Discovering a charge you never made, or realizing you sent money to someone who turned out to be a scammer, is a sickening moment. Take a breath.
What you do in the next few hours genuinely matters, and there is a clear path forward even if the outcome is not certain. This guide walks you through the right moves in the right order, and it tells you honestly what to expect for getting your money back.
The single most important thing to understand up front is that recovery depends on how the money left your account. A charge you did not authorize carries strong federal protection.
Money you authorized and sent yourself is a much harder situation. We will be straight with you about both.
Why the first phone call cannot wait
Speed is your biggest advantage. The faster you report, the more options your card issuer and investigators have, and the stronger your legal footing.
For an unauthorized credit card charge, your first move is to call the company that issued your card.
- 1.Call your card issuer's customer service or fraud line right away. The number is on the back of your card or on your statement.
- 2.Tell them the charge is fraudulent or unauthorized, and ask them to reverse the transaction. This reversal is often called a chargeback.
- 3.Ask the issuer to close the compromised card and send you a new card or account number so no further charges can hit it.
The CFPB advises calling the card company as soon as you spot the problem. The FTC similarly says to contact the company that issued the card, tell them it was a fraudulent charge, and ask them to reverse it.
A phone call gets the investigation moving quickly, but on its own it does not preserve every right you have, which is why the next step matters just as much.
Putting your dispute in writing and reporting through official channels
To fully protect your rights under federal law, you need to follow up in writing. The Fair Credit Billing Act and Regulation Z let you dispute a credit card billing error, including unauthorized charges and charges for items not accepted or not delivered as agreed.
Send a written billing error notice that reaches your issuer within 60 days after the date the first statement showing the error was sent to you. Phoning alone is not enough to preserve all your federal rights.
In that notice, identify yourself with your name and account number, state the dollar amount, and explain why you believe the charge is a billing error or unauthorized.
While the issuer investigates, withhold payment on the disputed amount and any related finance charges, but pay the undisputed part of your bill on time.
Keep copies of every letter and a log of the dates of any follow-up calls.
Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card use at $50. The CFPB states that your liability for unauthorized use cannot exceed $50, or the value obtained before you notify the issuer, whichever is less.
The issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days unless it is already resolved, and must resolve it within two complete billing cycles and no later than 90 days. The issuer cannot collect the disputed amount while the investigation is underway.
Alongside your issuer, report the fraud to the proper agencies. These reports help investigators and can support your bank claim, so it is worth doing even when recovery looks unlikely.
Report the scam or fraudulent charge to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Your report feeds the Consumer Sentinel database that is shared with law enforcement.
For wire transfers or online fraud, file a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov, or complaint.ic3.gov, as soon as possible. Save or print a copy of your complaint, because IC3 does not email one to you.
If your card company will not fix a valid dispute, submit a complaint to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint, or call 855 411 2372.
The honest outlook on getting your money back
This is the part we will not soften, because false hope helps no one. Your odds depend almost entirely on how the money left your account.
Unauthorized credit card charges have the strongest protection
If someone made a charge you did not authorize, you are in the best position. Federal law caps your liability at $50, you can dispute the charge for a chargeback, and both the FTC and CFPB confirm you can withhold payment on the disputed amount during the investigation and get valid fraud charges refunded.
Genuinely unauthorized card charges are usually recoverable when you report them quickly and follow up in writing.
Money you authorized and sent yourself is much harder to recover
If you were tricked into sending money to a scammer, the picture is different and you deserve a clear-eyed answer. The FTC's advice is plain about each method.
For wire transfers, the FTC says that once a wire is gone, you probably will not get it back. Contact the wire transfer company anyway to try to reverse it.
For cryptocurrency, you can only get your money back if the recipient returns it, which the FTC describes as very difficult. Contact the platform, but set your expectations accordingly.
For gift cards, report it to the card issuer immediately, with no guarantee of recovery.
For unauthorized bank debits, tell your bank the transaction was unauthorized and ask them to reverse it.
The FTC's blanket guidance is that no matter how you paid, it is always worth asking the company you used to send the money whether there is a way to get it back, and to act fast.
There is one important exception for wires. If you made a fraudulent transfer to a U.S. bank account and report it immediately, the FBI IC3 Recovery Asset Team can ask the receiving bank to freeze the funds before they are moved.
In 2023, IC3 placed a hold on roughly 71 percent of funds in cases where its Financial Fraud Kill Chain was initiated. That outcome depends on reporting quickly, ideally within hours, which is why filing at ic3.gov right away can make a real difference.
Do not fall for the second scam
This warning may be the most valuable thing you read here. If anyone contacts you promising to recover your lost funds for an upfront fee, it is almost always a second scam, often run by the same criminals working from a list of people who were already victimized.
They count on your desperation to get money back.
Protect yourself with three firm rules. Never pay a fee to get your money back.
Never share new account credentials or wallet access with anyone offering to help.
Report these recovery or refund offers to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
No legitimate party, not your bank, not a government agency, and not a private firm, will cold-contact you demanding payment to retrieve stolen funds.
Matching your response to how you paid
Because the method of payment drives everything, line up your response to it.
For an unauthorized card charge, dispute it for a chargeback through your issuer.
If you sent a wire, contact the wire transfer company to try to reverse it.
If you bought gift cards, contact the gift card issuer immediately.
If you sent crypto, contact the platform while understanding recovery is very difficult.
If an unauthorized debit hit your bank account, tell your bank it was unauthorized and ask them to reverse it.
In every case, file your reports with the FTC and, for wires or online fraud, with IC3.
Reducing the chance it happens again
Once the immediate crisis is handled, a few habits lower your future exposure.
Replace any card that was compromised and review your statements regularly so a stray charge gets caught inside the 60-day window.
Keep a written record of every dispute and report you file, since that paper trail supports your claims and any escalation to the CFPB.
Treat any unexpected contact about your money, especially one creating urgency or asking for an upfront payment, as a red flag rather than a rescue.
Reporting still matters even when the money is likely gone. Your report aids investigations, can support your bank claim, and helps protect the next person from the same scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to dispute a fraudulent credit card charge?
Send a written billing error notice that reaches your issuer within 60 days after the date the first statement showing the error was sent to you. A phone call gets things moving, but the written notice within that window is what preserves your full federal rights under the Fair Credit Billing Act and Regulation Z.
How much am I on the hook for if someone uses my card without permission?
Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card use at $50. The CFPB states that liability for unauthorized use cannot exceed $50, or the value obtained before you notify the issuer, whichever is less.
Can I refuse to pay the disputed amount while it is investigated?
Yes. You can withhold payment on the disputed amount and any related finance charges during the investigation, and the issuer cannot collect that amount while it investigates. You should still pay the undisputed portion of your bill.
How long does the issuer have to resolve my dispute?
The issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days unless it is already resolved, and must resolve it within two complete billing cycles and no later than 90 days.
I sent money to a scammer myself. Will I get it back?
Often, no. Money you authorized and sent is much harder to recover. The FTC says wire transfers are probably gone once sent, crypto is very difficult to recover unless the recipient returns it, and gift cards carry no guarantee. Report it immediately anyway, and for a wire to a U.S. bank account, file with IC3 right away so the Recovery Asset Team may be able to ask the receiving bank to freeze the funds.
Someone offered to recover my lost money for a fee. Is that real?
Almost certainly not. An offer to recover funds for an upfront fee is almost always a second scam, frequently run by the same criminals. Never pay a fee to get your money back, never share new account or wallet access, and report the offer to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
What if my card company refuses to fix a valid dispute?
Escalate to the CFPB. Submit a complaint at consumerfinance.gov/complaint or call 855 411 2372. The CFPB forwards your complaint to the company, which generally responds within 15 days, and you can then provide feedback.