WebsiteCompass 15 TUTORIAL What to do if you paid a scammer If you paid a scammer through any means, here are some ways you can get your money back. 1. If you paid with a credit or debit card, contact the issuing bank and tell them it was a fraudulent charge. Often you can have the transaction reversed. 2. If a scammer made an unauthorized transfer from your bank account, contact the bank and ask them to reverse the transaction. 3. If you paid with a gift card, keep all the paperwork associated with it, contact the issuing company, let them know the card was used in a scam, and ask for a refund. 4. If you sent a wire transfer through Western Union or a similar company, contact them, tell them it was a fraudulent transaction, and ask for your money back. 5. If you sent money using a money transfer app like Venmo, report to the company the fraudulent transaction, and ask to have the payment reversed. If a credit or debit card is linked to the app, contact the issuing bank as well. 6. If you sent cash through the U.S. mail system, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and ask them to intercept the package. TUTORIAL What to do if you gave a scammer personal information Once a scammer has your personal or financial information, they can continue to use it. But there are steps you can take to make it much more difficult. 1. If you gave away credentials to get into a specific account, such as a bank account, immediately change your password to one that is highly secure. If multi-factor authentication is available on the account, make sure you have it active. 2. In other situations, go to identitytheft.gov to get steps to take in your specific situation. You can use this site if identity theft has occurred, or if someone has your personal information and you’re concerned it might lead to identity theft. 3. In all situations, consider freezing your credit, which prevents criminals from opening new accounts in your name. 4. You can also report the fraud to the FTC. To do so, visit reportfraud.ftc.gov. If you become a scam victim, act immediately to minimize the impact of the scam. How to Minimize the Impact of a Scam
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