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What to Do If You've Been Scammed

Clear next steps after a crypto scam: limit the damage, report to the right agencies, and avoid the “recovery” scams that often follow.

By Crypto Life ChurchPublished 8 min read

If you have lost money to a scam, the first thing to know is this: it is not your fault, and you are not alone. Scammers are skilled at manipulation, and they deceive careful, intelligent people every day.

The second thing to know is that acting quickly matters. The steps below are based on guidance from the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI. You don't have to do everything at once. Start at the top and work down.

Key takeaways

  • Stop sending money, stop contact, and contact the company you used to pay right away.
  • Report the scam to ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reporting helps, but it does not guarantee your money will come back.
  • Real law enforcement will never ask you to pay in cryptocurrency, gift cards, or cash, or contact you offering to recover your money for a fee.
  • Anyone who asks for a fee to recover your money is likely running another scam.

Emergency checklist

If it just happened, start here. Each step is explained below.

  • Stop payments. Don't send anything more, and stop all contact with the scammer.
  • Contact your financial providers. Call the cryptocurrency exchange, crypto ATM operator, bank, or card company you used.
  • Secure your accounts. Change passwords and turn on multifactor authentication.
  • Preserve records. Save messages, screenshots, receipts, and transaction details. Don't delete anything.
  • Report the fraud to the FBI at ic3.gov (opens in a new tab) and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab).

Step by step

  1. 1Stop paying and stop talking. Don't send any more money, even if you are told it will unlock your funds or prevent trouble. Block the scammer's phone numbers and accounts.
  2. 2Contact the company you used to pay. If you paid through a cryptocurrency exchange or cryptocurrency ATM, the FTC advises contacting the company right away, telling them the transaction was fraudulent, and asking them to reverse it (opens in a new tab). Ask whether anything can be recovered. If you paid by bank transfer, card, or gift card, contact that bank or company immediately. Use contact details from the company's official website, your card, or the ATM itself, never from the scammer.
  3. 3Secure your accounts. Change passwords on any account the scammer may have seen, and turn on multifactor authentication. If you gave a scammer access to your computer or phone, the FTC recommends updating your security software, running a scan, and deleting anything it finds.
  4. 4Check your crypto wallet. If you shared a self-custody wallet's recovery phrase, or approved something on a suspicious site, treat that wallet as compromised and follow the steps in our wallet safety guide.
  5. 5Gather your records. Save messages, emails, screenshots, website addresses, phone numbers, and receipts. For cryptocurrency, the FBI says the most important details are the transaction details (opens in a new tab): cryptocurrency addresses, the amount and type of cryptocurrency, dates and times, and transaction IDs (sometimes called a “hash”).
  6. 6Report the scam. File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov (opens in a new tab) and with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab).

Protect your identity

If you shared personal information with the scammer, take these steps as well. You don't have to finish them all today, but don't put them off.

  • Social Security number. If a scammer used your Social Security number, report it at IdentityTheft.gov (opens in a new tab) to get a personal recovery plan. If you're not sure whether it was used, the FTC points to IdentityTheft.gov/databreach (opens in a new tab) for steps to protect yourself.
  • Credit freeze or fraud alert. A credit freeze (opens in a new tab) “prevents potential creditors from accessing your credit report.” A fraud alert “tells businesses to check with you before opening a new account in your name.” The FTC notes that both are free.
  • Passwords. If you gave a scammer the username and password to an account, the FTC advises creating a new, strong password and turning on two-factor authentication. Change that password anywhere else you used it, too.
  • Identification documents. If you sent a photo or copy of a driver's license, passport, or other ID, contact the agency that issued it to ask what they recommend, and watch for signs that someone is using your identity. If they are, report it at IdentityTheft.gov (opens in a new tab).

Beware of people pretending to be law enforcement

Some scammers pose as police officers, federal agents, or other officials. They may say your identity was used in a crime, or that they are investigating your case and can help get your money back. The FBI's IC3 describes these government impersonation scams (opens in a new tab) and states: “The US Government and Law Enforcement will never request you send money via wire transfer to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency, cryptocurrency ATMs, gift/prepaid cards, or by shipping/mailing cash or precious metals.”

To check whether a contact is real:

  • Don't use the contact details they give you. Hang up, and don't reply to the message or click its links.
  • Look up the agency yourself on its official website. U.S. government websites end in .gov. The IC3 also warns to be cautious of phone numbers found in “sponsored” search results.
  • Call the agency directly and ask whether the person and the case are real.
  • Remember that the IC3 will never directly contact you for information or money. If someone claiming to be from the IC3 contacts you, the IC3 asks that you file a complaint (opens in a new tab) about it.

Why reporting matters, even if you're unsure

Many people don't report because they feel embarrassed, or because they are not sure their situation counts. The IC3 encourages people to file a report even if they are unsure whether their complaint qualifies. Reports help law enforcement identify patterns, connect cases, and warn others.

If you are 60 or older, or you're calling about someone who is, the U.S. Department of Justice's National Elder Fraud Hotline (opens in a new tab) can help: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time. It serves anyone reporting fraud against a person age 60 or older, including family members and caregivers, and help is available in English, Spanish, and other languages. The Department of Justice warns that scammers have impersonated this hotline, so only use the number listed on its official page.

Tips for filing your report

  • Write a short timeline first. List when contact began, what was promised, and each payment you made. It makes the report much easier to complete.
  • Include every detail you have, even if it seems small: usernames, phone numbers, email addresses, website addresses, and app names.
  • Keep a copy of your report and any reference number you receive.
  • Ask for help if you need it. A family member, friend, or volunteer can sit with you while you file.

Be honest with yourself about recovery

Reporting is important, but it does not guarantee that you will get your cryptocurrency back. The FBI states plainly that “law enforcement cannot guarantee the recovery of lost funds after transfer” (FBI/IC3 (opens in a new tab)). The FTC explains that cryptocurrency payments don't have the same legal protections as credit and debit cards, though some states have passed laws that may help.

Reporting quickly still gives you the best chance, and every report helps investigators and protects others. Whatever happens with the money, taking these steps is the right thing to do.

Watch out for recovery scams

After a scam, many victims are targeted again by people who promise to get their money back. The FTC calls these “the worst of the worst” (opens in a new tab) and states plainly: “Government agencies and legitimate organizations will never ask for money to help you get a refund.”

These scammers may pose as investigators, attorneys, or recovery specialists. The FBI notes that recovery fraudsters “may claim affiliation with law enforcement or legal services to appear legitimate,” (opens in a new tab) and that “private sector recovery companies cannot issue seizure orders to recover cryptocurrency.” The FBI has also warned about fictitious law firms (opens in a new tab) that contact crypto scam victims and about scammers impersonating the IC3 itself (opens in a new tab). The IC3's website states that it does not work with any non-law enforcement entity, such as law firms or crypto services, to recover lost funds.

Warning signs of a recovery scam:

  • Someone you don't know contacts you offering to recover your lost cryptocurrency.
  • They say they are an investigator, attorney, or recovery specialist who has traced your funds.
  • They ask for an upfront fee, a “tax,” or your banking information.
  • They claim to work with the FBI, IC3, FTC, or another agency.
  • They guarantee results.

Take care of yourself

Losing money to a scam can bring shame, anger, grief, and sleepless nights. These feelings are normal. Talk to someone you trust: a family member, a friend, a faith leader, or a counselor. Telling your story can also protect someone else from the same scam.

If you are a faith leader or volunteer helping a member through this, listen without judgment, help with the practical steps above, and keep checking in. A community's care can make a real difference in recovery.

Official sources

The facts in this article come from these official resources.

Learn together

Bring Crypto Safety Education to Your Community

Crypto Life Church helps churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, gurdwaras, and other faith communities educate their members about cryptocurrency, financial fraud, and online scams. Our introductory program, available now, covers the basics of scam prevention for the whole community. A dedicated class, What to Do If You've Been Scammed, is in development and will cover the first 24 hours, reporting to authorities, documenting what happened, and avoiding recovery scams.

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This article is general education, not legal, financial, or tax advice. Stories marked “Illustrative example” are composite scenarios written to show how scams work; they are not real cases.

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