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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteContact the company or bank that handled the payment immediately and ask whether it can stop, recall, reverse, refund, or investigate it. Explain truthfully that you sent the money because someone deceived you in a romance scam. A refund is not guaranteed: the options depend on how you paid, whether the transfer can still be stopped, and the provider’s review of what happened.
This guide is for people in the United States. If you paid through an app using a linked credit or debit card, contact both the app and the card issuer or bank.
What to do first
- Call or message the payment provider now. Use the number on your card or the provider’s official app or website. Tell them when and how you paid, who received it, and when you realized it was a scam. Ask what recovery or dispute process applies and whether the funds or value can still be blocked.
- Identify the payment method. A bank transfer, card charge, app payment, wire, gift card, cryptocurrency transfer, or cash sent by mail each has a different contact and process. Use the table below to find the right starting point.
- Keep evidence together. Save statements, receipts, transaction or transfer IDs, app or wallet details, messages, usernames, profile URLs, and the provider’s case number. If you paid with a gift card, keep the card and receipt if available.
- Report the scam. Submit a report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If the scam used the internet, report it promptly to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3); the FBI says rapid reporting can support recovery, but a report does not itself return the money. Also report the account to the dating or social platform where you met the person.
- Do not pay someone who promises recovery. The FTC warns that recovery offers can be another scam. Do not give a caller money or personal information to retrieve funds you have already lost.
Who to contact for each payment method
| How you paid | Contact and request | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer or Zelle | Contact your bank or credit union; report the transaction to the app if applicable. Ask whether it can reverse the transfer or refund the money. | A transfer you personally initiated after being deceived may not be handled as an unauthorized transfer. Ask the institution which dispute or investigation process applies. |
| Payment app, such as Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal | Report the transaction to the company behind the app and ask it to reverse or refund the payment. | If the app payment was funded by a linked credit or debit card, contact that card issuer or bank as well. |
| Wire through a transfer company | Contact the wire company, such as Western Union or MoneyGram, report the scam, and ask it to stop or reverse the transfer. | Act immediately. A wire can be difficult to recover, especially after it has been collected. |
| Wire through a bank | Contact the sending bank and report the fraudulent transfer. Ask whether it can reverse or retrieve the funds. | Recovery depends on whether the money can still be stopped or retrieved. |
| Credit card | Contact the card issuer using the number on the card or its official account channel. Explain that a scammer tricked you into paying and request a dispute review. | If you are making a billing-error claim, written notice must be sent within 60 days after the first statement showing the charge was sent. The issuer decides whether the facts qualify. |
| Debit card | Contact your bank or credit union promptly and request a refund or dispute review. | Rules for unauthorized card use differ from a payment you personally approved after being deceived. Describe what happened accurately. |
| Gift card | Contact the gift-card issuer using the contact information on the card. Explain that a scammer got the number or PIN and ask whether the card can be blocked or refunded. | Keep the card and receipt if you have them. If the value has already been redeemed, it may be gone. |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the exchange or crypto ATM operator you used, report the fraud, and ask whether it can help or reverse the transfer. | Crypto payments typically are not reversible; recovery may depend on the recipient’s cooperation. |
| Cash sent by U.S. mail | Contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service immediately and ask whether the package can be intercepted. | This guidance applies to cash sent through U.S. mail. |
Why it matters whether you authorized the payment
Do not tell your bank a transaction was unauthorized if you personally initiated or approved it. Instead, explain exactly what happened: who initiated the payment, what you believed at the time, what the scammer said or did to deceive you, and when you learned the truth. A provider may review the facts under a dispute process, but a payment made under deception is not automatically treated the same as a transfer made without your authorization.
The CFPB’s Regulation E error procedures address unauthorized or erroneous electronic transfers. Whether a particular scam payment qualifies for legal or payment-network protections depends on the circumstances and the provider’s review. The deadlines below apply to the claims described, not to every payment sent to a scammer.
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Credit-card billing-error claims
For a billing-error claim, FTC and CFPB guidance says to send written notice within 60 days after the first statement containing the charge was sent. The FTC says the issuer generally acknowledges the claim within 30 days and resolves it within 90 days. You may dispute a charge after paying it, but the CFPB says you may not receive money back until the issuer decides in your favor.
Unauthorized electronic transfers from a bank account
For an unauthorized or erroneous electronic transfer, the CFPB says a bank generally has 10 business days for an initial investigation, with special circumstances able to extend resolution. The 60-day period after the statement showing an error can affect liability or protections. These timelines do not create an automatic right to undo a payment you knowingly sent to a recipient who lied.
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What to record while a provider reviews your case
- Write down the date and time you contacted each company, the representative or channel you used, and the case or confirmation number.
- Ask what documents the provider needs, how to submit a written dispute, and the next deadline in your case.
- Keep copies of messages, receipts, statements, and any written responses. Save the scammer’s profile details before reporting it if you can do so safely.
- If you shared passwords or sensitive identity information, secure those accounts separately; protecting accounts is distinct from recovering a payment.
What reported loss figures do—and do not—tell you
In its 2023 reporting on 2022 losses, the FTC said 24% of people who reported losing money to a romance scam said gift cards were used. The FTC’s reported loss distribution for that year was 34% cryptocurrency, 27% bank wire or payment, 7% gift card, 3% payment app or service, and 28% other. These figures describe reported losses, not an individual’s chance of getting money back.
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