Scammed out of money? What to do in the first hour

Minute 0 to 5: stop the bleeding

1. End contact

   Hang up, close the chat, or step away from the computer. Scammers keep people on the phone so they can't call the bank.

2. Don't send anything else

   No "release fee," "tax," or "one more payment to unlock the refund." Every one of those is part of the scam.

3. Grab what you need for the call

   Card or account, receipt, gift card backs, wire form, crypto ATM receipt, or a screenshot of the payment in the app.

Minute 5 to 20: make the one call that matters

Find how you paid and call that place first. Use a number from the card, the official app, or our fraud phone numbers page.

• Credit or debit card: The number on the back of the card. Ask to dispute the charge and cancel the card.
• Bank transfer or Zelle: Your bank's fraud line, not Zelle. Ask them to stop or recall the payment.
• Venmo: 1-855-812-4430, or in the app. Cash App: In the app under your profile, then Support, or 1-800-969-1940.
• Wire: Western Union 1-800-448-1492, MoneyGram 1-800-926-9400, Ria 1-877-443-1399. For a bank wire, your bank's fraud line.
• Gift card: The company on the card, for example Apple 1-800-275-2273, Amazon 1-888-280-4331, Target 1-800-544-2943, Walmart 1-888-537-5503.
• Crypto ATM: The operator's number on the machine or receipt, then your bank if the cash came from your account.
• Cash or check in the mail: US Postal Inspection Service, 1-877-876-2455. Cash given to a courier who's coming back: 911.

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Exactly what to say

Minute 20 to 40: protect what's left

1. Call any other account the scammer touched

   If they had you move money between accounts, or saw another card, call those too.

2. Change passwords from a safe device

   If you logged in to banking while they were on the phone or connected to your computer, change those passwords now.

3. Block their numbers and emails

   They'll try again, often pretending to be your bank or the police.

Minute 40 to 60: write it down

While it's fresh, write a short timeline. You'll copy it into every report, and banks take detailed reports more seriously.

• When and how they first contacted you, and what they said they were.
• Every phone number, email, website, or username they used.
• Each payment: date, time, amount, method, and any number on the receipt.
• Who you've called since, their names, and case numbers.

What not to do in the first hour

• Don't call a number the scammer gave you, or one from a text, email, or search ad.
• Don't trust a "recovery" call. The FTC says government agencies and legitimate organizations never ask for money to help you get a refund.
• Don't delete the messages. They're your evidence.
• Don't keep it secret. Tell one person you trust. Scammers count on embarrassment. Scams fool careful, intelligent people every day.

After the first hour

Once the urgent calls are done, move to the first 24 hours checklist for credit freezes and reports, and to can you get money back? for what to expect from each payment type. If you're 60 or older, the National Elder Fraud Hotline (1-833-372-8311) can help you file reports. If it was a parent, see my parent just got scammed.

Questions people ask