How to Get Your Money Back After Being Scammed Online

You sent the money. The seller disappeared. The item never arrived. Your stomach drops as you realise what happened.

First: don't panic. Second: act fast. The sooner you take action, the better your chances of recovering your money.

This guide covers exactly what to do, step by step, depending on how you paid.

Step 1: Contact Your Bank Immediately

Whatever payment method you used, call your bank first. Time is critical.

For card payments (credit or debit):
You have the right to request a chargeback. Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (UK), your credit card company is jointly liable with the seller for purchases between £100 and £30,000. For debit cards, the chargeback scheme is voluntary but most banks will process it.

Call your bank and say: "I'd like to raise a chargeback dispute. I paid for goods that were never delivered / not as described."

For bank transfers:
Contact your bank immediately and request a "recall" of the payment. If the receiving bank hasn't released the funds yet (usually within the first few hours), there's a chance of recovery.

After 24-48 hours, recovery becomes very difficult. But always try — banks have recovered funds weeks later in some cases.

For PayPal:
Open a dispute in the PayPal Resolution Centre within 180 days. If you used "Goods & Services," you're covered by Buyer Protection. If you used "Friends & Family," PayPal won't help — but your bank still might via chargeback.

Step 2: Report the Scam

Reporting helps catch the scammer and may help your recovery case.

UK:

• Action Fraud: actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040


• Citizens Advice: citizensadvice.org.uk


• Trading Standards: via your local council

US:

• FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov


• FBI IC3: ic3.gov (for internet crime)


• State Attorney General

EU:

• Your national police (pre-plainte-en-ligne.gouv.fr in France)


• European Consumer Centre for cross-border disputes


• Europol: europol.europa.eu for large-scale fraud

Always also report on the platform where the scam occurred (Facebook, eBay, Gumtree, Leboncoin, etc.).

Step 3: Gather Your Evidence

Save everything. Don't delete anything. You'll need:

• Screenshots of the listing/advertisement
• All messages with the scammer (even after they stopped responding)
• Payment receipts and bank statements
• The scammer's profile URL, email address, phone number
• Any tracking numbers or delivery information
• Photos of what you received (if anything)

Your Recovery Chances by Payment Method

Credit Card — Good chances

Section 75 and chargeback give you strong protection. You can dispute within 120 days (chargeback) or up to 6 years (Section 75). Success rate is high for clear-cut fraud.

Debit Card — Moderate chances

Chargeback is available but voluntary. Banks generally process these for fraud cases. File quickly.

Bank Transfer — Low but possible

The faster you act, the better. Some banks are part of the Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM) and may voluntarily reimburse you for "authorised push payment" fraud. Ask your bank specifically about APP fraud reimbursement.

PayPal (Goods & Services) — Good chances

PayPal Buyer Protection covers non-delivery and items significantly not as described. Resolution takes 10-30 days.

PayPal (Friends & Family) — Very low

PayPal won't help, but you can try a chargeback through your bank/card. Success varies.

Cash / Crypto / Gift Cards — Almost zero

These payment methods are chosen by scammers precisely because they're irreversible and untraceable. Recovery is extremely unlikely.

How to Prevent It Next Time

The best recovery is the scam that never happens.

• Never pay by bank transfer to a stranger
• Use credit cards for online purchases when possible
• For person-to-person transactions, use an escrow service
• Verify the seller's identity before paying
• If the deal seems too good to be true, it is

TrustProtect exists specifically for this: we hold the buyer's money until they confirm they've received what they paid for. If the seller doesn't deliver, the money goes back to the buyer. No chasing banks, no disputes, no stress.

Protect your next purchase with TrustProtect →