Sometimes—but a refund is not guaranteed. Contact the bank, payment app, wire service, card issuer, gift-card company, cryptocurrency exchange, or crypto ATM operator that handled the payment as soon as possible. Tell them you paid a romance scammer and ask whether they can stop, reverse, or refund the transaction. The right next step depends on how you sent the money.
This guidance covers U.S. federal resources. Payment rights and reporting procedures may differ in other countries.
What to do first
- Stop sending money and stop communicating with the suspected scammer. Do not pay another fee or follow instructions to move more money.
- Contact the provider used for each payment. Call the bank, credit union, app, wire company, card issuer, gift-card issuer, cryptocurrency exchange, or ATM operator. Say plainly that the payment was connected to a scam and ask whether it can be stopped, reversed, or refunded. The FTC’s recovery guidance gives provider-specific steps.
- Keep records. Save messages, receipts, transaction details, card information, wallet addresses, and the provider’s case or reference numbers. If a gift card was involved, keep the card and receipt while contacting the issuer.
- Report the scam. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and notify the dating app, social network, or other platform where you met the person.
- Secure accounts if you shared access details. If the person obtained passwords, account credentials, or other sensitive information, contact the affected institutions and secure those accounts.
Act promptly, but do not treat speed as a guarantee. A provider may have more options before a payment is completed or forwarded; the FTC does not publish recovery odds for romance-scam payments.
Who to contact depends on how you paid
| Payment method | Contact and request | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer or Zelle | Call your bank or credit union immediately. Explain that you were deceived by a romance scam and ask it to reverse and refund the payment. | This is the FTC’s recommended first step, not a promise that the payment can be recovered. |
| Payment app, such as Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal | Report the transaction to the app promptly and ask it to reverse and refund it. If the app drew funds from a linked bank account or card, contact that institution too. | The provider’s terms and transaction details can affect the result. |
| Wire transfer | Contact the wire company or sending bank immediately, explain the fraud, and ask for a reversal and refund. | The FTC advises contacting the wire company or bank; recovery is not assured. |
| Gift card | Call the issuer using the number on the card. Say a scammer obtained the card number and PIN, ask about a refund, and retain the card and receipt. | The issuer may be able to advise on the specific card and transaction. |
| Credit or debit card | Contact the card issuer or bank immediately. Explain that the payment was made in connection with a scam and ask about a refund or dispute. | A payment you personally authorized after being deceived is not automatically covered in the same way as unauthorized card use. |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the exchange or crypto ATM operator immediately, report the fraudulent transaction, and ask whether it can reverse or refund it. | The FTC says cryptocurrency payments do not have the same legal protections as credit and debit cards and can be difficult to recover. |
Was the payment unauthorized, or did you send it yourself?
Be precise when describing what happened to your bank. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) generally defines an “unauthorized electronic fund transfer” as a transfer from a consumer account initiated by someone other than the consumer, without actual authority, and from which the consumer receives no benefit. Regulation E includes error-resolution rules and protections related to unauthorized transfers; see the CFPB’s Regulation E definitions and its error-resolution rules.
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If you personally initiated a payment because the scammer lied to you, that is not automatically the same as a scammer accessing your account and initiating a transfer without permission. Give the institution the accurate facts and ask it to investigate. Calling something a scam does not by itself determine the legal outcome of a particular claim.
What an FTC report can—and cannot—do
Report the suspected romance scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and notify the service where the contact began. The FTC says reports help identify patterns and support enforcement and consumer education. Filing a report is not itself a process that returns your money.
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Watch for recovery scams
After someone loses money, another person may claim they can recover it or obtain a refund. The FTC warns against anyone who asks for an upfront fee, personal information, or financial-account details in exchange for recovery. Government agencies and legitimate organizations do not charge people to help obtain a refund or guarantee that money will be returned. Do not pay a supposed recovery agent.
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