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Clear, step-by-step help after a scam, identity theft or a data breach. Every step links to the official U.S. source it comes from.
Free tools
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Scam text and email checker
Not sure about a text or email? Paste it and see the red flags official guidance warns about. It never leaves your browser.
Scam recovery checklist
Tick what happened (how you paid, what you shared) and get a prioritized plan from official FTC guidance.
Data breach checklist
Got a breach notice? Tick what was exposed and get the official steps for each item, most urgent first.
Credit freeze tracker
Freeze your credit everywhere it matters, with official links and a checklist saved on your own device.
Most scammed states: FTC data
The FTC's official numbers for every state: reports per 100,000 people, money lost and the median loss.
Most scammed cities: FTC data
Look up your metro area: fraud and identity theft reports per 100,000 people for 401 areas, ranked by the FTC.
Scam statistics: how scams start and how people paid
Email, calls, texts or social media? Bank transfer, crypto or gift cards? The FTC's numbers, with losses for each.
Scams by age: FTC data
Who reports losing money most often, and who loses the most: the FTC's numbers for every age group.
Family scam safety plan
Make a one-page plan for an older parent: who to call to check a story, your family code word and the official numbers.
Where to report a scam
Find the official agency for each kind of scam, from fake IRS calls to crypto investment fraud.
Step-by-step guides
A Scammer Has My Name, Address or Phone Number: What Can They Do?
Gave a scammer your name, address, phone number, email or birth date? What they can do with each one, and the free steps that protect you now.
Amazon Scam Call or Text About an Order: Real or Fake?
Amazon call or text about an order, Prime fee or locked account? How to check if it's real, what Amazon never asks for, and what to do if you responded.
Can I Get My Money Back After a Scam? What to Do for Each Way You Paid
Paid a scammer? Your chances depend on how you paid. What to do now for cards, Zelle, apps, wires, gift cards, crypto and cash, plus the deadlines.
Charity Scams: How to Check if a Charity Is Legit (and What to Do If You Paid)
How to check if a charity is legit with the IRS and your state, the red flags of charity scams, and what to do if you already gave to a fake one.
Fake Debt Collector? How to Tell If a Debt Collection Call, Text or Letter Is Real
Call, text or letter from a debt collector? How to spot a fake, what a real collector must send you, and what to do if the debt isn't yours or you paid.
FedEx or UPS Scam Text: How to Tell and What to Do If You Clicked
FedEx or UPS text about a fee, customs duties, an address or a missed delivery? How to check it, what to do if you clicked or paid, and how to report it.
Geek Squad Email Scam: Fake Invoice or Renewal? What to Do
Got a Geek Squad invoice or auto-renewal email? How to check with Best Buy, what to do if you called, paid or got a “refund,” and how to report it.
Got a Data Breach Notice Letter? What It Means and What to Do
Got a data breach notice? How to check it's real, what each type of exposed data means, and whether to accept the free credit monitoring.
Got a Package You Didn't Order? What a Brushing Scam Means and What to Do
Got a package you didn't order with your name on it? What a brushing scam is, if you can keep it, why not to scan its QR code, and how to report it.
Grandparent Scams and AI Voice Clones: How to Protect Your Family
A “grandchild” calls begging for bail money, maybe in a cloned voice. How to check it’s them, set up a family safe word, and what to do if you paid.
How to Freeze (and Unfreeze) Your Credit: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion and the Ones People Forget
Official links and phone numbers to freeze and unfreeze your credit for free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, plus the extra bureaus people forget.
I Clicked a Phishing Link: What to Do Now (Phone or Computer)
Clicked a phishing link on your phone or computer? What to do now, based on what you typed or downloaded, and how to report the text or email.
I Deposited a Fake Check: What Happens Now and What to Do
Deposited a check that turned out to be fake? Why the money showed up, whether you'll have to repay the bank, what to do now and how to report it.
I Gave a Scammer My Bank Account Number: What to Do Now
Gave a scammer your bank account and routing numbers? What they can do with them, what to ask your bank today, and your rights if money is taken.
I Gave a Scammer My Credit Card Number: What to Do Now
Gave a scammer your credit card number? What to do now, what you owe for charges you didn't make, how to dispute a scam charge, and where to report it.
I Gave a Scammer My Social Security Number: What to Do Now
Gave your Social Security number to a scammer? What to do first: freeze your credit, protect your tax and Social Security records, and report it.
I Got Scammed on Apple Pay or Apple Cash: What Can I Do?
Scammed on Apple Pay or Apple Cash? Who handles your claim (your bank or Green Dot Bank), when a payment can be canceled, and where to report it.
I Got Scammed on Facebook Marketplace: What Can I Do?
Scammed on Facebook Marketplace as a buyer or seller? What to do now, what Purchase Protection covers and doesn't, and how to try to get money back.
I Let a Scammer Into My Computer: What to Do Now
Let a fake tech support or bank caller into your computer or phone? What to do right now, how to protect your money, and where to report it.
I Paid a Scammer Through Zelle: What to Do Now
Paid a scammer with Zelle? What to do right now, when a payment can be canceled, what your bank may refund, and where to report it.
I Paid a Scammer With Gift Cards: What to Do Now
Gave a scammer gift card numbers? Who to call first, what to say, gift card company contacts from the FTC's list, and where to report it.
I Scanned a Fake QR Code: What to Do Now (Parking Meter Scams)
Scanned a fake QR code, like a sticker on a parking meter? What to do if you paid, typed a password or installed something, and where to report it.
Is IC3 Legit? What Happens After You File (and Fake IC3 Scams)
IC3.gov is the FBI's real complaint site. What happens after you file, what to include, when money can be frozen, and how to spot fake IC3 recovery scams.
Is This Call Really From My Bank? How to Check Without Getting Scammed
Got a call or text from your bank's fraud department? How to check if it's real, what banks never ask for, and what to do if you already shared a code.
Jury Duty or Arrest Warrant Call Demanding Payment? What to Do
Missed jury duty? Arrest warrant? A call demanding payment is a scam. How to check with the real court or sheriff, what to do if you paid, where to report.
Medicare Scam Calls: How to Spot Them and What to Do (2026)
Medicare won't call uninvited for your Medicare Number. How to spot scam calls in Open Enrollment 2026, what to do if you shared it, and where to report.
My Email Was Hacked: What to Do Now (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo)
Email hacked? What to do now in Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo: lock the hacker out, undo their changes, get back in and protect your other accounts.
My Facebook Was Hacked: How to Get It Back and Lock It Down
Facebook hacked? Get back in through facebook.com/hacked, reverse an email change, appeal a disabled account and lock the hacker out for good.
My Instagram Was Hacked: How to Get It Back (Even If the Email Changed)
Instagram hacked? Recover it at instagram.com/hacked, undo an email change, get through the video selfie check and lock the hacker out for good.
Paid a Scammer at a Bitcoin ATM? What to Do Now
Paid a scammer at a Bitcoin ATM? Who to call first, what details to save, where to report it, and the state laws that may help you get a refund.
Pig Butchering Scam: What It Is and What to Do If You Invested
Pig butchering is a fake crypto investment scam that starts with a friendly stranger. How it works, the signs, and what to do if you invested.
Romance Scam: What to Do If You Sent Money (or Think You're Being Scammed)
Sent money to someone you met online? What to do now, the red flags of a romance scam, how to help a loved one who won't believe it, and how to report it.
Scammed by a Fake Website? How to Try to Get Your Money Back and Report It
Bought from a fake online store? How to try to get your money back based on how you paid, what to do if you typed your card number, and how to report it.
Scammed on Cash App? How to Try to Get Your Money Back
Scammed on Cash App? What to do now, when a payment can be canceled or disputed, what Cash App may refund, bitcoin limits, and where to report it.
Scammed on PayPal? How to Try to Get Your Money Back
Paid a scammer through PayPal? What to do now, when a payment can be canceled, what Purchase Protection covers, and how to try to get money back.
Scammed on Venmo? What to Do Now and How to Try to Get Money Back
Scammed on Venmo? What to do now, when a payment can be canceled, what Purchase Protection covers, and how to try to get money back.
Settlement Check or Email: Is It Real or a Scam?
How to tell a real settlement check, email or text from a scam, and where Cash App, Zelle, Venmo and PayPal settlement payments stand in 2026.
Social Security Scam Call, Email or Letter? How to Tell If It's Real
Social Security scam call, email, text or letter? How to tell if it's real, what SSA never asks for, what to do if you paid, and how to report it.
Someone Asked for My Google Voice Verification Code: What to Do If I Shared It
A buyer asked you to send a Google Voice code? How the scam works, what to do if you shared it, and how to take your phone number back.
Someone Filed Taxes in My Name: What to Do Now
Someone filed a tax return with your Social Security number? What to do now: answer IRS letters, file on paper, use Form 14039 right, get an IP PIN.
Someone Is Threatening to Share My Photos: What to Do (Sextortion)
Someone threatening to share your photos? Don't pay. How to save evidence, report sextortion and get images removed under the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
Someone Is Using My Address for Mail or Credit: What to Do
A stranger's mail, a change of address you didn't make, or credit, benefits or a business tied to your address? What each means and where to report it.
Someone Is Using My Phone Number: Spoofing, and What to Do
People say you called them, but you didn't? It's usually caller ID spoofing. What the FCC says to do, how to report it, and when it's more serious.
Someone Opened a Credit Card in My Name: What to Do
Found a credit card account you never opened? How to shut it down, report it at IdentityTheft.gov, freeze your credit and get it off your credit reports.
Someone Swapped My SIM or Ported My Number: What to Do Now
Phone suddenly has no service? Someone may have swapped your SIM or ported your number. What to do in the first hour, how to lock your line and report it.
Task Scams and Fake Job Texts: What to Do If You Paid or Shared Your Info
Got a text or WhatsApp job offer to rate apps or like videos? How task scams work, and what to do if you paid in crypto or gave your SSN or bank info.
Text About an Unpaid Traffic Ticket or DMV Fine? Real or Scam, and What to Do
Got a text about an overdue traffic ticket, a hearing or a DMV fine? How to tell if it's a scam, what to do if you clicked, paid or scanned the QR code.
Toll Scam Text (E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak): What to Do If You Clicked or Paid
Got a text about unpaid tolls from E-ZPass, SunPass or FasTrak? How to check your real toll bill, what to do if you clicked or paid, and how to report it.
USPS Text Scam: How to Spot It, What to Do If You Clicked, and How to Report It
Got a text saying USPS can't deliver your package? How to tell it's fake, what to do if you clicked or paid a fee, and how to report it.
Wrong Number Text Scam: What It Is and What to Do
A friendly text meant for someone else can be the start of a romance or crypto scam. What to do if you get one, already replied, or sent money.
How we work
- Official sources on every step. FTC, CFPB, FBI, IRS, Social Security, USPS and the credit bureaus, linked where we use them.
- A named expert behind the site. Alex Fernández, an ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor, runs Fraud First Aid. Guides he has reviewed himself show the date of his review.
- Visible dates. Procedures change. Each guide shows when it was last fact-checked against its sources.
- No data grabs. Our tools never ask for passwords and never send what you type anywhere.
You're not alone: 73% of U.S. adults have experienced an online scam or attack, and 21% have lost money to one (Pew Research Center, survey of 9,397 adults, April 2025).