What do I do if I think I've been scammed?
First — you are not alone and it is not your fault. Scammers are professional criminals who do this full-time. If you think you have been scammed, acting quickly can limit the damage. If you gave money or banking information, call your bank or credit card company immediately — even on weekends. Most banks have 24-hour fraud lines on the back of your card. They can freeze your account, reverse transactions, and issue new cards. If you gave a password, change it right away on every account where you use the same password. If you allowed someone remote access to your device (by installing an app at their request), contact a trusted person or local computer repair shop to have the device checked. Report the scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre — 1-888-495-8501 — even if you did not lose money. Reports help warn others and help law enforcement track patterns.
What to do right now
- Stay calm. Do not send any more money, no matter what the scammer says.
- If money or card details were involved — call your bank immediately (number on back of your card).
- Change the password on any account involved.
- If your device was accessed remotely — unplug it from the internet and seek help.
- Report to Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre.ca.
- Tell a trusted family member or friend — you should not handle this alone.
The 3-Second Rule
If someone is pressuring you to send more money to "fix" a scam — that is a recovery scam. Hang up and call your bank directly.
Important Warning
After being scammed, you may be contacted by someone offering to recover your money for a fee. This is always a second scam. There are no legitimate "scam recovery" services that contact victims proactively.
Learn More
Go deeper with our full lesson: Module 1: Mastering the Escape Hatch.