Realizing you have been scammed is a sick, sinking feeling, and the instinct is often to freeze or to feel too ashamed to act. Do the opposite. The first hour is when you have the most power to limit the damage, and moving quickly and calmly through a few clear steps can be the difference between a scare and a serious loss. Anyone can be targeted. What matters now is what you do next.
1. Stop, and cut off contact
Hang up, close the popup, or stop replying. Do not send anything more, and do not follow any further instructions, including a promise to reverse a charge or fix the problem. If someone has remote access to your device, disconnect it from the internet right away.
2. Call your bank or card company
This is the most important call, and it should happen first. Contact your bank, credit card issuer, or the relevant payment provider using the number on your card or their official site. Tell them you were scammed, ask them to stop or reverse any transfer, and ask them to watch for or block further charges. For a gift card, call that card company's fraud line and report it as used in a scam.
3. Lock down your accounts
Change the passwords on any account that was exposed, starting with email and banking, and do it from a device you trust. Turn on two step verification everywhere you can. If you shared enough personal information for identity theft, consider placing a free fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus to stop new accounts being opened in your name.
Speed beats shame. Every minute in the first hour is a minute the money might still be recoverable.
4. Document and report
Write down what happened while it is fresh: names, numbers, emails, amounts, times, and screenshots of everything. Then report it. In the US, file with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and, if money was lost, with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Reporting helps investigators and is sometimes required for reimbursement. Our reporting guide lists every agency and what each one handles.
5. Keep watching in the days after
The first hour is critical, but do not stop there. Over the following days, check your bank and card statements closely for any charge you do not recognize, and review your email and account security settings for changes you did not make, such as new forwarding rules or added devices. If you gave up your Social Security number or other identifying details, keep the fraud alert or credit freeze in place and watch for unexpected mail about accounts or loans. A scam is sometimes the opening move in a longer attempt at identity theft, so a little vigilance now pays off.
Beware the recovery scam
Once you have been scammed, you may be targeted again by someone promising to recover your money for a fee. This is a second scam. No legitimate service guarantees getting scammed funds back for an upfront payment. Never pay to recover a loss.
6. Be kind to yourself, and tell someone
These scams are engineered by professionals to fool careful, intelligent people, so the shame is misplaced. Tell a trusted friend or family member what happened. Talking it through helps you think clearly, catch anything you missed, and stay alert to follow-up attempts. Then take a breath. You acted, and acting fast is exactly the right thing to have done.
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