You just got scammed. Here’s what to do in the next hour.
The first hours matter most, some payments can still be stopped. This is a calm, step-by-step guide to the right moves, in the right order. No promises, no fees. Just what to do now.
Start here, what should I do first?
Move fast, in this order. Don’t stop to blame yourself. That can wait.
- If you paid by card or bank transfer, call your bank now and ask to stop or reverse the payment. Say the words “I’m a fraud victim.” The sooner you call, the better the odds.
- If you sent a gift card, contact the card issuer right away; some can freeze the balance if it hasn’t been drained.
- If you shared a password or code, change that password now, and any account that used the same one.
- Write down everything while it’s fresh, numbers, links, names, times. You’ll need it for the reports below.
Then report it, where should I report it?
Reporting won’t undo it, but it’s how payments get traced and others get warned. Report to:
- Your bank or card company (the fraud department)
- Your country’s official fraud site, in the US, reportfraud.ftc.gov; elsewhere, your national police or consumer authority
- The platform where it happened (the marketplace, the app, the network)
Can someone get my money back for a fee?
One more thing, and it matters: if someone now contacts you offering to get your money back for a fee, stop. That’s a common second scam that targets people who were just scammed. No real recovery service asks for money up front, and no one can guarantee your money back. If we could promise that, we’d be lying to you, and we won’t.
Not sure a message is part of it?
Not sure a message you got is part of it? Paste it here. This check runs right here in your browser.
Related from Hunch: If more messages arrive while you sort this out, especially anyone promising to recover your money for a fee. You can check one before you act on it.