Buying things and services · Updated Oct 2026

I got scammed by phone or online

Speed matters most. Contact the company you used to pay (bank, card issuer, payment app, gift card company, wire service or crypto exchange) right away and ask them to stop or reverse the payment. Then report the scam to the FTC and, for internet crimes, to the FBI's IC3. Money sent by card has the most legal protection; gift cards, wires, cash and crypto are much harder to get back.

This plan is general legal information, not legal advice. RobinClaim is not a law firm. Laws and deadlines change and have exceptions: check with the official source or a lawyer or legal aid office about your own case.

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Choose your state and answer 3 quick questions. The plan below changes as you answer: steps that don't fit your answers are hidden, and your state's deadlines appear. It all happens in your browser. Nothing is sent, and the page address holds only your answers.

Your plan

Do now

  1. Stop all contact with the scammer. Do not send more money, even if they promise a refund or say you owe a fee to get your money back.

    Why: Scammers often come back as 'recovery' services to take more money.

  2. If you answered “Credit card” to “How did you pay the scammer?”

    Call your credit card issuer using the number on the back of the card. Say the charge is fraud and ask them to reverse it.

    Why: Federal law limits your responsibility for unauthorized credit card charges to $50 at most, and lets you dispute charges in writing.

  3. If you answered “Debit card, Zelle or bank transfer” to “How did you pay the scammer?”

    Call your bank or credit union right away. Tell them you were scammed and ask them to stop or reverse the payment.

    Why: Federal rules (Regulation E) protect you from transfers you did not authorize. If your card, PIN or login was lost or stolen, telling the bank within 2 business days of learning about it keeps your loss at $50 or less; and you must report unauthorized transfers within 60 days after the statement that shows them. If you sent the payment yourself because you were tricked, the bank may treat it as authorized, but ask anyway.

  4. If you answered “Payment app (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal)” to “How did you pay the scammer?”

    Report the payment to the app (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal) inside the app and ask them to reverse it. If the app is linked to a card, also call that card's issuer.

    Why: Apps may be able to stop a payment that has not cleared yet.

  5. If you answered “Gift cards” to “How did you pay the scammer?”

    Call the gift card company using the number on the back of the card. Tell them a scammer got the card number and PIN and ask for a refund. Keep the cards and receipts.

    Why: If the scammer has not spent the money yet, the company may be able to freeze it.

  6. If you answered “Wire transfer, crypto or cash” to “How did you pay the scammer?”

    Call the wire transfer company or crypto exchange/ATM operator now. Say it was a fraudulent transaction and ask them to reverse it. If you mailed cash through USPS, call the Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455.

    Why: These payments have fewer legal protections, so acting before the money is picked up is your best chance.

  7. If you answered “Yes” to “Did you give them your Social Security number, passwords, or access to your computer?”

    Change passwords on your email, bank and other accounts, starting with any the scammer could reach. Turn on two-factor login. If they got remote access to your computer, update its security software and run a scan, or have it checked.

    Why: Scammers use account access to steal more money.

  8. If you answered “Yes” to “Did you give them your Social Security number, passwords, or access to your computer?”

    Freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It is free.

    Why: A freeze stops anyone from opening new credit in your name.

  9. If you answered “Yes” to “Are you (or the person scammed) 60 or older?”

    Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). It is free.

    Why: Case managers help older adults report the fraud and find next steps.

  10. Write down everything while you remember it: names, phone numbers, emails, websites, usernames, dates, amounts and how you paid. Take screenshots.

    Why: Your bank, the police and the FTC will ask for these details.

This week

  1. Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

    Why: The FTC shares reports with law enforcement and uses them to find and stop scammers. It does not resolve individual cases.

  2. If the scam happened online (website, email, social media, app, crypto), also file a report with the FBI at ic3.gov.

    Why: IC3 collects internet crime reports for the FBI.

  3. If you answered “Yes” to “Did you give them your Social Security number, passwords, or access to your computer?”

    If your identity may be used, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personal recovery plan, and get your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.

    Why: You will see any accounts opened in your name.

  4. File a police report with your local police department and get the report number.

    Why: Banks and card issuers sometimes ask for it.

  5. If you answered “Credit card” to “How did you pay the scammer?”

    Follow up with your bank or card issuer in writing. For a credit card, send a written dispute so it arrives within 60 days after the first statement that showed the charge.

    Why: The written dispute triggers your billing-error rights under federal law.

  6. If you answered “Debit card, Zelle or bank transfer” to “How did you pay the scammer?”

    For a debit card or bank transfer, also report it in writing and ask for the bank's investigation result. Report unauthorized transfers within 60 days after the statement showing them was sent to you.

    Why: Missing the 60-day window can make you responsible for later unauthorized transfers.

If it's not resolved

  1. If your bank, card issuer or payment company won't help or doesn't respond, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

    Why: The CFPB forwards complaints to the company, which generally must respond.

  2. File a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer office.

    Why: State offices track scams and sometimes recover money in group cases.

  3. Watch for 'recovery' scams: anyone who contacts you offering to get your money back for a fee is almost always another scammer.

    Why: Government agencies do not charge to help.

Deadlines

Report a lost or stolen debit/ATM card or account access to keep your loss at $50 or less

General rule: Within 2 business days after you learn of it (12 CFR 1005.6(b)(1))

Official source

Report unauthorized electronic transfers shown on a bank statement

General rule: Within 60 days after the bank sent the statement (12 CFR 1005.6(b)(3), 1005.11)

Official source

Written credit card billing dispute

General rule: Must reach the card issuer within 60 days after it sent the first statement showing the charge (12 CFR 1026.13(b))

Official source

Documents to gather

  • Receipts, bank or card statements showing the payment
  • Gift card numbers, the cards themselves and purchase receipts
  • Screenshots of messages, emails, websites, profiles and phone numbers
  • Wire or crypto transaction IDs and wallet addresses
  • Your FTC report number and police report number

Letters you can send

Fill in the blanks; the letter updates as you type. Copy it, print it or save it as a text file. Nothing you type is sent or saved: it stays on this page until you close it.

Written dispute of a fraudulent charge

Confirms your dispute in writing so your federal billing-error or error-resolution rights apply.

[Today's date]

[Issuer name]
[Issuer dispute address]

Re: Account ending [Last 4 digits of the account]

I am writing to dispute a charge of $[Amount] to [Merchant name] on [Charge date]. This charge was the result of fraud: [What happened]. I reported it by phone on [Date you called]. Please investigate, reverse the charge, and remove any related fees or interest. Copies of my supporting documents are enclosed.

Please send me written confirmation of your decision.

[Your name]

Where to go

Costs

Reporting to your bank, the FTC, IC3, the CFPB and your state attorney general is free. Be wary of anyone who charges to 'recover' scam losses.

Talk to a lawyer if

  • You lost a large amount (such as retirement savings or a home down payment)
  • The scam involved a real estate closing, investment, or someone you know
  • Debt collectors are coming after you for debts the scammer created
  • You are being asked to testify or are contacted by law enforcement about the scammer's activity

Free help

Free civil legal aid is available to people with low incomes. Find your local program through the Legal Services Corporation (lsc.gov/about-lsc/what-legal-aid/i-need-legal-help) or LawHelp.org. Your state attorney general's consumer office (link for your state below) and the court's self-help center can also explain options at no cost. Many law schools run free consumer clinics.

Guides for your state

Choose your state above for direct links to its pages.

Questions

What is the report a lost or stolen debit/ATM card or account access to keep your loss at $50 or less?

Within 2 business days after you learn of it (12 CFR 1005.6(b)(1))

What is the report unauthorized electronic transfers shown on a bank statement?

Within 60 days after the bank sent the statement (12 CFR 1005.6(b)(3), 1005.11)

What is the written credit card billing dispute?

Must reach the card issuer within 60 days after it sent the first statement showing the charge (12 CFR 1026.13(b))

When should I talk to a lawyer?

You lost a large amount (such as retirement savings or a home down payment); The scam involved a real estate closing, investment, or someone you know; Debt collectors are coming after you for debts the scammer created; You are being asked to testify or are contacted by law enforcement about the scammer's activity.

How much does it cost?

Reporting to your bank, the FTC, IC3, the CFPB and your state attorney general is free. Be wary of anyone who charges to 'recover' scam losses.

Plans by state

This plan is the same in every state. Each state's RobinClaim page lists its courts, agencies and deadlines:

Sources

Plan checked Oct 2026. Independently fact-checked 2026-10-24.

This plan is general legal information, not legal advice. RobinClaim is not a law firm. Laws and deadlines change and have exceptions: check with the official source or a lawyer or legal aid office about your own case. How we research.