The calls to make right away
Speed matters most with money that moved recently. Call your bank or card issuer, using the number on your card or the bank's website rather than any number the scammer gave you, and ask what can be stopped, recalled, or disputed. Federal rules protect consumers for unauthorized electronic transfers, and how quickly you report can affect how much of a loss you bear, so do not wait to gather everything first. If you sent money yourself after being deceived, refunds usually depend on the institution's own policies, but asking promptly still helps. Change passwords on email and financial accounts, and consider freezing your credit with the three bureaus if personal information was exposed.
Reports that create a record
Report the fraud to local police, to the Federal Trade Commission at its identity theft or fraud reporting sites, and to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center when the scheme happened online. A police report or FTC identity theft report can be important when disputing accounts with creditors. Keep copies of everything you file, along with messages, receipts, screenshots, and a short timeline that you share with your lawyer. Expect follow-up contact from people promising to recover your money for a fee; recovery scams target recent victims, and legitimate agencies do not charge victims to investigate.
Your role if there is a prosecution
If the person who defrauded you is charged, you generally have a right to be informed about the case and to be heard at certain stages, and in federal cases those rights are set out in a specific victims' rights statute. You can usually submit information about your losses for restitution, which may be ordered as part of a sentence, although collection depends on what the defendant can pay. A civil lawsuit is a separate option that can reach other parties, such as a business that enabled the fraud, and it has its own deadlines. When we meet with a fraud victim, we review where the money went, who might be responsible, and whether reporting, restitution, a civil claim, or some combination fits your goals.
