Losing money to a scam is stressful, and it can happen to anyone. If you were scammed online, what you do in the first hour has the biggest effect on whether you get money back and whether the damage spreads.
In the first hour
- Call your bank or card issuer using the number on your card or in your banking app. Ask them to block the card and to open a dispute or chargeback.
- If you paid by bank transfer, ask the bank to try to recall the payment. The sooner they try, the better the chance.
- If you paid with PayPal, open a dispute in the Resolution Center. Buyers normally have 180 days.
- If you entered a password on the site, change it, starting with your email account, and turn on two-step verification.
- If you gave remote access to your computer, disconnect it from the internet and have it checked before using online banking again.
Keep the evidence
- Screenshots of the website, the product page and the checkout.
- Order confirmations, invoices and payment receipts.
- Emails, chat messages and the phone numbers or accounts that contacted you.
- The exact web address, including anything after the domain.
Report it
Report the scam to your local police or national cybercrime unit. Many countries have an online reporting form. A police report number often helps with bank disputes.
Then report the website here. Your report appears on the site's page and warns the next person who checks it.
Beware of recovery scams
After a loss, victims are often contacted by people who promise to get the money back for a fee. They may pretend to be lawyers, police or "fund recovery" companies. Real authorities do not charge you to investigate. Do not pay upfront fees to recover lost money.
Card payments are the easiest to recover. Card schemes set time limits for disputes, often around 120 days, so contact your bank as early as you can.
