EMERGENCY RESPONSE GUIDE

Quick response guides for common digital emergencies

1 Contain / 2 Recover / 3 Prevent

1 Contain

Stop the damage immediately

  1. Stop all communication with the scammer immediately. Do not respond to threats, promises, or follow-up messages.
  2. Document everything before it disappears. Save all emails, text messages, chat logs, receipts, and transaction records. Take screenshots of profiles, websites, and conversations.
  3. Determine what was compromised and follow the specific guide:

2 Recover

Get back to normal

  1. Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. This helps law enforcement track scam patterns and build cases.
  2. Report internet crimes to the FBI’s IC3 at ic3.gov. This is especially important for online fraud, business email compromise, and romance scams.
  3. File a police report for significant financial losses. You may need this for insurance claims and bank dispute processes.
  4. Warn friends and family who may be targeted next. Scammers often use stolen contact lists to impersonate victims. Be especially alert for “recovery scams” where someone contacts you promising to get your money back for a fee.

3 Prevent

Stop it from happening again

Red flags that signal a scam:

  • Urgency and pressure to act immediately
  • Requests for unusual payment methods (gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency)
  • Too-good-to-be-true offers or unexpected prizes
  • Unsolicited contact claiming to be from your bank, the government, or tech support
  • AI-generated voices or video impersonating people you know

Protect yourself:

  • Verify identities independently. Call back using official numbers from the company’s website, not numbers provided by the caller.
  • Never share verification codes, passwords, or PINs with anyone who contacts you.
  • If something feels wrong, hang up and verify through official channels. Legitimate organizations will not pressure you for an immediate decision.

Key Contacts

Outside the United States? View international reporting resources

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