How to get your money back after a tech-support scam
What you can recover depends entirely on how the money left. Here's the honest breakdown by payment type — and exactly what to do for each, starting today.
Move fast — recovery odds drop by the day. First, write down every payment: the amount, the date, and how you paid. Then work the table below.
Recoverability by payment type
| How you paid | Odds | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| Gift cards (Apple, Google, Target, etc.) | Low once redeemed | Call the card brand's fraud line immediately with the card numbers & receipts — a very recent card can sometimes be frozen. Report to FTC + IC3 regardless. |
| Credit / debit card (incl. via a payment processor) | Often recoverable | Call your card issuer's fraud line, dispute as fraud, request a new card. Card networks have real chargeback protections. |
| Bank transfer / wire / Zelle | Time-sensitive | Call your bank now — a wire may be recallable if caught early. Report unauthorized transfers immediately. |
| Cryptocurrency | Very low | Report to the exchange and IC3 with the transaction IDs. Rarely reversible, but document everything. |
Where to report
- FBI IC3 — ic3.gov (federal internet-crime complaint; file for any loss).
- FTC — reportfraud.ftc.gov (tracks these scams as a named pattern).
- Local police — get a report number for your bank/card claims.
Why documentation decides your claim
Banks and investigators act on specifics: amounts, dates and times, the remote tools used, any phone number or "customer ID" the scammer left, and the exact money channel. A precise, evidence-backed write-up turns "I think I was scammed" into a claim they can approve and a case they can pursue.
We reconstruct exactly what happened and package it with dates, tools, and the money trail — a report your bank, card issuer, and the police can actually use.
See how it worksFAQ
Can I get money back from gift cards?
Usually not once redeemed, but report it immediately — a very recent card can occasionally be frozen. Keep receipts and card numbers; file with the FTC and IC3.
Can I dispute a credit-card charge?
Often yes — card and bank charges are frequently disputable as fraud and are traceable. Call your issuer's fraud line right away and provide any police report number.