How to Report a Scam After It Happens

Realizing you were scammed can feel awful. You may feel embarrassed, angry, anxious, or unsure what to do first. That reaction is human. Scams are designed to create pressure, confusion, trust, fear, or hope before you have time to think clearly.

The most important thing is to act quickly. Reporting a scam may help you limit damage, protect your accounts, document what happened, and help agencies track scam patterns.

In this guide, you’ll learn what to do after a scam, where to report it, and how to protect your money, identity, and accounts moving forward.

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TL;DR: Quick Decision Guide

• If money was sent → contact your bank, card issuer, payment app, wire service, or gift card company immediately.
• If personal information was shared → change passwords, monitor accounts, and consider a fraud alert or credit freeze.
• If identity theft happened → report it at IdentityTheft.gov and follow the recovery plan.
• If the scam happened online → report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
• If a financial company will not help → consider submitting a complaint to the CFPB.
• If you are unsure where to report → start with ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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Step 1: Stop Contact With the Scammer

The first step is to stop the scam from continuing.

Do not keep replying, explaining, negotiating, or trying to reason with the person. Scammers may use continued contact to pressure you into sending more money, sharing more information, or paying fake “recovery” fees.

Stop contact if they:

• Ask for more money
• Promise to return your funds after another payment
• Threaten you
• Say you will be in trouble
• Claim they can recover your money
• Ask you not to tell anyone
• Tell you to lie to your bank or family
• Move you to another app or account

What to do:
Stop responding. Block the account or number when it is safe to do so. Save evidence before deleting messages.

Smile Money Tip: You do not need to win an argument with a scammer. You need to protect your next decision.

👉 Compare: Identity Protection Tools in the Marketplace →

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Step 2: Protect Your Money First

If money was sent, move quickly. The faster you report it to the company involved, the better your chance of stopping, reversing, recalling, or disputing the transaction.

The FTC recommends contacting the company or bank tied to the payment right away and asking whether the transaction can be reversed, stopped, or reported as fraud. Its guidance breaks down what to do depending on whether you paid by card, bank transfer, wire transfer, payment app, gift card, cryptocurrency, or cash.

Use this guide:

If You Paid By	What to Do First
Credit or debit card	Call the card issuer and ask about disputing the charge
Bank transfer or wire	Contact your bank and ask whether the transfer can be reversed or recalled
Payment app	Report it in the app and contact the linked bank or card issuer
Gift card	Contact the gift card company and ask whether funds can be frozen
Cryptocurrency	Save the wallet address, transaction hash, and platform details
Cash or courier	Contact local law enforcement immediately
Check	Contact your bank and ask whether payment can be stopped

What to do:
Use the fraud department or official support channel. Do not use phone numbers or links the scammer gave you.

👉 Related: How to File an Identity Theft Report With the FTC →

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Step 3: Secure Your Accounts

If the scam involved passwords, codes, email access, bank information, or remote access to your device, secure your accounts right away.

Start with:

1. Email account
2. Bank and credit union accounts
3. Credit card accounts
4. Payment apps
5. Phone carrier account
6. Social media accounts
7. Shopping accounts with saved cards
8. Retirement or investment accounts

Change passwords using a trusted device. Use strong, unique passwords and turn on multi-factor authentication.

If you shared a one-time code, assume the connected account may be at risk. Review login activity, remove unfamiliar devices, and check account recovery settings.

If someone had remote access to your computer or phone, disconnect from the internet, remove remote access software, run a security scan, and change passwords from another device.

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Step 4: Save Evidence Before It Disappears

Documentation helps when you report the scam, dispute charges, work with your bank, or file an identity theft report.

Save:

• Text messages
• Emails
• Social media messages
• Phone numbers
• Usernames
• Profile links
• Website URLs
• Screenshots
• Receipts
• Gift card numbers
• Bank transaction details
• Wire transfer confirmations
• Crypto wallet addresses
• Transaction hashes
• Shipping labels
• Fake invoices
• Voicemails
• Names used by the scammer
• Dates and times of communication

Create a simple folder on your computer or in cloud storage. Name files clearly, such as “Scam text April 12” or “Wire confirmation.”

What to do:
Write a short timeline while the details are fresh. Include how the scam started, what was requested, what you sent, and which accounts or companies were involved.

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Step 5: Report the Scam to the FTC

For most scams, the FTC is a good place to start.

ReportFraud.ftc.gov is the federal government’s website for reporting fraud, scams, and bad business practices. The FTC says you can report anything you think may be fraud, a scam, or a bad business practice, even if you did not lose money.

Report scams such as:

• Text scams
• Phishing
• Fake shopping websites
• Charity scams
• Job scams
• Romance scams
• Government impersonation scams
• Tech support scams
• Payment app scams
• Student loan scams
• Investment scams
• Fake debt relief offers

What to do:
Submit the report and save your report number or confirmation if provided. This may help if you need to reference the report later.

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Step 6: Report Identity Theft at IdentityTheft.gov

If someone used your personal information, opened accounts in your name, filed taxes using your Social Security number, used your child’s identity, or committed fraud under your identity, use IdentityTheft.gov.

IdentityTheft.gov lets you report identity theft and get a recovery plan. The FTC describes identity theft recovery as a process that can help you limit damage, report identity theft, and fix your credit.

Use IdentityTheft.gov if someone:

• Opened a credit card or loan in your name
• Used your Social Security number
• Filed a tax return using your information
• Used your child’s identity
• Opened a bank or utility account in your name
• Used your medical insurance
• Took over accounts and caused identity-related damage

What to do:
Follow the recovery steps and save your Identity Theft Report. You may need it when disputing fraudulent accounts or working with credit bureaus and companies.

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Step 7: Report Online Crime to the FBI’s IC3

If the scam happened online or involved cyber-enabled fraud, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

IC3 is the FBI’s central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime. The FBI says crime reports are used for investigative and intelligence purposes, and rapid reporting can help support recovery of lost funds.

Report to IC3 if the scam involved:

• Cryptocurrency
• Online investment fraud
• Romance scams
• Business email compromise
• Online extortion
• Hacked accounts
• Ransomware
• Fake websites
• Online marketplace scams
• Cyber-enabled bank fraud
• AI voice or deepfake scams
• Internet-based elder fraud

The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report found cyber-enabled crimes defrauded Americans of nearly $21 billion, with cryptocurrency and AI-related complaints among the costliest categories.

What to do:
Provide as many details as possible, including transaction information, wallet addresses, email addresses, domains, phone numbers, and usernames.

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Step 8: File a CFPB Complaint if a Financial Company Issue Remains

If the scam involved a financial product or service and the company is not responding or resolving the issue, you may want to submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The CFPB accepts complaints about financial products and services. It says it sends complaints to companies for response, and most companies respond within 15 days.

This may apply to issues involving:

• Bank accounts
• Credit cards
• Debit cards
• Payment apps
• Money transfers
• Credit reporting
• Debt collection
• Student loans
• Mortgages
• Personal loans
• Prepaid cards

What to do:
Contact the company first if possible. If the response is unclear, delayed, or unresolved, submit a complaint with documents and a concise explanation.

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Step 9: Report to the Right Place Based on Scam Type

Different scams may require different reports.

Scam Type	Where to Report
General scams or fraud	FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Identity theft	IdentityTheft.gov
Online fraud or cybercrime	FBI IC3
Bank, card, or payment app issue	Financial institution first, then CFPB if unresolved
Social Security scam	SSA Office of the Inspector General
IRS or tax scam	IRS reporting channels
Elder fraud	FTC, IC3, Adult Protective Services, local police if needed
Local rental scam	FTC, listing platform, local police if money was stolen
Fake shopping site	FTC, card issuer, shopping platform or host
Charity scam	FTC and state charity regulator or attorney general
Job scam	FTC, job platform, state attorney general if needed

You do not need to choose only one place. In many cases, it makes sense to report to the financial company, FTC, and another agency based on the scam type.

👉 Related: How to Freeze Your Credit With Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion →

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Step 10: Protect Your Credit and Identity

If sensitive personal information was exposed, take identity-protection steps.

Do this if you shared:

• Social Security number
• Driver’s license
• Passport
• Bank account information
• Date of birth
• Photos of IDs
• Tax information
• Medical insurance information
• Account login details

Consider:

• Checking your credit reports
• Placing a fraud alert
• Freezing your credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion
• Monitoring bank and card statements
• Changing passwords
• Reviewing account recovery settings
• Watching for tax or benefit misuse
• Reporting identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov if fraud occurs

A credit freeze is often a smart move if your Social Security number or other sensitive information was exposed.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Waiting to report because you feel embarrassed
• Sending more money to “unlock” a refund
• Paying someone who promises to recover your money
• Deleting messages before saving evidence
• Using contact information the scammer provided
• Only reporting to the platform and not your bank
• Assuming nothing can be done
• Ignoring identity theft risks after sharing personal information
• Sharing more information with fake “investigators”
• Not warning family if a loved one was impersonated

Scammers rely on silence and delay. Reporting helps you take back control.

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What to Do Next

After reporting, create a follow-up plan:

• Save all report confirmations.
• Write down claim or case numbers.
• Track deadlines for disputes.
• Check your bank and card accounts daily for a few weeks.
• Change passwords for affected accounts.
• Freeze your credit if personal information was exposed.
• Watch for follow-up scams.
• Tell trusted family members if the scam involved impersonation.
• Review what happened without blaming yourself.

If you were scammed, you are not alone. Scammers are trained to manipulate people. The goal now is response, recovery, and prevention.

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FAQs on Reporting a Scam After It Happens

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Final Thought

Reporting a scam is not just paperwork. It is a way to protect your money, document what happened, reduce future damage, and help others avoid the same trap.

You do not need to feel ashamed. You need a plan. Stop contact, secure your accounts, save evidence, report it, and take the next right step.

Next Steps:

• 👉 Learn: How to Recover From Identity Theft Step-by-Step →
• 👉 Read: How to Dispute Fraudulent Accounts on Your Credit Report →
• 👉 Read: How to Create an Identity Theft Recovery Plan →
• 👉 Compare: Identity Protection Tools in the Marketplace →