Can I cancel a bank transfer to a scammer?

A bank transfer cannot be reversed unilaterally once it has been processed — but your bank can send a recall request to the receiving bank asking them to return the funds voluntarily. The probability of success is highest in the first 24 hours before the scammer moves the money. Call your bank's fraud line immediately, not tomorrow. Use the words 'authorised push payment fraud' and ask them to initiate a recall.

What if I sent money via gift card to a scammer?

Call the gift card issuer immediately and report the card numbers as involved in fraud. Some issuers (Amazon, Google, Apple) can freeze unused balances if the card has not yet been fully redeemed. Even if the balance is gone, report the card numbers in your FBI IC3 complaint — gift card fraud data is tracked and contributes to enforcement actions against the networks that use them.

Should I send more money to a scammer who says they will pay me back?

Never. 'Send more money to recover what you already sent' is a standard secondary fraud tactic called a recovery hook. The scammer knows you are motivated by the existing loss and exploits that. Every additional payment you make goes directly to the scammer and cannot be recovered. Stop all transfers immediately regardless of what promises or threats accompany the request.

Scam Recovery

I Sent Money to a Scammer — What Do I Do Now?

By Michael Muinov, Founder and Lead Investigator · Active casework since 1999 · Updated 20 May 2026

You have just realised you sent money to a scammer. Every minute counts for some payment types. Here is exactly what to do — ordered by urgency, by payment method, and by what is actually recoverable.

Quick answer

What is the first thing to do after sending money to a scammer?

Call your bank or payment provider right now — before reading the rest of this guide. The fastest action is always the financial one. Tell them you have been the victim of a romance scam and ask to initiate a recall, chargeback, or fraud dispute depending on your payment method. Do not wait until you have gathered evidence or filed reports — do the financial call first.

Then come back and work through the rest of this guide. Evidence gathering, reporting to law enforcement, and understanding your recovery options all matter — but none of them matter more than the financial call you make in the next 60 minutes.

Actions by Payment Method — Do These First

Bank wire or transfer: Call your bank's fraud line immediately. Ask to initiate a recall request. UK banks must comply with the APP fraud reimbursement scheme. US banks will attempt a recall. Provide the receiving account details and the exact amount and date.
Credit or debit card: Call the number on the back of your card. Ask to dispute the charge as fraud. Card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) have strong consumer protection rules — chargebacks are often successful for romance scam charges.
PayPal: Open a dispute in the Resolution Centre immediately. Select "I didn't authorise this transaction" or "I didn't receive what I paid for." Act within 180 days of payment.
Cryptocurrency: Do not send any more. Identify the exchange you used and report the destination wallet address to their compliance team. If funds are still on the exchange, a freeze may be possible. File with FBI IC3 — include the wallet address, transaction hash, and amount.
Gift cards: Call the issuer's customer service and report the card numbers as fraudulently obtained. Then add them to your IC3 report. Amazon: 1-888-280-4331. Apple/iTunes: 1-800-275-2273. Google Play: support.google.com.
Wire via money transfer service (Western Union, MoneyGram): Call Western Union fraud at 1-800-448-1492 or MoneyGram at 1-800-926-9400. If the transfer has not yet been collected it can sometimes be cancelled.

After the Financial Call: Next 24 Hours

Document everything — screenshot the scammer's profile, all conversation logs, every payment confirmation, and the account details you sent money to. Do this before blocking.
Block the scammer on every channel after documenting.
File with FBI IC3 at ic3.gov. Include all documentation. This creates the federal record.
File with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Report the profile to the platform where you met them.
Tell one trusted person — isolation increases vulnerability to secondary scams targeting you.

Investigate the Scammer's Identity

I Sent Money to a Scammer — What Do I Do Now?

What is the first thing to do after sending money to a scammer?

Actions by Payment Method — Do These First

After the Financial Call: Next 24 Hours

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