Call through a channel you independently verify. Explain exactly how the payment happened, ask which options and deadlines apply, and leave the conversation with a reference number and a written next step.
1. Find the right contact without delaying your report
Use your bank's official app, a number on your card or statement, or contact details you independently verify. The FTC advises reporting suspected scam payments promptly to the institution that handled them. For card payments, it points people to their issuer's official contact channels. Do not use a new number supplied by the person you are reporting.
Tell the bank if you believe somebody still has access to your account or device. Ask which protective steps it recommends for your circumstances. The worksheet is a preparation aid, not a requirement: do not wait to finish it before contacting the bank.
Sources: FTC: What to do if you were scammed
2. Prepare a short, factual opening
Explain what was offered, who received the payment, when you paid, and what made you suspect a scam. Distinguish what you personally did from what somebody else did. If you approved a payment because of a misleading investment claim, say that. If you did not make or approve the payment, describe what you know about the account access instead.
A possible opening, adapted to the facts, is: I am reporting a suspected investment scam involving a payment from my account. I have the date, amount and recipient details. Please help me record the incident and explain which next steps apply. Do not describe a payment as unauthorized merely because you now believe the investment was fraudulent.
Keep a displayed trading balance separate from money actually sent or returned. The bank needs the payment history, not only a screenshot of the investment platform's claimed profits.
3. Have the payment records within reach
| Bring | Record clearly |
|---|---|
| Statement or receipt | Payment date, amount, original currency, recipient and transaction reference |
| Payment route | Card, bank transfer or another method; distinguish a payment to an exchange from any later crypto transfer |
| Instructions you received | The relevant original message, email or payment request and who sent it |
| Withdrawal or refund request | When you asked, what you requested and the response, if any |
| Earlier reports | Existing bank, provider or official report references and the documents already supplied |
Use one entry per payment when there are several. Preserve the original currency and do not substitute an estimated USD total for the statement amounts. On your personal worksheet, a short account reference is enough to distinguish accounts; keep full account details in the bank's own secure process.
Number the supporting records so you can refer to them during the call. Our evidence checklist and timeline template can help organize a longer sequence of payments. Keep any unknown or disputed detail visibly marked rather than guessing.
4. Ask for the process that applies to this payment
- Which team is handling this report, and what reference should I use?
- What recall, refund, dispute or other action is available for this particular payment?
- Do I need to send a written notice or complete another form? Where should I send it securely?
- Which deadlines apply, what event starts each deadline, and where can I read that information?
- Which evidence is required now, and can I send additional records later?
- What account-protection steps are needed, and how will you confirm the actions taken?
- When should I expect an update, and how should I follow up or make a complaint?
Do not assume the same procedure covers every country, account or payment type. For US credit-card billing disputes, the CFPB explains that written notice and deadlines can matter as well as a phone call. Its guidance is specific to that process; it is not a universal deadline for investment-scam reports. Check the relevant official guidance and ask what applies to your payment.
Sources: CFPB: How to dispute a charge on a US credit-card bill
5. Write down the response and next action
Record the call date, time and timezone, the department or representative reference, and the bank's case number. Note each requested document, the official submission route, and the next follow-up date. Keep what the bank said separate from your interpretation of it. Ask for clarification before recording an uncertain answer as a confirmed action.
If the bank says it has submitted a request, record the request and its reference. That is different from a confirmed refund. If money is actually returned, record its amount, currency and date separately. The CFPB recommends retaining copies and a record of follow-up calls for credit-card disputes; the worksheet gives you a practical place to keep those notes.
The two-page PDF can be typed into using a compatible PDF reader or printed for handwritten notes. Save your completed copy locally and check that your entries were retained. The download does not send a report to a bank or to Justice Point. Do not enter passwords, PINs, one-time codes or wallet credentials into it.
Sources: CFPB: How to dispute a charge on a US credit-card bill
Turn the bank's response into a specific next step
| Example response, not a promised outcome | Clarify on the call | Your follow-up record |
|---|---|---|
| We have opened a report | Which payments are included, and has any further action actually been initiated? | Report reference, payments covered and pending decisions |
| We need more evidence | Which exact documents, which secure route, and by what date? Can missing items follow later? | Requested evidence IDs, submission receipt and any remaining gaps |
| A recall request has been sent | What stage is the request at, and when should I ask for an update? | Request reference and follow-up date; no refund recorded yet |
| We cannot use that process | Why, can I receive the explanation in writing, and which complaint or other route applies? | Reason given, written response requested and the next contact |
These prompts organize the conversation; they do not determine your rights or the bank's decision. Do not record an example answer unless the bank actually gave it. If the representative cannot confirm a deadline, record it as unresolved and ask where to obtain the applicable official information promptly.
A short written follow-up you can adapt
Use your bank's verified secure channel: Regarding report [reference], opened on [date], I understand that [action confirmed by the bank]. You requested [documents]. I submitted [evidence references] through [official route] on [date]. The following item is still missing: [item and reason]. Please confirm receipt and clarify [specific unresolved question]. My recorded next follow-up is [date, if agreed].
Replace the brackets with facts and remove anything that does not apply. Keep a copy and the submission confirmation. This is a practical follow-up note, not a prescribed legal notice or a substitute for a bank's required form. Ask whether a separate written dispute is required and where to send it; do not assume a general support message starts the correct process.
For the US credit-card billing-error process described by the CFPB, timely written notice is part of protecting the relevant rights. Other payment routes and jurisdictions can have different requirements. Keep the bank's procedural instructions with your call record, and check the official source for the process that applies to you.
Sources: CFPB: How to dispute a charge on a US credit-card bill
6. Keep your case file up to date
Add the call record and the bank's written response to your timeline. Submit requested documents through the bank's verified channel and retain a copy of what you sent. If you disagree with a response, ask for the explanation in writing and the applicable complaints or escalation procedure.
You can also keep relevant records in your Justice Point client area and tell your case team which steps you have already taken. A Justice Point report does not contact the bank, open a dispute or extend a deadline. Continue any time-sensitive bank or official reporting steps directly.
Sources and scope
- FTC: What to do if you were scammed
US consumer guidance on contacting payment providers after a scam. It does not establish a refund entitlement in every country or payment route.
Source checked - CFPB: How to dispute a charge on a US credit-card bill
US credit-card billing-dispute guidance. Written-notice rules are specific to that process, not all scam payments.
Source checked
About this guide
Prepared for Justice Point with AI assistance to organize official guidance into practical checklists, examples and templates. Sources were checked on 8 September 2026. Worked examples are fictional and are not client results.
Subject-matter review: pending. Source checking is separate from expert review. This is general information, not an assessment of your individual case. Procedures depend on your circumstances and jurisdiction.
For a correction or a question about this guide, contact support@justice-point.org. See how we prepare our guides.
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