What To Do If You Were Scammed, According to Consumer Advice

If you were scammed, Consumer Advice (consumer.ftc.gov) says to act quickly: report the fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, then take steps based on what you lost — money, personal information, or access to your computer or phone. If you gave out personal information, also watch for identity theft and get your free credit report. The exact order depends on what the scammer got from you.

First, report it to the FTC

The FTC's site points to ReportFraud.ftc.gov as the place to report fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Reporting helps law enforcement and also protects your community, because the FTC uses reports to build cases and issue consumer alerts.

What to have ready when you report:

• What happened, in your own words
• How the scammer contacted you (call, text, email, website, social media)
• What you paid or shared, and how (card, gift card, wire, crypto, login details)
• Any names, phone numbers, emails, or account handles involved

You do not need to be certain it was a scam to report it.

Then act based on what the scammer got

If you paid someone you think is a scammer

• Contact your bank, credit card company, or payment app right away and explain that you sent money to a scammer. Ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed.
• If you paid with a gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency, tell the provider immediately — these are the hardest payments to recover, so speed matters.
• Keep records: receipts, confirmation numbers, messages, and the report number you get from the FTC.

If you gave a scammer your personal information

• Assume identity theft is possible and monitor your accounts.
• Get your free credit report and check for accounts or inquiries you don't recognize.
• Consider placing a free fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus if you see suspicious activity.
• Report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, which the FTC runs as the government's one-stop resource for recovery plans.

If you gave a scammer access to your computer or phone

• Disconnect the device from the internet.
• Run a security scan and change passwords for accounts you accessed on that device, starting with email and banking.
• If stalkerware or tracking software is a concern, Consumer Advice has guidance on how to tell if someone is tracking your device and what to do about it.

Watch for follow-up scams

After a scam, your information often gets passed around. Be skeptical of anyone who contacts you offering to "recover" your money, fix your credit, or handle your case for a fee — recovery scams target people who already lost money once.

Get ongoing consumer alerts

Consumer Advice offers free consumer alerts by email so you can learn about new scams as they appear. The site also publishes articles and alerts on topics like shopping and donating, identity theft and online security, and impersonation scams — for example, scammers pretending to be utility companies or farm equipment businesses.

Quick reference

The FTC's core message is simple: report the fraud, then take the specific recovery steps that match what you lost — and don't wait, because the fastest actions are the ones most likely to limit the damage.