Stop the bleeding before you try to recover — the scam intensifies the moment they sense doubt.
What to do
- Stop sending money or gift-card codes immediately
- Bank transfers: call your bank for a recall and APP-fraud reimbursement claim
- Card payments: open a chargeback with the issuer
- Crypto: report wallet addresses and txids to the receiving exchange's compliance team
- Gift cards: call the card issuer (Apple, Google Play, Amazon, Steam) — recently bought ones can sometimes be voided
- Block the contact across every channel without warning them
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JD
Written by
Jordan DicksonFounder, CyberSecurityGuides
Founder of CyberSecurityGuides, writing practical, jargon-free guides that help everyday people recover from and protect against online attacks.
Reviewed by CSG Security Engineers