At first, we have a bad news for you. You may not always be able to get your money back after being scammed. However, you can try at least. Here’s what you should do.
Step one: report it
If you have fallen for a scam, make sure you report it. Even though you may not be able to get your money back, you might be able to prevent scammers from stealing from other people in the future.
First, file a report with your local police department. Second, file a report with the Federal Trade Commission as well. Your reports (very likely) won’t help you with getting your money back, but they will be used to record patterns of abuse.
–> Read also: Are you an ideal scam victim? This simple test will tell you
Step two: try to get your money back
If you have used a credit card or bank transfer during the scam, you may be able to recover some of your losses.
- Gather all information and information related to the scam.
- Call to your bank or credit card company and provide them with all details.
- Follow up if you don’t hear back within 30 days.
Banks and credit card companies are expected to resolve your complaint within two months (it should’t take longer than 90 days). However, always keep in mind that resolving a complaint does not necessarily mean they’ll give you your money back.
Step three: make sure you get a protection against scam
Don’t want to lose your money ever again? Make sure to get an efficient protection against scammers, for example the Should I Answer app for Android or for iOS. It will block all incoming spam calls for you, so you don’t have to deal with scammers anymore.