Someone got into my computer

"Tech support" calls and pop-ups that ask you to install a program or let them take control are scams. Here's how to shut them out and check what they touched.

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.

Disconnect the computer. Turn off its Wi-Fi or unplug its network cable, or just shut it down. Don't turn it back on while they're on the phone, and don't let them back in.
If you opened your bank, or they asked for money, call your bank now. Use the number on the back of your card. A common trick is a fake “refund” screen that shows too much money and asks you to send the difference back. If money moved, see I sent money to a scammer.
Change your passwords from a different device. Use a phone or another computer you trust, not the one they were in. Start with your email and your bank, then anything else you signed into. Turn on the second sign-in step (a text code or an authenticator app) on each.
Get the computer checked before you use it for banking again. A trusted local technician, or the computer maker's own support, can remove the remote-control program they installed (names like AnyDesk, TeamViewer or ScreenConnect) and anything else they left. Then run a full security scan.
Report it. At ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and at ic3.gov.
Expect them to call again. They often come back as “the refund department” or “fraud investigators.” Hang up.

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.

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.