End the call, chat, remote-access session, or message thread. Do not send a second payment to fix the first one, pay a release fee, move money to a 'safe' account, or share another verification code. A scammer who still has contact will usually keep increasing the pressure.
FAMILY RESPONSE CARD
Words to use when everyone is stressed
Speed matters, but blame makes people hide details. Put one calm person beside the person who was targeted, use a trusted device and phone number, and work through the payment, account, evidence, and reporting steps in that order.
| Situation | Words to use | Immediate action | Write down |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scammer is still calling or messaging | “I do not make money or account decisions during incoming calls. I will contact the organization myself.” | End contact. Do not debate, click another link, share a code, or send a second payment. | Phone number, username, website, time, threats, payment instructions, and anything already shared. |
| Calling the bank or payment company | “I may be the victim of a scam. Here is exactly how the payment happened. Please try to stop, recall, reverse, or dispute it and protect the account.” | Use the number on the card, statement, app, or official website. Say whether the transaction was unauthorized or approved because of deception. | Case number, representative, time, promised action, documents needed, and every deadline. |
| Asking a family member for help | “I need practical help, not blame. Please sit with me while I contact the payment company, secure my email, and save the evidence.” | Choose one calm helper. Avoid a large family interrogation while urgent recovery steps are still possible. | What was paid or shared, accounts involved, devices accessed, and which steps are complete. |
| Someone promises recovery | “I will not pay a fee or provide financial information to recover money. Do not contact me again.” | End contact and independently verify any claimed agency or company. Legitimate government refund help does not require an upfront fee. | Caller details, promised recovery, requested fee or information, and how the person knew about the earlier loss. |
| Creating the family rule for next time | “Any urgent request for money, secrecy, account access, or a verification code gets an independent callback and a second person.” | Choose two trusted contacts and save their numbers. Agree that pausing a payment will never be treated as rude or disloyal. | Trusted contacts, known bank numbers, device-help contact, and where the response checklist is kept. |
These scripts do not guarantee that money can be recovered. Payment protections depend on how the payment happened, whether it was authorized, and how quickly it is reported. Describe the facts accurately and ask for written deadlines and a case number.
Stop the conversation and stop sending money
End the call, chat, remote-access session, or message thread. Do not send a second payment to fix the first one, pay a release fee, move money to a 'safe' account, or share another verification code. A scammer who still has contact will usually keep increasing the pressure.
Contact the payment company immediately
Call the bank, card issuer, wire service, payment app, gift-card company, delivery service, or cryptocurrency platform using a number or website you know is real. Explain exactly what happened and ask whether the payment can be stopped, recalled, reversed, disputed, or flagged. Keep gift cards and receipts. For a payment app linked to a card or bank account, contact both the app and the linked financial institution. If cash is still in transit, immediately ask the carrier about interception. If a transaction was unauthorized, say that clearly. If you approved it because of deception, say that too; the response and legal protections can differ.
Make the first conversation shame-free
Scammers are skilled at creating fear, urgency, trust, and confusion. A lecture can make the person hide the amount, method, or information shared, costing valuable response time. Ask what happened in order, write it down, and divide the work: one person calls the payment company while another secures email and preserves evidence. Discuss prevention after the immediate loss is contained.
Secure the accounts from a trusted device
If the scammer got a password, verification code, account number, Social Security number, or remote access to a device, change affected passwords and PINs, sign out other sessions when possible, and turn on multi-factor authentication. Start with the email account tied to financial and recovery messages because control of email can let a thief reset other accounts.
Preserve the evidence before deleting anything
Save receipts, transaction numbers, gift-card numbers, wallet addresses, emails, texts, voicemails, caller numbers, websites, usernames, screenshots, and the instructions you were given. Write down the timeline while it is fresh. Evidence can help the payment company, IdentityTheft.gov, the FTC, IC3, or local law enforcement understand what happened.
Use the report that matches the damage
Report scams and fraudulent business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If personal information was stolen or misused, use IdentityTheft.gov for an FTC Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan. Internet-enabled fraud can also be reported to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. A local police report may be useful when a company, insurer, credit bureau, or identity-theft recovery step asks for one.
Expect a refund or recovery scam
People who already lost money are often targeted again by someone claiming to be a government agency, lawyer, investigator, hacker, or recovery company. Do not pay an upfront fee or share financial information with someone who unexpectedly promises to recover the money. Legitimate government agencies do not charge a fee to help you report fraud or obtain a refund.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Where this guidance comes from
Rule-sensitive guides prioritize government and other primary sources. Links open the official source in a new tab.
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