What to do if you have been scammed: the first hour
Checked by The Proofmark editorial team against our methodology before publishing
The Proofmark · Our methodology
There is a moment when you know.
The withdrawal will not go through. The account manager has stopped answering. Or a friend says the words out loud, and you hear how it sounds.
What you do in the next hour matters more than anything you do next month.
Here is the order.
1. Stop paying. Right now.
You may be told that one more payment releases the money. A fee. A tax. A verification deposit.
Do not send it without an independent check.
More money sent to a scam can add to your loss. That is how a bad day turns into a ruinous one.
2. Who do I ring first?
Not the platform. Ring whoever moved the money. Your bank, your card company, or the app.
Say these words: "I have been the victim of a fraud, and I need to report a fraudulent transaction."
What can be done depends on how you paid. The American consumer watchdog sets it out by payment method. Every line of its advice begins with the same word.
The word is immediately, and it repeats down the whole list.
| How you paid | Who to ring | What is possible |
|---|---|---|
| Credit or debit card | Your card company | Ask whether a card dispute or chargeback applies. Approval is not guaranteed. |
| Bank transfer | Your bank's fraud team | A recall, if the money has not moved on. |
| Wire transfer | The wire company, then your bank | A freeze, if you are fast. |
| Payment app | The app's support | Ask whether the payment can be stopped or disputed. Rules vary. |
| Crypto | The exchange you bought from | Rarely reversible. Report it anyway. |
| Gift cards | The card issuer, using the number on the back | Sometimes, if the balance is untouched. |
3. Can I actually get my money back?
Sometimes. It depends on the payment, the timing and the rules that apply. Do not assume that it is too late to ask your bank.
The FBI's 2025 report gives one US example. Its transfer-response process handled 3,900 incidents involving about US$1.164 billion. About US$679 million was frozen: roughly 58% of that amount.
That is not a 58% chance of recovery for you. It is not the share of people paid back. Frozen funds are not the same as returned funds.
4. Can they get into my other accounts?
They may try. So close the doors they came through.
Change the password on your email first. Everything else resets through it.
Then change it anywhere you used the same one. Turn on two-step login where you can.
Did you give anyone remote access to your computer or phone? Then treat that device as compromised. Nothing sensitive goes near it until it has been checked.
5. What should I write down?
Everything, and today. Memory fades fast. Websites disappear faster.
Write down the names they used. Phone numbers. The email address they wrote from. Every date and every amount.
Take screenshots of the account, the chat, and the advert that started it.
You are building the file your bank and the police will work from. Nobody else is going to build it for you.
6. Should I report it if I expect nothing?
Yes. Two reasons, and neither is about your money.
A report is what lets a watchdog publish a warning. That warning is what stops the next person.
And your bank will often ask for a report reference before it looks at a claim.
We wrote a separate guide on where to file, country by country: how to report a scam.
7. Someone has offered to get my money back. Is that real?
Almost certainly not. Please read this before you close the page.
You may receive another approach later. He will know the platform. He will know roughly what you lost. He will ask for a fee.
That is a recovery scam. It is aimed at people exactly where you are now. The list of who paid is the most valuable thing the first operation owns.
An unexpected offer with a guaranteed refund and a fee to unlock funds is a warning sign. Check any professional independently before agreeing to paid work.
Was I stupid to fall for this?
No. And it is the wrong question.
These operations run on scripts tested against thousands of people. They are staffed, funded and rehearsed.
In December 2025 the American regulator charged three crypto "trading platforms". Its complaint puts it plainly: "In reality, no trading took place on the trading platforms, which were fake." More than $14 million had gone in. The people who lost it had checked, asked questions, and been given answers.
Being deceived by a professional deception is not a character flaw. It is what the deception was built to do.
What we could not tell you
We will not fill a gap with a guess, so here is what is missing.
How often a chargeback works. No bank or card scheme publishes that figure for fraud. We looked for it.
How long any of this takes. It turns on your bank and your country. Nobody publishes a number we would stand behind.
What applies where you live. The payment table above is the American watchdog's. Most countries work the same way in outline. The detail is different in every one.
Sources
- FTC (United States), What To Do if You Were Scammed — the payment-method steps and the "immediately" instruction, page last updated 21 August 2026, read 3 October 2026: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 IC3 Annual Report — Recovery Asset Team: 3,900 incidents, $1,163,919,846 attempted theft, $679,013,183 frozen, 58% success rate: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2025_IC3Report.pdf
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, Domestic Financial Fraud Kill Chain brochure: https://www.ic3.gov/Outreach/Brochures/IC3-FFKC_Domestic.pdf
- SEC (United States), SEC Charges Three Purported Crypto Asset Trading Platforms and Four Investment Clubs with Scheme That Targeted Retail Investors on Social Media, 22 December 2025 — more than $14 million, and the complaint's finding that the platforms were fake: https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-144-sec-charges-three-purported-crypto-asset-trading-platforms-four-investment-clubs-scheme-targeted
Is the problem a casino withdrawal?
A delayed payout is not always fraud. Our casino licence and withdrawal guide explains which details to check.
Would you like to talk through your situation?
Have your country, payment method, date, amount and currency ready.
Discuss my situation. Free callback. Tell us what happened. We can help you organise the facts and understand your next steps, one at a time. We cannot promise a refund.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get my money back after a scam?
It may be possible. Contact your bank or payment provider now. Ask about a recall, card dispute or other route. The rules depend on your country, payment and timing. A refund is not guaranteed.
Should I wait for a consultation before calling my bank?
No. Contact your bank or payment provider first. Our free callback can help you understand the next steps, but it should not delay a request to stop a payment.
What should I keep?
Save payment receipts, dates, messages and the exact web address. Keep screenshots on your own device. Never share passwords, PINs or recovery phrases.
Can The Proofmark help me?
You can request a free call to talk through what happened. We can help you understand the evidence and find relevant next steps. We do not promise to recover money.
Where to get help in your country
Choose your country to see where to check a company, report a scam and get help.
Choose your country to see local contacts. If it is not listed, you can ask our team for help.
🇬🇧 The United Kingdom
🔎 Check the firm
FCA Firm Checker — Search the firm name, its website, or the reference number it gave you.
🚨 Report it
Report Fraud (City of London Police) — Report online or call 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
↩ Ask for your money back
Financial Ombudsman Service — Complain to the firm first, then bring it here. Free, and it can order the firm to pay.
Every address above was opened and checked by us on 30 September 2026. Tell us if one has moved.
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