Before the list, one thing that matters more than any step on it: this wasn't your fault. Scams are built by professionals, tested on thousands of people, and tuned until they work on smart, careful adults. Here's what to do, in order.
The first hour
- Stop contact. Hang up. Don't answer their calls or texts again, even to argue. Don't send anything more, whatever they threaten.
- If money moved, call the bank first. Call the fraud line for your bank or credit card. The number is on the back of your card. Tell them plainly what happened. If it was minutes ago, they can often stop or reverse the payment. If you paid with gift cards, call the gift card company and keep the cards and receipts.
- Change the password that matters. If you shared a password, or the scammer got into your email, change that password now, starting with your email account. Your email is the master key, because it can reset everything else.
- If they were in your computer, turn it off. If you let someone connect to your screen, shut the computer down and leave it off until someone you trust can check it.
- Tell someone. A family member, a friend, or us. Scams depend on silence and embarrassment. Saying it out loud is where recovery starts.
In the next few days
Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov. It helps investigators even when the money can't be recovered. If your Social Security number or bank details were shared, IdentityTheft.gov walks you through a recovery plan, and a credit freeze with each of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) is free. Then watch for the follow-up scam: people who've been scammed often get calls offering to "recover your money." It's the same crew coming back.
You don't have to do this alone
This is part of what we do. We'll secure your accounts together, check for anything else they touched, and set up protections that make the next attempt much harder. Call us at (510) 800-7290 and we'll find the soonest time we can.