The first 72 hours after discovering a scam are the most important window for your chances of financial recovery. This step-by-step guide was written by asset recovery attorneys to help you act quickly and correctly.
Whether you lost money through a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, a payment app, or a credit card, the actions you take in the first three days dramatically affect what recovery options remain available to you. Many victims wait — out of shock, shame, or hope that the situation will resolve itself. That waiting period is the most costly mistake you can make. This guide tells you exactly what to do, in what order, starting right now.
Wire transfers reported within 72 hours can sometimes still be recalled. Cryptocurrency sent to regulated exchanges can be traced. Every hour you wait narrows the window — act immediately.
Hour 1: Stop All Contact and Stop Sending Money
The moment you suspect you have been scammed, stop all communication with the person or platform involved. Do not send any more money regardless of what they say — promises that more payment will unlock your funds or release what you are owed are always lies designed to extract more from you. Block the contact on all platforms but do not delete the conversation history. You will need it.
Hours 1–2: Preserve All Evidence
Before doing anything else, save everything. Take screenshots of every message, email, transaction, and communication across every platform. Download your bank statements showing the transfers. Screenshot the trading platform or website. Note wallet addresses, usernames, email addresses, and phone numbers involved. Record the name and URL of any platform used. This evidence cannot be recreated later and is the foundation of any legal recovery action.
Hours 2–4: Contact Your Bank or Financial Institution
Call your bank's fraud line — not general customer service — and tell them you are a victim of fraud. Use the specific words "wire fraud" and "unauthorized transaction." Ask them to issue a wire recall request if money was sent by wire. Ask them to flag your account for suspicious activity. Get a written case number for every report. If you used a payment app such as PayPal, Zelle, or Venmo, report the transaction as fraud immediately within the app and follow up directly with their fraud team by phone.
Hours 4–8: File Official Reports
File with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. This creates an official federal record and feeds into national investigations that can sometimes result in asset seizures. File with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. File a report with your local police department and obtain a report number — this is often required for bank fraud investigations and insurance claims. Report to your state attorney general's consumer protection division.
Hours 8–24: Secure All Your Other Accounts
Change passwords on all accounts immediately, especially email, banking, and any account where you shared information with the scammer. Enable two-factor authentication on everything. Freeze your credit with all three bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to prevent the scammer from opening credit in your name. This is free and can be done online in minutes. Do not skip this step even if identity theft does not seem likely.
Days 2–3: Consult an Asset Recovery Attorney
After securing your accounts and filing reports, speak with an attorney who specializes in asset recovery. They can assess whether civil legal action is viable, whether emergency asset freeze orders are possible, and what the realistic recovery options are based on exactly how the money was sent. Many victims delay this step out of embarrassment or hopelessness. This is understandable but costly. The sooner an attorney reviews your case, the more options remain available to you.
Warning: You May Be Targeted Again Immediately
Within days of being scammed, many victims receive contact from a completely separate group posing as recovery agents, law enforcement, or government officials. They will claim your scammer has been caught and your funds are ready to be returned — for an upfront fee. This is always another scam. Victim information is bought and sold between criminal organizations specifically for this purpose. Do not respond to any unsolicited contact about your case, and do not pay anyone who contacts you first.
