What to Do If You Get Scammed: How to Report a Scam

Realizing that you have been scammed can create panic, embarrassment, and an urgent desire to fix everything at once.

The order of your response matters. Knowing what to do if you get scammed starts before you file any report: your first priority is to stop additional losses, contact the company that handled the payment, secure affected accounts, and preserve evidence. Then you can report the scam to the agencies and platforms best placed to use the information.

This guide explains what to do immediately after a scam, how to report a scam in the United States, what information to collect, and what reporting can—and cannot—do.

What to Do Right Now If the Scam Is Still Happening

Stop communicating with the scammer.

Do not send another payment, even if the person claims it will:

Release money that is waiting for you.
Refund an earlier payment.
Pay taxes or processing fees.
Complete an investment withdrawal.
Prevent arrest or legal action.
Protect your bank account.
Recover money already lost.
Help a family member in an emergency.

Do not follow instructions to move money into a “safe account.” A scammer may stay on the phone while directing every step, so end the call before contacting your bank or another trusted person.

If someone has remote access to your computer, disconnect the device from the internet. Do not continue banking, changing passwords, or entering personal information on that device until the remote-access software has been removed and the device has been checked.

If you or someone else is in immediate physical danger, contact emergency services.

What to Do Before Filing a Scam Report

Reporting is not always the first action. If money or account access is at risk, contact the financial institution or service provider immediately.

Use this order:

Stop contact with the scammer.
Contact the company that processed the payment.
Secure affected financial, email, phone, and online accounts.
Save evidence.
Report the scam to the appropriate authorities.
Monitor for further fraud.
Watch for recovery scams.

Speed can matter, particularly when a transfer may still be pending. Recovery is never guaranteed, but delaying contact with the payment provider may reduce the available options.

Contact the Payment Provider Immediately

Tell the bank, card issuer, payment app, wire-transfer company, gift-card issuer, or cryptocurrency platform that the transaction resulted from fraud.

Ask:

Is the payment still pending?
Can it be stopped, reversed, recalled, or disputed?
Should the account or card be frozen?
Does the provider need a written fraud report?
What evidence should you submit?
Will the provider issue a case or reference number?
Are there other transactions or account changes you should review?

Do not assume that deleting the payment app or closing an account will automatically stop a transaction. Contact the provider directly through its official app, website, statement, or the number printed on the back of the card.

Never use a customer-support number supplied by the scammer.

What to Do Based on How You Paid

Different payment methods have different recovery processes. None guarantees that the money will be returned, but contacting the provider immediately gives you the best available chance.

Credit or Debit Card

Contact the card issuer using the number on the back of the card. Explain that the charge resulted from fraud and ask about disputing the transaction.

If card information was exposed, ask whether the card should be replaced.
Review recent transactions for smaller charges the scammer may have made before or after the main payment.

Bank Transfer or Wire Transfer

Contact the bank immediately and ask whether the transfer can be stopped or recalled.

Provide the recipient’s name, account details, transfer amount, date, confirmation number, and any messages connected to the transaction.

If the transfer involved another bank, your bank may contact the receiving institution, but a successful recall is not guaranteed.

Payment App

Report the transaction through the payment app’s official support or fraud process. Also contact the bank or card issuer connected to the app.

Do not rely on social-media accounts claiming to offer customer support. Scammers sometimes impersonate support representatives after a victim searches for help.

Gift Card

Contact the gift-card company immediately using the official contact information printed on the card or listed on the issuer’s official website.

Keep the card and receipt. Provide the card number and explain that the card was used in a scam.

Do not throw the card away, even if its balance appears to be gone.

Cryptocurrency

Contact the cryptocurrency exchange or platform used to send the funds. Provide the transaction ID, wallet address, amount, time, account information, and supporting messages.

Cryptocurrency transactions are often difficult to reverse, but the exchange may be able to flag an account, preserve records, or assist law enforcement.

Be especially cautious of anyone promising to recover cryptocurrency for an upfront fee.

Cash or Cash Sent by Courier

Contact local law enforcement. If the cash was shipped, contact the delivery company immediately and ask whether the package can be intercepted.

Keep shipping receipts, tracking numbers, delivery addresses, and descriptions of anyone who collected the package.

Check

Contact the bank immediately. Ask whether the check can be stopped and whether the account information has been exposed.

If you deposited a check from the scammer and then returned part of the money, tell the bank exactly what happened. A check may initially appear to clear before later being identified as fraudulent.

Secure Your Accounts After a Scam

A scam may involve more than one payment. The scammer may also have obtained passwords, verification codes, personal information, or access to a device.

If You Shared a Password

Change the password immediately.

If the password was reused elsewhere, change it on every affected account. Start with email, banking, mobile-phone, Apple or Google, and payment accounts.

Turn on multi-factor authentication and review active sessions or connected devices. For a complete account-recovery checklist, see Nesswick’s guide on what to do if your password is leaked.

If You Shared a Verification Code

Contact the affected company immediately. A one-time code may have been used to sign in, reset a password, or approve a payment.

Review the account for new devices, contact-information changes, transfers, or recovery methods you do not recognize.

If You Shared Bank or Card Information

Contact the financial institution. Ask whether the card or account number should be replaced and review recent activity.

Turn on transaction alerts where available.

If You Shared Your Social Security Number

Go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan.

Consider placing a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A freeze can make it harder for someone to open a new credit account in your name. Nesswick’s guide on whether identity theft protection is worth it covers the differences between credit freezes, fraud alerts, and paid monitoring.

If Someone Accessed Your Computer Remotely

Disconnect the device from the internet.

Remove remote-access software and have the device checked by a trusted professional. Change important passwords from another secure device.

Review banking, email, shopping, and payment accounts for unfamiliar activity.

If Your Phone Number Was Compromised

Contact the mobile carrier. Secure the account, change its PIN, and check whether the number was transferred to another SIM or device.

After restoring control, change passwords for important accounts that use the phone number for recovery or authentication.

Preserve Evidence Before It Disappears

Do not delete messages or close accounts until you have saved the information needed for reporting.

Keep copies of:

Emails, text messages, and chat conversations.
Phone numbers and voicemail recordings.
Social-media profiles and usernames.
Website addresses.
Advertisements and search results.
Screenshots of account balances or fake investment dashboards.
Payment receipts.
Gift cards and purchase receipts.
Bank or card statements.
Wire-transfer confirmations.
Cryptocurrency wallet addresses and transaction IDs.
Shipping labels and tracking numbers.
Names, job titles, badges, documents, or identification supplied by the scammer.
Dates, times, payment amounts, and the sequence of events.

Write a short timeline while the details are fresh. Record what the scammer claimed, what information you disclosed, how you paid, and what steps you have already taken.

Do not keep interacting with the scammer simply to collect more evidence. Your safety and financial security come first.

Where to Report a Scam in the United States

Once contact is stopped, accounts are secured, and evidence is saved, report the incident to the agencies and platforms best placed to use the information.

Report General Fraud to the FTC

Report scams, fraud, and deceptive business practices to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The reporting system asks questions about what happened and may provide suggested next steps based on the information submitted.

FTC reports help authorities:

Identify patterns.
Connect reports involving the same operation.
Warn consumers about emerging scams.
Share information with law-enforcement partners.
Support investigations and enforcement actions.

The FTC does not promise to investigate every individual report or recover each victim’s money.

Save any confirmation or reference information provided after submitting the report.

Report Internet Crime to the FBI’s IC3

Report internet-enabled crime to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.

IC3 is relevant when the incident involves online communication, websites, email, social media, account compromise, cryptocurrency, online investments, business-email compromise, or other cyber-enabled fraud.

Prepare information such as:

Your contact details.
How and when the scam began.
The scammer’s email addresses, phone numbers, usernames, and websites.
Financial transaction details.
Bank-account or cryptocurrency information connected to the recipient.
A description of the loss.
Supporting records and communications.

Complaints may be analyzed and referred to federal, state, local, or international law-enforcement agencies. Filing a complaint does not guarantee that IC3 will contact you or open an individual investigation.

Use only the official IC3.gov website. Services that charge money to file an IC3 complaint are not necessary.

Use IdentityTheft.gov for Stolen Personal Information

If someone stole or misused your personal information, use IdentityTheft.gov.

The service can create a recovery plan based on the type of identity theft reported. It may provide checklists, letters, and steps for contacting credit bureaus, financial institutions, debt collectors, or government agencies.

Identity theft may involve:

New credit accounts.
Tax returns.
Government benefits.
Medical services.
Mobile-phone accounts.
Bank accounts.
Online shopping or payment accounts.
Existing account takeovers.

Reporting general fraud to the FTC and using IdentityTheft.gov serve related but different purposes. Use the identity-theft service when your personal information has been stolen or misused.

Report the Scam to the Platform Where It Happened

Report the account, advertisement, listing, or message to the platform involved. This may include a social network, dating app, online marketplace, shopping website, email provider, messaging service, search engine, job platform, or investment platform.

A platform report may help remove an account or listing and preserve internal records.

Save screenshots and identifying information before blocking the account, because some content may become difficult to access afterward.

A platform report does not replace reporting to the payment provider or appropriate government agency.

When to Contact Local Law Enforcement

Consider contacting local police or the appropriate law-enforcement agency when:

There is an immediate threat.
The scammer knows your home address and threatens to visit.
Cash was collected in person.
A courier collected money or valuables.
A large financial loss occurred.
Forged documents or stolen property are involved.
An older or vulnerable adult is being coerced.
A local person may be involved.
Your bank or insurer requests a police report.

Ask for a copy of the report or its reference number.

Local law enforcement may not be able to recover the money immediately, particularly when the scammer is outside the area or country. The report can still create an official record and support other claims or investigations.

Report Specialized Scams to the Relevant Agency

Some scams should also be reported to a specialized agency, including:

Mail fraud: US Postal Inspection Service.
Securities or investment fraud: Securities and Exchange Commission or the appropriate state securities regulator.
Commodity, forex, or derivatives fraud: Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Social Security impersonation or benefit fraud: Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General.
Tax-related identity theft or IRS impersonation: Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, as appropriate.
Medicare fraud: the official Medicare fraud-reporting channel.
Unwanted calls and caller-ID spoofing: Federal Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission, or the National Do Not Call Registry complaint system, depending on the issue.
Elder abuse or financial exploitation: Adult Protective Services and local law enforcement. Adults aged 60 and older can also contact the US Department of Justice’s National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 for help understanding reporting options.

You do not need to submit every incident to every agency. Report first to the payment provider and the primary agency that matches what happened. If an older adult in your life may be at risk, Nesswick’s guides on common scams targeting seniors and how to protect elderly parents from scams cover warning signs and family safeguards in more depth.

Report the Scam Even If You Did Not Lose Money

You can report an attempted scam even if you recognized it before paying.

Useful information may include:

The phone number or email address used.
The website or social-media profile.
The payment method requested.
The organization or person being impersonated.
The exact story or threat.
Screenshots or recordings.
Wallet addresses or payment instructions.

Reports of attempted scams can help authorities and platforms identify campaigns before more people lose money.

What Happens After You Report a Scam?

The outcome depends on the agency, provider, amount, evidence, location, payment method, and whether other reports connect to the same operation. The FTC’s guidance on what to do if you were scammed outlines additional steps based on how the payment was made.

After reporting:

Save confirmation numbers and copies of reports.
Respond only through verified official channels.
Keep monitoring accounts and credit reports.
Document any new contact from the scammer.
Update the bank or reporting agency if additional losses appear.
Keep evidence organized in one secure location.

Do not assume that silence means the report was ignored. Agencies may use the information in broader investigations without providing individual updates.

At the same time, reporting does not guarantee:

A personal response.
A criminal investigation.
An arrest.
Removal of every fraudulent account.
Recovery of money.
Reimbursement by a bank or platform.

Be cautious of anyone claiming they can guarantee one of these outcomes for a fee.

Watch for Refund and Recovery Scams

People who have already lost money are frequently targeted again.

A recovery scammer may claim to be:

A government investigator.
Lawyer.
Cybersecurity company.
Asset-recovery specialist.
Cryptocurrency tracing service.
Bank employee.
Representative of an international agency.

The person promises to recover the money but demands an upfront fee, tax, deposit, or access to your account.

Do not pay someone who guarantees recovery. Do not share banking information, passwords, verification codes, or remote access.

Verify any organization independently through contact information you find yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Do I Report a Scam in the United States?

Report general scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Report internet-enabled crime to the FBI’s IC3 at IC3.gov. Use IdentityTheft.gov if personal information was stolen or misused. Also report the incident to the bank, payment provider, and platform involved.

Should I Contact My Bank Before Reporting the Scam?

Yes, if money, banking information, cards, or account access are involved. Contacting the payment provider quickly may provide options that will no longer be available later. Then file the appropriate government reports.

Can I Report a Scam If I Did Not Lose Money?

Yes. Attempted scams can be reported. Phone numbers, email addresses, websites, profiles, payment instructions, and impersonated organizations may help identify a wider campaign.

Will Reporting a Scam Get My Money Back?

Not necessarily. Reporting creates a record and may support investigations or claims, but it does not guarantee recovery. Contact the payment provider immediately because it may have the most time-sensitive recovery options.

What Information Should I Include in a Scam Report?

Include dates, payment amounts, transaction details, phone numbers, email addresses, usernames, websites, wallet addresses, receipts, messages, and a clear timeline of what happened.

Should I Keep Talking to the Scammer to Collect Evidence?

No. Save the evidence you already have, then stop communicating. Continued contact may expose you to more pressure, losses, malware, or threats.

Is It Safe to Pay a Company to Recover Money Lost to a Scam?

Be extremely cautious. Anyone demanding an upfront payment or guaranteeing recovery may be running another scam. Verify the company independently and never provide passwords, verification codes, or remote access.

Bottom Line

If you have been scammed, act before the trail goes cold.

Stop communicating with the scammer. Contact the company that processed the payment. Secure affected accounts. Save evidence. Then report the incident to the agencies and platforms that match what happened.

For general fraud, start with ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For internet-enabled crime, use IC3.gov. For stolen or misused personal information, use IdentityTheft.gov.

Reporting cannot guarantee that money will be returned or that an individual case will be investigated. But it creates a record, helps identify larger patterns, and may support your bank, platform, insurer, or law-enforcement claim.

The faster you act—and the more clearly you document what happened—the stronger your position will be.

Affiliate Disclosure

Some products or services mentioned on Nesswick may be ones we could earn a commission from if you choose to sign up through our links, at no extra cost to you. That never changes our guidance or what we recommend.

Sources and Methodology

This guide is based primarily on current official guidance from:

The Federal Trade Commission and ReportFraud.ftc.gov
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
IdentityTheft.gov
The US Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime
The National Elder Fraud Hotline
The Federal Communications Commission
The US Postal Inspection Service
The Securities and Exchange Commission
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission
The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General
The Internal Revenue Service
Official payment-provider and financial-institution guidance

Reporting channels, operating hours, provider procedures, and recovery options can change. Verify current instructions through official websites when responding to an active scam.