05/08/2026
Did you or a family member already give someone access to the computer before realizing it was a scam?
1. Disconnect the computer from the Internet immediately.
Unplug the Ethernet cable, turn off Wi-Fi, or shut the computer down.
2. Do not keep using that computer until it has been checked.
Do not log into email, banking, shopping, investment, or password manager accounts from the compromised computer.
3. From a different trusted device, reset the password to your email account first.
Your email account is the “master key” for password resets on many other accounts. Also turn on two-factor authentication if it is not already enabled.
4. Change passwords for important accounts.
Prioritize banking, credit cards, investment accounts, retirement accounts, shopping accounts, PayPal/Venmo/Cash App/Zelle-related accounts, Microsoft/Google/Apple accounts, and any password manager account.
5. Check for unauthorized changes.
Look for email forwarding rules, deleted messages, new recovery email addresses, changed phone numbers, new trusted devices, or new MFA methods.
6. Call banks, credit card companies, and investment firms if any financial information may have been exposed.
Ask them to check for suspicious activity, block transactions if needed, and issue new cards or account numbers when appropriate.
7. Have a trusted technician inspect and clean the computer.
They should remove remote-access tools, check startup items, browser extensions, saved passwords, malware, suspicious user accounts, and security settings. In serious cases, the safest option is to back up personal files and rebuild the system.
8. File a police report if money, identity information, or property was stolen.
Also consider reporting the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and placing a fraud alert or credit freeze if identity information was exposed.
