What To Do If You've Been Scammed Over the Phone (2024)

What Happens If You Get Scammed Over the Phone? 

With almost 74 million spam calls made every single day, the chances of being scammed over the phone have never been higher [*]. By combining social engineering tactics with advanced technology like AI-powered voice cloning and robocalls, fraudsters dupe victims into giving up their sensitive information and savings. 

According to the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [*]:

Americans have lost over $426 million to phone scams since the start of 2023. 

If you’ve been the victim of a phone scam, you need to act quickly to protect your online accounts, finances, and identity. 

In this guide, we’ll explain exactly what to do if you’ve been scammed over the phone, how to try and recover any lost or stolen funds, and how you can stay safe from scammers in the future.

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What To Do If You’ve Been Scammed Over The Phone

1. Freeze your credit with all three bureaus
2. Collect details about the scam
3. File an official report with the FTC
4. Contact your bank and any other impacted institutions
5. Update your account passwords, and enable 2FA
6. Change your backup phone number on vulnerable accounts
7. Check your computer and phone for malware
8. Report the scam to local police and any impacted agencies
9. Close fraudulent accounts, and dispute charges
10. Warn your friends and family about the scam
11. Consider signing up for identity theft protection

When fraudsters get hold of your personal information, it’s crucial to take action quickly in order to protect yourself from identity theft. Here’s what to do if you have been scammed over the phone.

1. Freeze your credit with all three bureaus

Scammers are almost always financially motivated. If they can’t get you to send them money or gift cards directly while on the phone, they try to collect enough of your personally identifiable information (PII) to open new accounts or take out loans in your name.

A credit freeze prevents anyone from accessing your credit file, effectively shutting down scammers from ruining your credit score.  

How to freeze your credit:

To freeze your credit, you must contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Here's how to get in touch with each of the bureaus:

Note: Keep your credit freeze PIN safe. The bureaus will ask you to confirm your identity, and they will then provide you with a unique PIN that allows you to freeze and unfreeze your credit file. Make sure you keep this PIN in a secure place — such as in your password manager.

2. Collect details about the scam

The more details you can share about the scam, the better chance you have of disputing bogus charges — and potentially even catching the scammer. As soon as you think you’ve been scammed, start documenting as much information as possible about the scam. 

Here’s what you should do:

• Collect financial documents. Gather statements from your bank or credit card issuer, and review them so that you can note any fraudulent charges with clear figures and dates. 
• Order your credit reports. Examine your reports for signs of fraud, such as applications for loans or new accounts that you don’t recognize. Every American is entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major bureaus each week from AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Organize your evidence. Prepare all printed documents in a folder to share with local police, your bank, and anyone else who might be able to help. You can add supporting notes detailing any incidents or conversations, screenshots of emails and text messages, as well as dates and times.

📚 Related: What To Do If Scammers Have Your Social Security Number (SSN) →

3. File an official report with the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the government agency responsible for investigating fraud, and it can help in multiple ways. You can both report scams and file an official identity theft report with the FTC online. An official FTC report is essential for disputing fraudulent charges and proving that you were the victim of identity theft.

How to file a fraud report with the FTC:

• Visit IdentityTheft.gov to file an identity theft affidavit. You can complete the online form to help the FTC begin its investigation. Include your name, address, phone number, and as much information as possible about the scam; then follow the steps in the provided personal recovery plan. 
• Report the scam to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. While this step is optional, any information that you supply to the FTC can be used to help track down scammers and warn other potential victims. 

4. Contact your bank and any other impacted financial institutions

Phone scammers often try to persuade you to give up your banking information. If you think there’s even the slightest possibility that your bank account, credit or debit card, and other financial details have been compromised, you should contact your bank’s fraud department right away.  

Here’s what to do:

• Contact the bank immediately. You can contact your bank or credit card company via the customer service number listed on the back of your card. Tell them you’ve been scammed. If you have proof of fraudulent charges on your account, provide details to start a dispute.
• Cancel compromised cards and accounts. Request that the financial institution cancel your compromised cards and accounts and issue new ones to you. 
• Ask about additional security measures. See if there’s more you can do to protect your accounts, such as enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), signing up for fraud alerts, etc.

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5. Update your account passwords, and enable 2FA

Some con artists use phone scams as a way to access your online accounts, such as your banking, email, social media, or even government accounts — including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and Social Security Administration (SSA). 

Any time you engage with a scammer, it’s good practice to secure your online accounts and update your passwords. 

Here’s what to do:

• Create strong passwords for all of your accounts. Opt for long, complex, and unique combinations rather than obvious codes like pet names and birthdays. Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to make your passwords hard to guess.
• Use a password manager. Most people reuse the same login details because they have too many passwords to remember. A password manager is a secure app that stores all of your credentials in a single place, giving you easy access when you need them. 
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). A second step in the login process helps stop most account takeover attempts — especially if you use biometric authentication or an authenticator app.

6. Change your backup phone number on vulnerable accounts

Fraudsters can do a surprising amount of damage with just your phone number. For example, over $13 million in cryptocurrency was stolen from 54 victims when scammers used a SIM swap attack to take over victims’ phone numbers and access their online accounts [*]. 

Updating your backup contact details gives you a secondary method for being alerted to fraud and can also help you regain access to hacked accounts before it’s too late. 

Here’s what to do:

• Notify your mobile carrier immediately. If you think your phone number is hacked, contact the service provider to report the issue. The network company can help you regain access, or they'll block the SIM card so hackers cannot impersonate you or intercept your messages.
• Change your phone number on all accounts. Leaving a compromised number on your online accounts puts you at risk of a hack. Remove the old number — especially if it's linked to your email address or bank account.
• Let your contacts know. It's wise to tell your friends, family members, and work colleagues that someone has compromised your phone number. Ask them to stop trying to contact you until you resolve the situation, and be sure that they know not to engage in conversation with anyone calling or texting from that number. 

📚 Related: What To Do If Scammers Have Your Phone Number →

7. Check your computer and phone for malware

Some phone scams can lead to spyware or ransomware being installed on your devices. These malicious programs enable cybercriminals to access your smartphone or laptop, on which they can track your activity, steal your passwords, and even get remote access to programs on your device.

Here’s what to do:

• Install antivirus software. You should run regular scans with security software to identify and isolate malware, ransomware, and trojans before they become hazardous.
• Always scan external drives like USBs. Before opening any files, right-click the drive icon and select Scan to ensure the drive isn't corrupted. 
• Keep all software up to date. You can enable automatic updates to keep you in sync with the latest security patches. Also, be sure to only download patches directly from providers — not from third-party vendors.

8. Report the scam to local police and any impacted agencies

If you know the scammer or have information that could lead to an arrest, you should file a police report with local law enforcement. A police report can also sometimes be necessary for disputing charges or trying to recover your stolen funds. 

Here’s what to do:

• Gather your evidence. Before making the report, organize all proof of the fraud, including bank statements, screenshots of emails, call recordings, and your FTC identity theft report. 
• Visit your local police department. Bring your identity documents and evidence to the police station, and ask to speak with the officer in charge of the fraud department. 
• Keep a record. After you discuss the matter with the police, document everything and arrange a time to follow up once they have had a chance to investigate.

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9. Close fraudulent accounts and dispute charges

Fraudsters can use stolen personal details to open new financial accounts and secure auto loans — and then leave their victims saddled with the debts. Some cybercriminals even go to the trouble of making payments to eventually access larger credit lines — before draining everything. 

If you discover any fraudulent accounts or charges, you should close them down immediately.

Here’s what to do:

• Review your credit reports. You can visit Annualcreditreport.com to order free copies of your credit files from each of the three major reporting agencies. Study the reports for unfamiliar activities like new accounts, loan applications, and hard inquiries.
• Inspect your statements. Carefully review your bank and credit card statements to look for unauthorized transactions. Even small charges are worth querying, as they could be precursors to more significant thefts. 
• Submit a dispute. You can report suspected fraud to financial institutions and credit bureaus. Insist that authorities shut down any new accounts or lines of credit that you didn’t personally authorize. 

10. Warn your friends and family about the scam

In 2023, there was a rise in AI voice cloning, in which scammers use artificial intelligence to trick vulnerable people into believing they’re on the phone with a family member. One woman in Canada lost thousands to this advanced twist on the grandparent scam [*]. 

If you've been conned on the phone, it's important to spread the word to others before they, too, fall for the scam. 

Here’s what to do:

• Speak with your family. Tell friends and family members that your phone has been hacked and to be aware of any messages or calls claiming to come from you. 
• Encourage others to set up two-factor authentication (2FA). With 2FA enabled, your friends and family members will have more security on their online accounts, even if they encounter a phone scammer.
• Create a safety system. If anyone in your trusted circle gets a suspicious message or phone call, agree to call each other first before taking action. Alternatively, you could create a special code word to identify yourself to friends on the phone (one that fraudsters would not know).

📚 Related: How To Check If Someone Is Using Your Identity in 2023 →

11. Consider signing up for identity theft protection with credit monitoring

Identity theft and fraud are particularly dangerous because you never know when a scammer might use your stolen information. 

An identity theft protection provider safeguards your entire family by constantly monitoring critical aspects of your identity — including your credit reports, bank account numbers, and SSNs — and alerts you to suspicious activity. 

For example, here’s what you get with Identity Guard:

• Award-winning identity theft protection. Identity Guard constantly monitors your most sensitive personal and financial information to warn you if it’s been leaked on the Dark Web or is being used by a scammer. 
• Three-bureau credit monitoring with fast fraud alerts. You also get near real-time alerts if scammers have tried to open new accounts or take out loans in your name (as well as alerts to suspicious transactions on your bank, credit card, and investment accounts). 
• Safe Browsing tools, including a password manager. Identity Guard includes tools to help prevent hacking, warn you of phishing websites, and protect your passwords.
• White Glove Fraud Resolution support. If you become the victim of fraud or just have questions, Identity Guard’s dedicated support team is available to help. 
• Up to $1 million in identity theft insurance. Finally, if the worst should happen, you’ll be covered for eligible losses due to identity theft, such as stolen funds, lawyer fees, and other expenses. 

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Can You Get Your Money Back After a Phone Scam?

In the worst case scenario, a scammer may convince you to send cash, gift cards, wire transfers, or make payments by using apps like Zelle, Venmo, and Cash App. Unfortunately, these payment methods are almost impossible to trace — and even harder to refund. 

The good news is that financial institutions are constantly changing their policies to help protect victims of fraud. 

Here’s how you can try to get your money back after being scammed over the phone:

You should beware of anyone who calls and asks you to make transfers. Even if callers seem to be from reputable companies, you should always question their legitimacy if they insist on gift cards or cryptocurrencies. 

A legitimate company will have no objection to credit card payments — the safest method for any transfer. 

📚 Related: What Happens If You Answer a Spam Call? (How To Stop Them) →

How To Protect Yourself From Phone Scams

According to the FBI, phishing has been one of the most common types of scams for many years [*]. Fraudsters are adapting the age-old con to fool people on smartphones, chat apps, and social media platforms. Newer scams, like vishing, AI voice cloning, and social engineering, make phone scams more convincing than ever before.

Here are eight ways to proactively protect yourself against phone scams:

• Don’t answer unknown numbers. Unknown or suspicious phone numbers are almost always scams. Crooks use Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to mask their true identities and trick you into answering their calls. Beware of strange area codes, spoofed phone numbers, or even calls from your own number. 
• Block spam numbers on your phone. Many cell phone companies block phone calls or flag suspicious numbers as "scam likely” whenever your phone rings. Check the call-blocking options from your provider as well as on your device in order to reduce the number of spam texts and calls getting through. You can also consider a third-party spam and scam call blocker.
• Ignore one-ring phone scams. Fraudsters hang up after your phone rings once to entice you to call them back. But if you fall for it, you could connect with an expensive premium-rate service designed to scam you.
• Remove your phone number from data broker lists. Removing your information from public databases and people-finder websites reduces the risk of scammers finding your personal information. 
• Don’t answer with “yes” if someone from an unknown number calls. Fraudsters record your response and use it to hack into your bank and other accounts. Scammers often start conversations by asking “Can you hear me?” to get you to respond with “yes” or confirm your name. 
• Verify details before providing information. Regardless of who is on the other end, remember that nobody — not even your family — needs to know your SSN and PIN codes. 
• Contact your bank directly. Con artists spoof credit card companies to run account services scams, fooling people into believing they are talking to bank representatives or lenders. Avoid getting into conversations with unknown callers; instead, contact your bank by using the official number listed on the back of your credit or debit card.
• Never send money to someone who calls you. Generally speaking, you should only send money to someone you know and trust in real life. If an unsolicited caller is asking for money, hang up. Any financial interactions could expose your account details or make you a target for more scams in the future. 

The Bottom Line: Act Fast If You’ve Been Scammed

Phone scammers present an ever-growing threat by using sophisticated tools and techniques to trick you into giving them your money. There's no shame in being a victim, but you must act quickly to secure your identity and finances.

Identity Guard keeps your personal information, devices, and accounts safe from scammers and identity thieves. Its award-winning identity theft protection suite includes three-bureau credit monitoring, Dark Web monitoring, and advanced digital security tools. 

If you fall victim to fraud after a phone scam, Identity Guard covers you with $1 million in identity theft insurance, along with expert support from a team of U.S.-based White Glove Fraud Resolution Specialists. 

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