Fraud Recovery: What to Do in the First 72 Hours

The first hour

1. 1Stop all contact. Do not send a final payment, and do not warn the scammer that you know.
2. 2Call your bank or card issuer's fraud department using the number on your card, and ask them to freeze the account, block the payee, and open a case number.
3. 3For a wire sent in the last three days, ask explicitly about a wire recall; for large amounts, ask your bank about the FBI Financial Fraud Kill Chain.
4. 4For gift cards, call the retailer's fraud line immediately with the card and receipt in hand.
5. 5For crypto, contact the exchange, freeze the account if it is yours, and preserve the wallet address and transaction IDs.
6. 6If you gave remote access, disconnect the device from the internet.

The first 72 hours

1. 1File at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and at ic3.gov (FBI). Both accept reports even when no money was lost.
2. 2If personal data was shared, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan, then freeze credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
3. 3Change passwords for email and banking from a device that was not involved, and turn on two-factor authentication.
4. 4File a local police report; some institutions require the report number to process claims.
5. 5Report investment losses to sec.gov/tcr and your state securities regulator; report Medicare or health billing fraud to 1-800-MEDICARE.
6. 6Ask your bank for its written decision on the claim, and keep it — it is the basis of any appeal.

What if the bank denies the claim?

• Ask for the denial in writing and the specific regulation it relies on.
• For electronic transfers, cite Regulation E and request the investigation documents you are entitled to.
• If the payment was an imposter-scam Zelle transfer, ask for review under the network's imposter-scam reimbursement policy by name.
• Escalate to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint — banks respond to these on a clock.
• For national banks, you can also complain to the OCC at helpwithmybank.gov.
• State attorney general offices and your state's Adult Protective Services can add pressure in elder-fraud cases.

Supporting the person, not just the account

Financial recovery is only part of it. Fraud victims frequently report sleeplessness, shame, and withdrawal, and shame is exactly what makes a repeat loss more likely. Families should respond with logistics rather than blame: help make the calls, keep the folder of case numbers, and say plainly that the loss was caused by a professional criminal operation. AARP's free helpline connects victims with volunteers who have been through it, and that conversation often does more than any dispute letter.