What To Do If You Sent Money to a Refund Scam

First 5 minutes

• Stop all communication with the scammer immediately.
• Call your bank, card issuer, wire service, or payment app — whichever you used — and tell them you sent money in a scam.
• Ask whether the payment can be stopped, reversed, recalled, frozen, or flagged.
• If a courier is actively coming to pick up cash: call 911 now. Do not hand over money.

First hour

• Screenshot every message, email, website, phone number, and payment instruction.
• Write down exactly what happened — amounts, dates, times, and what you were told.
• Change passwords for any account the scammer may have seen, accessed, or asked about.
• If remote access was given, disconnect the device from the internet and do not use it for banking.
• Check your bank and credit card statements for any other unauthorized transactions.

First 24 hours

• File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• If identity information was shared, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
• File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
• File a report with your local police department — some banks and insurers require a report number.
• Tell a trusted family member or friend so you are not handling follow-up pressure alone.

Credit card

Credit cards may offer stronger dispute protections than other payment types, but the card issuer decides the outcome. Contact your card issuer immediately using the number on the back of your card or through the official app.

Recovery outlook: Fair — disputes are possible but the issuer decides the outcome.

Debit card

Debit cards may have more limited protections than credit cards, and funds may already be withdrawn from your account. Contact your bank immediately.

Recovery outlook: Difficult — funds may already be gone, but reporting quickly may help.

Bank transfer or ACH

ACH and direct bank transfers can sometimes be reversed if caught early. Contact your bank as soon as possible and explain that the transfer was connected to a scam.

Recovery outlook: Difficult — depends on how quickly you act and whether the funds have settled.

Wire transfer

Wire transfers are very difficult to reverse once sent. Contact your bank or wire transfer company immediately anyway — in some cases a wire can be recalled if it has not yet been picked up.

Recovery outlook: Very difficult — most wires cannot be reversed once received.

Gift cards

Gift card payments are strongly favored by scammers because they are difficult to trace and nearly impossible to reverse. Contact the gift card company immediately and ask if the balance can be frozen.

Recovery outlook: Very difficult — balances are often drained immediately.

Payment apps (Zelle, Cash App, PayPal, Venmo)

Payment app policies vary. Some offer limited scam protections; others treat voluntary payments as final. Contact the app's official support immediately and report the transaction as scam-related.

Recovery outlook: Difficult — voluntary payments have limited protections on most platforms.

Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC, and others)

Cryptocurrency transactions are recorded on a public blockchain but are generally irreversible once confirmed. Contact the exchange or platform you used immediately and report the incident. Do not send additional cryptocurrency to anyone claiming they can recover your funds.

Recovery outlook: Extremely difficult — blockchain transactions are generally irreversible.

Cash sent by mail

If you mailed cash, contact the carrier immediately and ask whether the package can be intercepted before delivery. Cash sent by mail is very difficult to recover once delivered.

Recovery outlook: Extremely difficult — cash has no electronic trail once delivered.

Cash picked up by courier

If a courier or driver is being sent to pick up cash and the pickup has not happened yet, call 911 immediately — this is an active crime in progress. Do not hand over money. If the pickup has already occurred, contact local law enforcement and report the incident.

Recovery outlook: Extremely difficult once money has been picked up.

Fake check or overpayment

Banks may make check funds available before the check clears, and may hold you responsible for the withdrawn amount if the check later bounces. If you deposited a check and sent money back, contact your bank immediately — even if the funds have not yet disappeared.

Recovery outlook: Difficult — you may be held responsible for withdrawn funds if the check bounces.

Remote access given to your device

If you allowed someone remote access to your computer, phone, or tablet, disconnect the device from the internet immediately and do not use it for banking or sensitive accounts until it has been checked by a trusted technician. The scammer may have viewed or copied account credentials, financial information, or personal data.

Recovery outlook: Variable — depends on what was accessed. Treat all saved passwords as compromised.

Shared personal credentials or identity information

If you shared your Social Security number, date of birth, bank login, passwords, passport number, or other identity information, take steps to protect your accounts and credit immediately.

Recovery outlook: Variable — early action limits potential damage. Credit freezes are free and effective.

FTC — ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Report any type of scam. The FTC uses reports to investigate patterns and warn the public.

Filing a report helps the FTC build cases, but the FTC does not directly recover individual losses.

FTC — IdentityTheft.gov

If the scammer obtained your personal information, Social Security number, or financial account details.

IdentityTheft.gov provides a personalized step-by-step recovery plan and pre-filled dispute letters.

FBI — Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

Report online fraud, especially losses involving cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or large sums.

IC3 accepts complaints from victims of internet-facilitated crime. Reports are reviewed by FBI analysts.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)

If the scam involved mail — a check, letter, package, or courier pickup arranged through the postal system.

USPIS investigates mail fraud. The Package Intercept service may be able to stop a package before delivery.

CFPB — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

If a bank, credit union, payment app, or other financial company handled the transaction poorly or refused to help.

The CFPB contacts companies on your behalf and publishes complaint data, but does not recover individual funds.

State Attorney General (NAAG)

Many state AGs have consumer protection divisions that investigate scams targeting residents.

Look up your state's AG office directly — each state has its own reporting process.

Local police department

File a local police report, especially if money was picked up in person, or your bank or insurer requires a police report number.

Look up your local police department's non-emergency line or website directly — there is no single national link.

Can I get my money back after a refund scam?

Sometimes fast action helps, but recovery is not guaranteed. Contact the company or bank involved in the payment immediately and ask whether the payment can be stopped, reversed, disputed, frozen, or investigated. The sooner you act, the better your chances of limiting the damage.

Where should I report a refund scam?

Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov, and your local police department. If the scam involved the mail, also report to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at postalinspectors.uspis.gov. If your financial accounts were affected, file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint/.

What should I do if I paid with gift cards?

Contact the gift card company immediately. Tell them the card was used in a scam and ask if the balance can be frozen or refunded. Save the card, receipt, activation slip, and all messages from the scammer. Write down the card issuer's official support number from the packaging before calling.

What if I deposited a fake check and sent money back?

Contact your bank immediately. Explain that you may have deposited a fake check and sent money back as part of an overpayment scam. Ask what steps you should take to protect your account and preserve records. Banks may hold you responsible for the withdrawn amount once the check bounces, so acting quickly matters.

Should I trust someone who says they can recover my scam loss?

Be very careful. A person or company that demands an upfront fee, gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or remote access to recover your money is showing major scam warning signs. A guaranteed recovery offer is a major warning sign. Report the contact and do not send more money.

Can VerifyBefore get my money back?

No. VerifyBefore cannot recover money that has already been sent, and it does not replace your bank, law enforcement, legal advice, or financial advice. VerifyBefore can help you review suspicious documents, messages, and payment instructions before you send money — so you can spot warning signs earlier.