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Scams and fraud emergencies: financial protection

Financial scams and phone/online fraud target people of all ages. If you realize you have been scammed or gave out banking details, acting within the first hours increases the chance of recovering funds.

Do this now

  1. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately using the official phone number on the back of your card.
  2. Request a freeze or block on all compromised accounts, debit cards, and credit lines.
  3. Change passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all financial and email accounts.
  4. Place a credit freeze with major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion in the US).
  5. File a report with your local police department and national consumer fraud reporting agency.

Immediate actions by scam type

Bank wire or gift card scams: - Contact the bank or wire service (Western Union, MoneyGram) immediately to request a wire recall. - If you paid via gift cards, call the store or card issuer immediately with receipt numbers.

Remote computer access scams: - Disconnect your computer from Wi-Fi or unplug the Ethernet cable immediately. - Turn off the computer. Have a certified technician check it for remote access software or malware. - Change all banking and email passwords from a different, secure device.

Impostor or caller ID spoofing scams: - Government agencies (IRS, Social Security, police, border patrol) will never call demanding immediate payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer. - Hang up immediately and call the official government agency number directly.

How to place a credit freeze

A credit freeze prevents scammers from opening new credit cards or loans in your name.

  • Contact each of the major credit bureaus online or by phone.
  • Request a security credit freeze. Freezing your credit is free by law in many jurisdictions and does not affect your credit score.

Reporting fraud

In the United States, report scams to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. In Canada, contact the Anti-Fraud Centre. In the UK, report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.