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If it goes wrong · Law 10
Report fraud and get help
If you've been scammed, move fast and tell someone. It's not your fault, and speed beats shame every time. Here's exactly who to contact.
Call your bank or card company first
If money moved, call the fraud number on the back of your card right away. The faster you call, the better the odds of stopping or reversing it.
On your screen: The fraud phone number printed on the back of a card Report the scam to the FTC
Go to reportfraud.ftc.gov and report what happened. It's quick, and it feeds the cases built against these crooks.
On your screen: The reportfraud.ftc.gov reporting page If your identity was stolen, use IdentityTheft.gov
For a stolen Social Security number or identity theft, go to IdentityTheft.gov. It builds you a personalized recovery plan, step by step.
On your screen: The IdentityTheft.gov recovery-plan page If money was lost online, tell the FBI
Report online crime — especially anything where money was lost — to the FBI's center at ic3.gov.
On your screen: The ic3.gov complaint page Want a friendly ear? Call AARP
The AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline, 877-908-3360, is free and open to everyone (not just members), Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET. They'll talk you through what to do.
On your screen: The AARP Fraud Watch helpline number, 877-908-3360 Watch out for the "recovery" scam
After a loss, someone may contact you promising to get your money back — a "recovery agent" or "refund department." It is almost always a second scam aimed at people already hit. Never pay anyone who promises to recover your money. Real agencies don't charge a fee for that.
On your screen: A warning — a "recovery agent" promising refunds for a fee
Being targeted is not a character flaw — the crooks are professionals who practice all day. Reporting rarely gets money back, but it supports your bank's case and protects the next person.