The Experts Are On Hand

When you feel ready, three reports make a real difference. Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.^[1] This feeds into a database shared with thousands of law enforcement agencies and takes around ten minutes. Report to the FBI at IC3.gov. Your report adds information that can help investigators connect cases, identify patterns and build investigations. If you lost money through a wire transfer, report it within hours if you can. Acting fast gives the FBI's Recovery Asset Team a chance to freeze the funds before they move.^[2]

Be aware, though, that once a wire has cleared and the money has been moved on, it usually cannot be recovered, so speed matters more than anything else. Call the AARP Fraud Helpline at 877-908-3360. They will help you think through next steps and connect you with support if you need it^[3]. This is the E in PAUSE. Experience matters. Your report could be the one that stops the next person.

None of this is your fault. Being scammed is something that happens to people who trusted, who cared, and who were doing their best with the information they had. That is not a weakness. Talk to the people around you. Your family and friends want to help, even if they do not know what to say. And when you feel ready, talking about what happened may be the most powerful thing you can do. Someone who hears your story might recognize a scam before it is too late. You are not alone in this. And neither are they.