What to Do Right Away If You Fall for a Scam
It can happen to anyone. Acting quickly limits the damage, and there is no shame in it.
Step by step
- Stop contact. Do not reply further.
- Call your bank or card company. Ask to stop payments and secure accounts.
- Change passwords. Start with email.
- Place a fraud alert or credit freeze. At the credit bureaus.
- Report it. At ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to local police.
What to expect
Expect a calm checklist that begins with your bank and ends with reports and monitoring.
Mistakes to avoid
Do not pay anyone who promises to recover your money. Avoid keeping it secret.
A good next step
Make the three most urgent calls first.
A prompt you can copy
Type this into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
Create a calm, step-by-step checklist for what to do in the first hour after I realized I sent money to a scammer by wire transfer.
Good to know. Do not respond to people offering to recover your money for a fee. That is a second scam.
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Reserve a free seatCommon questions
Can I get my money back?
Sometimes, especially if you act quickly with your bank.
Should I tell my family?
Yes. Support helps, and it may prevent further scams.