Baloney

Already clicked or paid? Here's what to do

No judgment — minutes matter. Take a breath, then work through the steps below, one at a time. Do only the parts that match what happened.

First — and most important: stop talking to them.

Don't call the scammer back, reply, or try to reason with them. Every contact just confirms you're reachable and hands them another opening.

And watch for the follow-up: if someone new contacts you offering to get your money back or “investigate” for you, that's almost always a second scam aimed at people who were just scammed. From here on, deal only with your own bank and the official sites below — never anyone who reaches out to you.

If you gave someone access to your computer

  1. Disconnect from the internet — turn off Wi-Fi, or unplug the cable.
  2. Shut the computer all the way down.
  3. From a different device (your phone is fine), change your email and bank passwords.
  4. Have the computer checked or its security scanned before you use it for anything sensitive again.
  5. If you paid them, also follow “If you paid by card” below.

If you paid by card

  1. Call your bank or card company now — use the number on the back of your card, not any number from the scam.
  2. Tell them it was a scam. Ask them to dispute the charge and, if needed, send a new card.
  3. Keep an eye on your statements for any more charges.

If you sent money by wire, Zelle, or a bank transfer

  1. Call your bank immediately and ask if the transfer can be stopped or reversed — acting fast matters most here.
  2. Ask them to watch your account for anything else unusual.

If you sent gift cards

  1. Contact the gift card company right away (Apple, Amazon, Google Play, etc.). If you report it fast, some can freeze or refund the balance.
  2. Keep the card itself and your receipt — you'll need the numbers.

If you sent cryptocurrency

  1. Crypto usually can't be reversed — but report it anyway (below). Reporting still helps investigators and can help others.
  2. If you used an exchange (Coinbase, Kraken, etc.), contact them and change that account's password.

If you typed in a password

  1. From a safe device, change that password now — and change it anywhere else you used the same one.
  2. Turn on two-factor authentication wherever you can.
  3. If it was your bank or email password, call them to let them know.

If you shared personal info (Social Security or account numbers)

  1. Go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized, step-by-step recovery plan.
  2. Consider a free credit freeze with the three credit bureaus so no one can open accounts in your name.

Then report it

Reporting helps stop the scammers and can help you recover:

Baloney can write the report for you — run the message through a free check and open the “Report this scam” box on your result.

One more thing: being targeted doesn't make you foolish. These scams fool experts too — acting quickly is what matters, and you're already doing it.