Korivash

Scambaiting / Help for victims

Think you’ve been scammed? Do this now.

It can happen to anyone. Scammers do this all day and they are good at it. You are not in trouble, and acting quickly can still protect your money.

Start at step 1

Phone numbers checked November 2026. They are United States numbers unless marked.

Still on the phone with them? Hang up now. You do not need to explain or say goodbye.

  1. Stop talking to them

    Hang up. Do not answer if they call back. Do not reply to their messages. They may shout, threaten you, or say you will be arrested. It is an act. Nothing bad happens when you hang up.

  2. Call your bank

    Use the phone number on the back of your bank card or on a statement. Do not use a number the caller gave you or one from a pop-up.

    What to say“I think I have been scammed. Someone may have had access to my account or my computer. Please check for payments I did not make, stop them, and tell me what to do next.”

    If you sent money by wire, Zelle or a payment app, tell the bank that too and ask if it can be stopped or reversed. Minutes matter.

  3. If you paid with gift cards, call the card company

    Keep the cards and the store receipt. Call the company on the card straight away.

    What to say“A scammer has the number of a gift card I bought. Please freeze the card and refund my money.”

    Apple
    1-800-275-2273 say “gift cards”
    Google Play
    Report online
    Steam (Valve)
    Steam Support
    Visa prepaid
    1-800-847-2911
    American Express gift card
    1-877-297-4438
    MoneyPak (Green Dot)
    Report online

    A different card? Look for the phone number on the back of the card.

  4. If you sent Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency

    Contact the company you used to send it right away: the exchange, the app, or the “Bitcoin ATM” company whose name is on the machine. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment.

    CoinFlip machines
    1-877-757-2646

  5. If they connected to your computer

    Turn the computer’s internet off: switch off Wi-Fi, or unplug the network cable. Then:

    • Remove the program they had you install. Common names: AnyDesk, TeamViewer, UltraViewer, ScreenConnect, LogMeIn, Zoho Assist, RustDesk, Quick Assist. If you are not sure how, ask a family member or a local computer shop you choose yourself.
    • Update your security software and run a scan.
    • Do not do any banking on that computer until this is done.

    Stop it happening again: install Seraph Secure, made by the well-known scambaiter Kitboga. It finds and removes remote-access programs, and blocks scammers from installing or connecting with them again, even if you are talked into it. The basic version is free, for Windows 10, 11 and Mac. Download it only from seraphsecure.com.

  6. Change your passwords, from a different device

    Use a phone, a tablet or another computer: not the one the scammer was in. Change your email password first, then your bank, then anything else you used that day. Turn on “two-step verification” where it is offered.

  7. Report it

    Reporting helps stop them and creates a record you may need for your bank.

    Federal Trade Commission
    ReportFraud.ftc.gov or 1-877-382-4357
    FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
    ic3.gov type the address yourself: fake copies of this site exist
    Local police
    If you lost money, also call your local police and ask for a report number.

  8. If you gave out your Social Security number or other personal details

    Ask for a free “fraud alert” on your credit file. Call one of these. It must tell the other two.

    TransUnion
    800-916-8800
    Step-by-step recovery plan
    IdentityTheft.gov

  9. Talk to someone. It is free.

    These helplines are staffed by people who do this every day. They will not judge you and they will not ask for money.

    AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline
    877-908-3360 Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern
    National Elder Fraud Hotline U.S. Department of Justice
    833-372-8311 833-FRAUD-11. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern

    Tell a family member or a friend you trust, too. Scammers count on people being too embarrassed to tell anyone.

  10. Watch out for the second scam

    After a scam, people are often contacted again by someone who promises to “recover” the lost money for a fee, or who claims to be from the police, the FBI or one of the helplines above. That is another scammer. Real agencies never charge a fee to help you and never ask for payment in gift cards or Bitcoin.

If this has left you feeling hopeless

Losing money to a scam is a real shock, and you do not have to carry it alone. In the United States you can call or text 988 at any time, day or night, to talk to someone.

Outside the United States

Canada Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
1-888-495-8501
United Kingdom Report Fraud
0300 123 2040

About this page

The phone numbers on this page were checked against each organisation’s official website in November 2026. If one no longer works, use the number on your card or statement.

More from the Federal Trade Commission: What to do if you were scammed.

This guide is made by Korivash as part of our scambaiting work. It is general information, not legal or financial advice. We cannot recover money, and we will never contact you offering to.