the back of your card — not a number anyone gave you. Say clearly that it was a scam, ask them to freeze the card, and ask whether the payment can be recalled. Speed matters more than anything else here.
3. If you sent gift cards
Call the company printed on the card — Apple, Target, Amazon — straight away and read them the numbers. Keep the cards and the receipts. Funds are sometimes still recoverable in the first hours, and almost never after.
4. If you gave a password or a code
Change your email password first, because email is how every other account gets reset. Then change anything that used the same password. If you were sent a verification code and read it out, the account it belongs to is compromised — secure that one immediately.
5. If you let someone onto your computer
Disconnect it from wi-fi and leave it off until someone you trust can check it. Remote access software may still be installed and running.
6. Report it
In the US, report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Reporting creates a record your bank or insurer may ask for, and it is how these operations are eventually traced.
7. Tell one person you trust
Not because you did anything wrong, but because scammers return to people who stay quiet, and a second pair of eyes helps for the next few weeks.
In the following days
- Watch your accounts for small unfamiliar charges, which are often used to test a card before a larger one.
- Consider a credit freeze if identity documents were shared.
- Write down what happened while it is fresh — times, numbers, names used. Banks and reports will ask.
Common questions
What should I do first after being scammed?
Stop communicating with the scammer and call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card. Tell them it was a scam and ask them to freeze the card and attempt to recall the payment. The first hours matter most for recovery.
Can money sent to a scammer be recovered?
Sometimes, and the chances are highest in the first hours. Bank transfers and card payments can occasionally be recalled or disputed. Gift card funds are sometimes recoverable if you call the issuer quickly with the card numbers. Cryptocurrency and cash are rarely recoverable.
Where do I report a scam in the United States?
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If a bank account or card was involved, also report it to your bank, and consider filing with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
Why do scammers target the same person twice?
Because a previous victim is a proven target. A common follow-up is a 'recovery' scam, in which someone claims they can retrieve the money you lost in exchange for an up-front fee. No legitimate agency or lawyer works that way.