Back to my results
Print or Download as PDF

Losing money to a scam can lead to other issues, such as struggling to pay your rent or other bills. If your financial stability has been put at risk, we’ve outlined some actions you can take.

  1. Assess your situation. 
    • Are you struggling to pay your bills?
    • Are you getting turned down for credit?
    • Do you need assistance with food and/or shelter?
  2. Get help from a trustworthy organization in your community. 

Beware of scammers who promise to get your money back! Recovery scammers will often contact you after you’ve already lost money and make promises to retrieve your funds, but only if you pay an up-front fee first. Learn more about these scams.

If your financial situation is still not stable, we recommend the following steps:

 

Beware of scammers who promise to get your money back! Recovery scammers will often contact you after you’ve already lost money and make promises to retrieve your funds, but only if you pay an up-front fee first. Learn more about these scams.

 

Provincial emergency assistance programs:

Back to my results

Warn others (report a scam)

Good job taking control of the situation! We recommend taking a few moments to report the scam to the BBB, which can help us fight fraud. If you haven’t already, please consider reporting the incident you encountered to BBB Scam TrackerSM, our prevention and reporting platform.

 

Reporting the scam to the proper channels can help law enforcement shut down scam operations that prey on others; BBB shares its data with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Scam submissions are published on BBB Scam TrackerSM, which enables the public to search the reports and determine whether they are being targeted. BBB Scam TrackerSM reports are also used to publish timely research and consumer education resources. Report your scam incident to BBB Scam TrackerSM. 

Avoid future scams (learn how)

Research indicates that possessing knowledge about scams and scam tactics can help people spot and avoid scams that will inevitably target them. The unfortunate truth is that scammers will always try to steal data, money, and important information from people.

 

Even when scammers are caught, others will replace them. The best defense, then, is to understand what a scam looks like and how to respond. Protect yourself and your loved ones by learning more about scam types and tactics by visiting BBB’s Scam Prevention Guide.