If you have paid a scammer, the next hour matters more than the next week.
Tick what you have already done. What is left appears below, in order, with the next step for each. Nothing you tick is sent anywhere.Steps follow FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed, Scamwatch, What to do if you’ve been scammed and GOV.UK on Report Fraud (which replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025). The repeat-victim and family findings are explained, with their limits, in our scam response guide.
Who to contact first, by how you paid
| How you paid | Who to contact first | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer (Zelle, Faster Payments, wire) | Your bank | Stop or reverse the payment; say it was a scam |
| Credit or debit card | The number on the back of the card | Report the fraud and request a refund |
| Payment app (PayPal, Venmo, Cash App and similar) | The app, through the app | Report the payment and ask for a reversal |
| Money transfer company (Western Union, MoneyGram) | The company | Say you were tricked; ask for a refund |
| Gift card | The card issuer, on the number on the card | Say the card number went to a scammer; keep the card and receipt |
| Cryptocurrency | The exchange or crypto ATM operator | Report a fraudulent transaction; ask for a reversal |
Source: FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed.
Where to report
| United States | United Kingdom | Australia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report a scam | ReportFraud.ftc.gov | Report Fraud, 0300 123 2040 | Scamwatch and the police online form |
| Identity misuse | IdentityTheft.gov | Your bank and Report Fraud | IDCARE, 1800 595 160 |
| Danger to life | 911 | 999 | 000 |
The scam response guide explains each step, how strong the evidence behind it is, and the “recovery” scam that often follows. In September 2026, ABC7 reported on recovery scammers posing as law firms and even the FTC.
Before you rely on this
This is a reference, not a verdict. It works from published rules and published research, applied to the handful of things you typed in. Real situations turn on details it never sees — whose name is on what, how a document is worded, which rules apply where you live, the specific facts of your case, and factors nobody has measured yet. A different answer from a professional who can see all of it is the one to trust.
Averages are not predictions. Where a figure here comes from a study, it describes what happened to a group of people on average. It does not say what will happen to you. An average is the right tool for deciding what to change and the wrong tool for deciding what is going to happen.
Nothing here is advice. Not financial, legal, medical, insurance or safety advice, and using this page creates no professional relationship of any kind. The sources are linked so you can check them yourself. For a decision that matters, ask someone who is accountable for the answer.