Think you've been scammed?

Take a breath. You are not alone, and it is not your fault. Follow these steps, in order.

Do these things right now

Stop all contact. Hang up, don't reply, and don't send anything else. Scammers often come back asking for more.
Call your bank or card company. Use the number on the back of your card. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment. The sooner, the better.
Paid with a gift card? Call the company on the back of the card (for example Apple, Google Play, Target or Amazon) and tell them it was a scam. Keep the card and receipt.
Gave a password or code? Change that password now. If you use the same password anywhere else, change it there too.
Let someone into your computer? Turn the computer off. Have someone you trust or a local repair shop check it before you use online banking again.
Gave your Social Security number? Go to IdentityTheft.gov for a step-by-step plan.

The main U.S. place to report any scam. Reports help stop scammers.

Free help for people 60 and older, from the U.S. Department of Justice. Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm Eastern.

1-833-372-8311

Free for everyone, AARP member or not. Trained volunteers will listen and help.

Report scams that happened online, by email or through cryptocurrency.

Call the non-emergency number for your police department to make a report. If you are in danger, call 911.

Watch out for “recovery” scams. If someone contacts you offering to get your lost money back for a fee, that is another scam.

Millions of people are scammed every year, including doctors, lawyers and police officers. Scammers are trained to trick people.

Telling family or a friend can feel hard, but it helps protect you, and it may help them avoid the same scam.