Stop sending money and contact the bank, card issuer, app, or other provider you used to pay. Explain what happened and ask whether it can stop, recall, or reverse the transaction. Secure exposed accounts and save your records. Recovery is not guaranteed.
Take these first steps
- End contact with the person requesting money, codes, or access. Do not make another payment to unlock a refund.
- Contact your payment provider through its official app, the number on your card, or a website you already trust.
- Tell the provider whether you sent the money yourself, someone accessed your account, or a seller failed to deliver. Describe the facts accurately.
- Ask what action it can take, what evidence it needs, and which deadlines apply. Write down the reference number.
Choose the contact for your payment method
| Situation | Next step |
|---|---|
| Credit or debit card | Contact the issuer and ask about a reversal or dispute. Explain whether you authorized the transaction. |
| Bank transfer or Zelle | Contact your bank or credit union at once and ask about stopping or reversing the payment. |
| Payment app | Report the transaction through the app’s official support process and ask about recovery. |
| Wire transfer service | Contact the transfer company and ask whether it can stop or refund the transfer. |
| Gift card | Contact the card issuer. Keep the card and purchase receipt. |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the exchange or ATM operator. Ask about available action; cryptocurrency payments can be difficult to recover. |
Different payment types and circumstances have different protections. For charges you did not authorize, use our unauthorized debit-card charge guide.
Protect information and accounts you shared
If you shared a password, change it through the real service and change it anywhere you reused it. Turn on multi-factor authentication. If you cannot sign in, use the service’s account-recovery process.
If you gave someone computer access or suspect a harmful download, update your security software and run a scan. Use a trusted technician if you need help. For misuse of your identity, follow our identity-theft recovery guide.
Save evidence and report the scam
Keep messages, profile or listing URLs, dates, amounts, and transaction references in a private folder. Save the evidence before blocking the account. Do not post passwords, verification codes, card numbers, or identity documents in public complaints.
Report suspected fraud at the FTC’s official ReportFraud website. Also notify the platform where the contact or listing appeared. A fraud report does not replace contacting your payment provider or securing an affected account.
Be cautious about recovery offers
Someone who contacts you after a loss may offer to recover the money for a fee. The FTC warns that refund and recovery scammers target people who have already lost money. Do not send another payment because a stranger promises a guaranteed refund.
Keep your follow-up questions with the payment provider and verified authorities. A person who knows details of the original scam still needs independent verification.
Common questions
Should I report the scam before calling my bank?
Contact the payment provider promptly. Do not delay an urgent payment or account-security step while preparing a complete report.
Does filing a report guarantee a refund?
No. Reporting supplies information to authorities. The payment provider’s recovery process is separate, and a refund may not be possible.
Should I call a payment authorized if I sent it myself?
Tell the provider exactly what happened, including any deception. Do not describe a payment as unauthorized merely because you later discovered a scam.
Keep going
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Sources and page information
Official source links checked September 26, 2026. Requirements can change; use the relevant agency’s current instructions.
Prepared with AI assistance. Examples and worksheets are illustrative. This is general information, not legal advice. We do not submit complaints, determine eligibility, or guarantee a result.