Emergency Help — You've Been Targeted

Contact your bank or credit card company immediately. Tell them it was a fraudulent transaction and ask them to reverse or stop the payment.

If you paid by wire transfer, call your bank's fraud line right away — wire transfers can sometimes be recalled within hours.

If you paid by gift card, call the gift card company's customer service number on the back of the card and report fraud.

If you used a payment app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App), report the transaction as fraud in the app and contact your bank.

File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov — this creates an official record and helps investigators.

File a report with your local police department. Get a case number for your records.

Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311 (Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm ET) for free, confidential support and guidance.

Place a free fraud alert on your credit file by contacting one of the three major bureaus: Equifax (1-800-525-6285), Experian (1-888-397-3742), or TransUnion (1-800-680-7289). They are required to notify the others.

Consider placing a free credit freeze at all three bureaus. A freeze prevents new accounts from being opened in your name.

If you gave out your Social Security number, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized, step-by-step recovery plan.

Change passwords on any accounts that use the information you shared, starting with your email and bank accounts.

Monitor your bank and credit card statements closely for the next 90 days.

Report the incident to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 (Mon–Fri, 8am–8pm ET) for free guidance from trained fraud specialists.

Do not enter any information on the page that opened. Close the browser tab immediately.

Run a full antivirus or malware scan on your device. If you don't have one, Windows Defender (built into Windows) or Malwarebytes (free version) are reliable options.

Change the password for any account you may have logged into after clicking the link.

Enable two-factor authentication on your email and bank accounts if you haven't already.

If the link came by email, report the email as phishing to your email provider.

Watch for unusual activity on your accounts over the next 30 days.

Disconnect your computer from the internet immediately — unplug the ethernet cable or turn off Wi-Fi.

Do not turn off the computer yet — leave it on so a technician can examine it if needed.

Contact a trusted local computer repair shop or call a family member who can help assess the damage.

Change all passwords from a different, unaffected device (your phone or a family member's computer).

Contact your bank immediately and alert them that your computer may be compromised.

Report the incident to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.