I paid a scam website. What do I do now?

Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 7 minute read · By the IsSiteLegit team · How we write our guides

If you've paid a website and now think it might be fake, you're not alone and it's not your fault — these sites are made by people who do this for a living. The most important thing is to act quickly: the sooner your bank knows, the better your chance of getting money back. Here is what to do, in order.

In the first hour

1. Call your bank or card provider

Use the phone number on the back of your card or in your banking app — not a number from an email, text or the website. Tell them you think you paid a fraudulent website and ask them to:

block or replace the card if you typed its details into the site,
stop any payments that haven't gone through yet, and
start a dispute (often called a chargeback) to get the money back.

How you paid decides what's possible:

Credit or debit card: card providers have dispute processes for goods that never arrive or are not as described. Credit cards often give extra protection.
PayPal and similar services: open a dispute in the app. Buyer protection usually applies to purchases of goods, not to "friends and family" payments.
Bank transfer: call your bank immediately and ask them to try to recall the payment. In some countries banks must refund certain scam victims, so ask about it.
Gift cards: contact the company that issued the card (the number is usually on the card or its website) and give them the card numbers. They can sometimes freeze unspent balance.
Cryptocurrency: this is very hard to reverse. Still report it to the exchange or app you used, and to the police.

2. Protect your accounts

If you created an account on the site, or entered a password, change that password everywhere you've used it. Turn on two-step verification for your email and banking. If the site asked for ID documents or your social security / national insurance number, tell your bank and consider a credit freeze or fraud alert where that's available.

In the first day

3. Save the evidence

Before the site disappears, take screenshots of the product page, your order confirmation, the payment, and any emails or chat messages. Write down the website address, the date, the amount and how you paid. Your bank and the police will ask for these.

4. Report it

Reporting helps the police connect cases, and helps get the site blocked for other people.

United States: the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
United Kingdom: the national police fraud and cybercrime reporting service, and forward scam emails to [email protected].
Canada: the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Australia: Scamwatch and ReportCyber.
Elsewhere: your national police or consumer protection agency.

Scam texts can be forwarded to 7726 in the US and UK (it spells "SPAM"). You can also report the website on its IsSiteLegit page: search for it on IsSiteLegit and use the "Report this site" form. A moderator reviews every report before it's shown, and approved reports warn the next person who checks.

In the weeks after

5. Watch out for "recovery" scams

People who have lost money are often contacted by someone offering to get it back for a fee — a "fund recovery" company, a fake lawyer, or even someone pretending to be the police or your bank. This is almost always a second scam. Real police and banks don't charge you to recover money, and won't ask you to move your money to a "safe account".

6. Keep an eye on your statements

Check your bank and card statements for a few months. Card details stolen by a fake shop are sometimes used much later, often for small test payments first.

7. Follow up on your dispute

Disputes can take weeks. If your bank refuses, ask why in writing and whether you can appeal. Many countries have a free financial ombudsman or complaints service that can review the bank's decision.

Next time

Before paying a shop you don't know, read how to spot a fake online store and check the address on IsSiteLegit. And talk about what happened — telling friends and family is one of the best ways to stop the same site catching someone else.

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules on refunds differ between countries and banks.