What to Do If You Sent Money to a Scammer
Immediate steps for contacting a payment provider, protecting accounts, and preserving evidence.
Stop communicating and do not send a second payment for tax, verification, release, or recovery. Contact the bank or payment provider through its official app, website, statement, or the number on your card. Explain exactly how you paid and ask whether the transaction can be stopped, recalled, or disputed.
Secure any account involved. Change exposed and reused passwords from a trusted device, review active sessions and recovery details, and tell the provider if you shared a one-time code or allowed remote access.
Preserve the original messages, receipts, account names, wallet addresses, URLs, phone numbers, and a short timeline. Report to the platform and the official fraud-reporting service for your location. Be cautious of anyone who later guarantees recovery for an upfront fee.
Official resources
ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Official United States service for reporting fraud, scams, and bad business practices.
Action Fraud
The United Kingdom’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Canada’s central service for information about fraud and for reporting fraud and cybercrime.
Scamwatch
Australian government information and reporting guidance about scams.
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Read guideLast reviewed: October 8, 2026