First, take a breath. If you think you've been scammed, the most important thing to know is this: it is not your fault, and you are far from alone. Scams are engineered by professionals to fool careful, intelligent people. Millions of Americans report them every year, and millions more are too embarrassed to.
That embarrassment is the scammer's last weapon — it's what keeps people from acting quickly. Don't let it. The faster you move through the steps below, the more you can protect. Let's go through them calmly, one at a time.
Step 1: Stop all contact
Hang up the phone. Stop replying to the texts or emails. Don't click anything else they've sent. If you gave someone remote access to your computer, disconnect it from the internet (unplug it or turn off the Wi-Fi).
You don't owe the scammer an explanation or a goodbye. Just stop.
Step 2: Protect your money
Act on this first, because it's the most time-sensitive. What you do depends on how you paid or what you shared:
- You gave a bank account or wired money: Call your bank right away, using the number on your card or statement. Tell them it was a scam and ask if the transfer can be stopped or reversed.
- You used a credit or debit card: Call the card issuer (number on the back of the card). Ask them to block the card and dispute the charge.
- You bought gift cards: Call the company that issued the card (Apple, Amazon, Google, etc.) as soon as possible and tell them the card was used in a scam. Some can freeze the funds. Keep the card and your receipt.
- You sent cryptocurrency or used a "Bitcoin ATM": Contact the company whose machine or app you used and report it. Crypto is hard to recover, but report it anyway — speed sometimes helps.
- You shared your online banking password or a security code: Call your bank immediately and tell them; they can lock the account.
Don't worry about whether you'll feel silly. Bank staff handle scam calls every single day. They will not judge you — they will help.
Step 3: Secure your accounts
Once your money is protected, lock down your accounts so the scammer can't get back in:
- Change your passwords, starting with email and online banking. If you reused a password anywhere, change it everywhere it was used.
- Turn on two-factor authentication (also called 2-step verification) wherever it's offered. This adds a second check so a stranger can't log in with just your password.
- If you let someone into your computer, have it checked by a trusted technician, or run your security software. Assume they may have seen saved passwords, and change those too.
Step 4: If you shared personal information
If you gave out your Social Security number, date of birth, or other personal details, take these extra steps to guard against identity theft:
- Go to IdentityTheft.gov (or call 1-877-438-4338). This free government site walks you through a personal recovery plan, step by step.
- Consider placing a free credit freeze with all three credit bureaus. A freeze stops anyone from opening new accounts in your name. You can do it online or by phone:
- Equifax — 1-800-685-1111 — equifax.com
- Experian — 1-888-397-3742 — experian.com
- TransUnion — transunion.com/credit-freeze
A freeze is free, doesn't hurt your credit, and you can lift it anytime.
Step 5: Report it
Reporting won't always get your money back, but it matters: it helps investigators spot patterns, shut down scammers, and warn others. Report to as many of these as apply:
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — the main place to report any scam. Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-382-4357.
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — for any scam that happened online. IC3.gov.
- AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline — 1-877-908-3360. Free for anyone (you don't have to be a member). Trained specialists offer guidance and emotional support, which can mean a lot right now.
- Medicare (if a health or Medicare scam) — 1-800-633-4227.
- Your local police — file a report, mainly so you have documentation. Bring any records you have.
Keep notes: dates, phone numbers, names used, amounts, and copies of any messages. This record helps every report you file.
Step 6: Watch out for the "recovery" scam
This one is cruel, so guard against it. After you've been scammed, you may be contacted by someone — a "recovery service," a "lawyer," even a fake government agent — promising to get your lost money back for a fee. This is a second scam, often run by the same criminals working from a list of past victims.
No legitimate service asks for an up-front fee to recover scammed money. If someone makes that promise, it's another trap. Hang up.
Step 7: Tell someone you trust
Finally, tell a family member or close friend what happened. Not because you did anything wrong — you didn't — but because saying it out loud breaks the scammer's hold, and a second set of eyes can help you catch anything you missed. Talking about it also helps protect the people you love, because now they know what to watch for.
You handled it. Now make it harder next time.
Getting through this takes real composure — and you did it. The best thing you can do now is make yourself a much harder target going forward, so this never happens again.
That's exactly what Not Born Yesterday is built for: 10 plain-English Laws for deciding who to trust online, plus clear, screen-by-screen walkthroughs to lock down your phone, email, and accounts. It's the calm, no-jargon protection that turns a scary day into a one-time event.