What to do if you paid with a payment app
This is not your fault. Scammers fool careful people every day. Report it right away. Money sent through an app can be hard to get back, but the faster you act, the better your chance.
Do these steps in order
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Do this now Report the payment in the app now
Open the app yourself, not from a link someone sent you. Find its help or support section and report the payment as a scam. Do not search online for a support number. Scammers post fake ones.
What to say: “I was scammed. Please stop or reverse this payment, refund my money, and flag my account.”
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Do this now Call your bank or card company too
Did the money come from your bank account or a card linked to the app? Call the number on the back of that card. Tell them a scammer got the payment, and ask if they can stop or reverse it.
What to say: “A scammer tricked me into paying them through a payment app with money from this account. Please help me stop or reverse it.”
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Stop all contact with the scammer
Block them in the app. Do not answer their calls or messages. Do not send more money, for any reason.
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Change your app password if they got in
If someone you know or live with may have set this up, removing it or signing them out can alert them. If you’re worried about your safety, talk to a domestic violence advocate before you change anything. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is free and open any time: call 800-799-7233 or chat at thehotline.org. If you can, use a phone or computer they can’t check.
If you shared a code, PIN, or password, change it now and turn on two-step sign-in. If you use that password anywhere else, change it there too.
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Save proof of the payment
Take screenshots of the payment, the scammer's name or username, and your messages. You will need them for your reports.
Follow up later
- Tomorrow: call back and ask for your case or claim number. Write it down.
- In 30 days: look at your bank and card statements for anything you don’t know.
Keep your place
To keep your place, bookmark this page or copy your private link.
Keep the link private. It shows the steps you’ve ticked. Never send it to anyone who calls, texts, or emails you. Latchstring will never ask for it. Your browser’s history also keeps this address, and may copy it to your Google or Apple account if you sync. On a shared phone or computer, use a private window, or clear your history afterward.
Did any of these happen too?
- I sent money by bank, Zelle, wire, Western Union, or MoneyGram
- I paid with a credit or debit card
- I paid with gift cards
- I sent crypto or used a Bitcoin ATM
- I gave cash, gold, or my cards to someone
- I deposited a check and sent money back
- I shared a code or password
- My phone suddenly has no service
- My email or social media account was hacked
- I let someone into my computer or phone
- Someone is using my name, or I gave out my Social Security number
Then, report it and get free help
- Report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (Federal Trade Commission).
- Also report it to the FBI at IC3.gov, even if it started with a phone call or a visit.
- Get a free recovery plan from a real person: call or text 888-400-5530 (Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit).
- Age 60 or older? Call the Justice Department’s National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311 for free help reporting it. Mon–Fri, 10 am–6 pm Eastern.
- Feeling overwhelmed? Call or text 988, any time.
Watch for a second scam. Anyone who contacts you offering to get your money back for a fee, a code, your bank details, or access to your phone or computer is a scammer, even if they say they’re the FBI, the FTC, a lawyer, or us. Don’t search online for a company’s phone number either. Scammers post fake ones.
This guide was last checked in October 2026. Sources: