Family Security PlaybookI sent money or gift cards to a scammer
It happens to careful, smart people every day. Move quickly: the sooner the payment company hears from you, the better the chance it can be stopped.
Is someone on the phone, or in your computer, right now? Hang up, or turn the computer off. A real bank, government office or tech company will understand. Then call back on a number you already trust: the one on the back of your card, on a statement, or on the company's own website.
- Stop paying. Don't send anything more, whatever they promise or threaten. If they call back, hang up.
- Call the company you paid through, now. Use the number on the back of your card or in the official app, never a number the caller gave you. Say a scammer tricked you, and ask them to stop or reverse the payment and refund you.
- Then report it. At ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and at ic3.gov if it happened online. Call your local police non-emergency number for a report number if your bank asks for one.
- Write down what happened, today. Use the free record sheet, or paper. Dates, amounts, how you paid, names and phone numbers they used, and what they said. Keep the texts, emails, receipts and gift cards. Every company you call will ask.
- If you gave them your Social Security number or account numbers, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan, and think about a free credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Write it down now, while it's fresh. Feeling shaken is normal, and stress makes anyone's memory less reliable: within hours, times blur and details get mixed up. It's why professionals write an after-action report straight away. Your bank, the police and the FTC will all ask the same questions: when it happened, what they said, how you paid and who you've called. A written record helps you remember, and makes every one of those calls easier. Open the free record sheet: it walks you through it step by step, then prints or saves a copy. It stays on your device.
How you paid, and who to call
| You paid with | Call | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Credit or debit card | The card company or bank: the number on the back of the card | Report the charge as fraud and ask for a refund. Federal law limits what you owe for unauthorized card charges. |
| Bank transfer or Zelle | Your bank or credit union | Reverse the transfer and refund you |
| Gift cards | The gift card company: the number on the back of the card | Say a scammer has the card number and PIN, and ask for a refund. Keep the cards and receipts. |
| Wire (Western Union, MoneyGram) | The wire company | Say a scammer tricked you, and ask them to stop the transfer and refund you |
| Payment app (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal) | The app, from inside the app | Report the payment and ask them to reverse it |
| Cryptocurrency or a crypto ATM | The exchange or the ATM's operator | Say the transaction was fraud and ask them to reverse it. This is the hardest kind to get back, so report it to the FTC as well. |
| Cash sent by U.S. mail | U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 1-877-876-2455 | Ask if they can stop the package before it's delivered. For FedEx or UPS, call the carrier. |
Sometimes money can be stopped or returned, especially when you call quickly. Often it can't. Report it anyway: it builds the case, and it can protect the next person.
Who to call and where to report
- Your bank or card company: the number on the back of your card. Call first if money or a card is involved.
- FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov, for any scam. Your report helps stop the scammers.
- Identity theft: IdentityTheft.gov, if someone used or may use your Social Security number or opened accounts in your name. It gives you a recovery plan.
- FBI: ic3.gov, for scams that happened online or by email.
- National Elder Fraud Hotline (U.S. Department of Justice): 833-372-8311 (833-FRAUD-11), for people 60 and older, or anyone calling about one. Free, seven days a week, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern.
- AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360. Free support from trained volunteers, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern.
- Local police, non-emergency number: for a police report. Your bank or insurer may ask for the report number.
Watch for the second scam. After a scam, people often get calls offering to get the money back, for a fee, or from someone "from the FTC" or "the FBI." Those are scammers too. Real agencies never charge to help, and never ask you to pay with gift cards, a wire or cryptocurrency.
When this is over: have the plan ready for next time
A Family Security Playbook puts these steps on paper before you need them: who to call, your banks' real numbers, and what to do for each kind of scam, in large print for the fridge or the desk drawer.
See the playbook, from $39 Free one-page card (PDF)
Older adult in Maricopa County, Arizona, and want hands-on help cleaning up after a hack or scam? Jeff Cady Security's Elder Response.
This page is general information to help you act quickly. It isn't legal or financial advice, and following it can't guarantee money comes back. Last checked October 2026.