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Call the bank, payment app, card issuer, wire service, gift-card issuer, or crypto exchange that handled the payment now. Explain that your relative was tricked and ask whether the transaction can be stopped, reversed, or refunded. A refund is not guaranteed, but the Federal Trade Commission says it is worth asking. Then report the scam, secure any accounts or devices that may also be affected, and help your relative avoid sending more money.
This guidance is for readers in the United States. Keep your relative involved in decisions where possible, and approach the conversation without blame: shame and secrecy can make it harder to prevent another payment.
What to do first
- Stop contact and stop further payments. Do not reply to the suspected scammer or send more money, even if they claim another payment is needed to release a refund, fix a problem, or keep someone safe.
- Call the payment provider immediately. Use a number from the provider’s official website, the back of a payment card, its app, or a receipt—not contact details supplied by the suspected scammer. Say plainly that your relative was deceived in a scam and ask whether the transaction can be stopped, reversed, or refunded. The FTC advises asking even when recovery may be difficult: What To Do if You Were Scammed.
- Save the evidence. Keep messages, emails, receipts, gift cards and packaging, transfer details, usernames, phone numbers, and transaction dates. Tell the provider whether the payment is pending or completed, and record any case number, call date and time, representative’s name, and requested documents. These details help you explain what happened; they do not guarantee a refund.
- Report the scam to the FTC. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. A report helps the FTC identify fraud patterns, build cases, and share information, but filing one does not itself reimburse the victim. The FTC also recommends reporting scams in its refund and recovery scam guidance.
- Check what else your relative shared. If they gave out passwords, financial details, personal information, or access to a computer or phone, treat that as a separate security issue: review the affected accounts and follow the relevant account or device guidance. A payment loss alone does not establish that a device was infected or that identity theft occurred.
Choose the next step by how the money was sent
Start with the company that handled the payment. Describe whether your relative authorized it after being deceived or whether someone made an unauthorized transaction; those are different circumstances. The provider and the transaction details determine what options, if any, are available.
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Payment method | Who to contact and what to ask | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer or unauthorized bank debit | Call the bank or credit union immediately, report fraud, and ask whether it can reverse the payment. | Be clear about whether your relative authorized the payment after a scammer’s deception or did not authorize the debit. |
| Credit or debit card | Call the card issuer or bank, report a fraudulent charge, and ask whether it can reverse or refund it. | Use the number on the card or the institution’s official contact route. |
| Payment app | Report the transaction to the app immediately and ask whether it can be reversed or refunded. | If a linked credit or debit card funded the payment, contact that card issuer as well. |
| Wire transfer | Contact the wire company or bank immediately, report a fraudulent transfer, and ask it to reverse the transfer and refund the money. | The FTC cautions that a completed wire may be difficult to reverse; ask promptly rather than assuming it can or cannot be recovered. |
| Gift card | Call the issuer using the number on the card, report the scam, and ask about a refund. If the card was just purchased, contact the retailer too. | Keep the card and receipt. |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the exchange or ATM operator used to send the funds, report the fraudulent transaction, and ask whether it can be reversed. | Crypto payments do not have the same legal protections as credit and debit card payments, and tracing or reversal can be difficult. Do not count on recovery. |
| Money order or mailed payment | Contact the issuer to ask whether payment can be stopped. If a mailed instrument has not arrived, contact the delivery service promptly. | The appropriate steps depend on what was sent and how; the FTC’s fake-check guidance is relevant to this situation, not a substitute for the steps for unrelated payment types. |
The FTC’s practical advice is: “If you paid a scammer, your money might be gone already. But it’s always worth asking the company you used to send the money if there’s a way to get it back.” That is a reason to contact the provider—not a promise that it will refund the money.
Protect against another payment or a recovery scam
Check urgent family-emergency stories independently
A scammer may pretend to be a grandchild or another relative in trouble, pressure the older person to pay immediately, and demand secrecy. Call the person who is supposedly in trouble using a number you already know, or check with another trusted family member. Do not rely on the caller’s number or a contact method they provided. The FTC advises resisting an immediate payment and talking with someone trusted in its alert about family-emergency scams targeting older adults. As the FTC puts it: “Don’t keep it quiet, especially if you can’t reach the person who’s supposed to be in trouble.”
Do not pay someone who promises to get the money back
After an initial scam, another person may claim they can recover the funds in exchange for an upfront fee or sensitive information. An unsolicited promise is not proof that the claimant is legitimate. Do not pay a recovery fee or give an unsolicited caller your banking credentials, card number, PIN, or one-time code. Report a recovery scam to the FTC and your state attorney general; see the FTC’s refund and recovery scam guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What a reported-loss figure can—and cannot—tell you
In a July 2026 consumer alert, the FTC reported that consumers reported more than $4 billion in losses to scams involving bank transfers and cryptocurrency in 2025. That is a reported-loss figure for those payment methods broadly; it is not specific to older adults, does not measure how much can be recovered, and does not predict whether your relative will get a refund. The FTC explains how scammers use payment methods in A way to spot scams: how someone asks you to pay.
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