Clicked a Link in a Scam Email or Text? What to Do Right Now

I only clicked. I didn’t type anything or download anything

This is the most common situation, and usually the least harmful.

1. Close the web page. Don’t click anything else on it.
2. Run a quick virus check. On Windows: click Start, type Windows Security, open it, click Virus & threat protection, then Quick scan.
3. Make sure your computer or phone has its latest updates.
4. Delete the email or text.

I typed a password on the page

Scammers often build fake sign-in pages that look exactly like your email, bank or Amazon account.

1. Change that password right away. Don’t use the link in the message. Type the real website address yourself, or use the company’s official app.
2. If you use the same password anywhere else, change it there too, starting with your email and your bank.
3. Turn on two-step verification (also called two-factor authentication) for that account. The account’s security settings will offer it.
4. Check your email settings for changes you didn’t make, such as automatic forwarding to an address you don’t know.

I gave my credit card or bank details

1. Call your bank or card company now, using the phone number on the back of your card or on your statement.
2. Tell them you shared your card or account number with a scammer. Ask them to block the card and send a new one.
3. Over the next few months, check your statements for charges you don’t recognize, even small ones.

I gave my Social Security number

1. Go to IdentityTheft.gov, the Federal Trade Commission’s official site. It gives you a personal step-by-step recovery plan.
2. Freeze your credit at all three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A freeze stops anyone from opening new credit in your name. It’s free and doesn’t affect your credit score.
3. Watch your mail and accounts for anything you didn’t sign up for.

Gave your Medicare number to someone who called, texted or emailed? Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and report it. Our Medicare Open Enrollment guide lists the tricks Medicare scammers use.

I downloaded a file or let someone control my computer

1. Disconnect from the internet: turn off Wi-Fi or unplug the network cable.
2. Run a full scan: in Windows Security, open Virus & threat protection, click Scan options, choose Full scan, then Scan now.
3. Using a different device, change your important passwords: email first, then banking.
4. Get help from someone you trust, such as a family member or a local repair shop. Never accept help from someone who contacted you first.

Our guide to fake virus pop-ups has more detail on what to do after someone had remote access.

Report the scam

• Scam email: forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org, as the FTC recommends. Then delete it.
• Scam text message: forward it to 7726 (the numbers spell “SPAM”). This works with most U.S. phone carriers.
• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• If you lost money, also report it to the FBI at ic3.gov.

How to spot the next one

Scam messages often:

• Say there’s a problem: a package that can’t be delivered, an unpaid toll, a locked account, a suspicious charge.
• Push you to act fast, “within 24 hours.”
• Ask you to click a link, call a number or pay with gift cards, a wire transfer or cryptocurrency.

When in doubt, don’t click. Go to the company’s website or app on your own, or call the number you already have for them.

From Steady Neighbor · https://steadyneighbor.com/scams/clicked-a-phishing-link/