How-to
What to do if you got scammed and paid
Speed matters more than anything else: a payment can sometimes be stopped or reversed if you report it quickly. Contact the company you paid through first, using the number on your card or its official website, and ask for the payment to be reversed. Then report the scam and secure your accounts and computer.
When you need this
- You paid for something that never arrived, or paid a fake support line, investment, romance or prize scam.
- Someone talked you into a transfer, a gift card or a crypto payment.
- A scammer had remote access to your computer while you were signed in to your bank.
Credit or debit card
Written for US card payments; the same first steps apply elsewhere (2026-10-03). Steps checked against FTC Consumer Advice on October 3, 2026.
Call your card issuer on the number on the back of the card, or log in to your account on its official website.
Say the payment was a scam or unauthorized and ask for a refund.
Ask them to cancel and replace the card if the scammer has the card number.
US federal law limits your losses for unauthorized use of credit and debit cards, and the sooner you report, the better your protection.
Keep the transaction date, amount and merchant name ready.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice: What To Do if You Were Scammed (read October 3, 2026)
Bank transfer, Zelle, wire
Written for US bank transfers, Zelle and wire transfer companies (2026-10-03). Steps checked against FTC Consumer Advice on October 3, 2026.
For Zelle or a bank transfer, call your bank or credit union immediately.
For Western Union, MoneyGram or another wire service, call that company immediately.
Tell them a scammer tricked you into sending the money.
Ask them to reverse the payment and refund you.
Transfers are hard to reverse once the money is collected, so call before anything else.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice: What To Do if You Were Scammed (read October 3, 2026)
PayPal, Cash App, Venmo
Written for US payment services, contacted from a desktop browser on Windows (2026-10-03). Steps checked against FTC Consumer Advice on October 3, 2026.
PayPal: open the Resolution Center and report the payment, or call 1 (888) 221-1161.
Cash App: go to cash.app/help or call 1 (800) 969-1940.
Venmo: use the contact form or call 1 (855) 812-4430.
Ask them to reverse the payment and refund you.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice: Mobile Payment Apps: How To Avoid a Scam When You Use One (read October 3, 2026)
- FTC Consumer Advice: What To Do if You Were Scammed (read October 3, 2026)
Gift card
Written for gift cards bought in the US (2026-10-03). Steps checked against FTC Consumer Advice on October 3, 2026.
Call the gift card company on the number on the back of the card.
Tell them a scammer got the card number and PIN.
Ask for a refund.
Keep the card and the receipt.
No real company or government office asks to be paid with gift cards. Microsoft, for example, never asks for support payments in gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice: What To Do if You Were Scammed (read October 3, 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Protect yourself from tech support scams (read October 3, 2026)
Cryptocurrency
Written for crypto exchanges and crypto ATMs in the US (2026-10-03). Steps checked against FTC Consumer Advice on October 3, 2026.
Contact the exchange or the crypto ATM operator you used, immediately.
Tell them it was a fraudulent transaction and ask them to reverse it.
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at ic3.gov.
Crypto payments do not have the legal protections of card payments, so recovery is hard. Some US states have passed laws that may help; check your state's rules.
Keep the transaction IDs and the scammer's wallet addresses for the report.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice: What To Do if You Were Scammed (read October 3, 2026)
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (read October 3, 2026)
Cash by mail or courier
Written for cash sent with USPS, FedEx or UPS (2026-10-03). Steps checked against FTC Consumer Advice on October 3, 2026.
If you mailed cash with USPS, call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 immediately.
For a fee, USPS Package Intercept can redirect a domestic package that has not been delivered yet.
If you used FedEx, UPS or another courier, call that company as soon as possible.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice: What To Do if You Were Scammed (read October 3, 2026)
If the steps did not help
The scammer had access to your computer
Disconnect the PC from the internet.
Uninstall any remote access program the scammer asked you to install: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix.
Install all Windows updates and run a full scan with Windows Security, or a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
From a clean device, change your bank, email and other passwords and turn on two-step verification.
If fake warnings keep appearing, consider resetting the PC: Reinstall Windows without losing files On uGetFix.
You also gave personal details
- Social Security number used by the scammer: report it at IdentityTheft.gov and follow the recovery plan. If you are not sure it was used, follow IdentityTheft.gov/databreach.
- Block new credit in your name: freeze your credit.
- An account password: change it, and the same password everywhere else you used it, then turn on two-step verification.
Report the scam
Report it to the authorities even if the money is gone; the reference number helps with your bank. See how to report a scammer for the US, UK and EU. Be wary of anyone who then offers to recover your money for a fee: law enforcement does not work with paid recovery services.
Questions
Can I get my money back from a scammer?
Sometimes. Card payments have the best protection; bank transfers, payment apps and gift cards can sometimes be stopped if you report them fast; crypto and cash are the hardest. Always ask the company you paid through.
Should I pay a company that promises to recover my money?
No. Recovery offers that ask for a fee upfront are a common second scam, and the IC3 warns it does not work with law firms or crypto recovery services.
I paid a fake tech support line. Is my computer still at risk?
If you let them connect to it, yes. Remove the remote access program, scan the PC and change your passwords from another device, as described above.