You should not contact the suspected scammer, the phone number or email in a suspicious message, or any random “help” service you find through ads or unsolicited calls if you think you are the victim of identity theft or fraud.

Who not to contact

  • Do not call back the phone number in a suspicious text, email, or pop‑up claiming to be a bank, government agency, or tech support, because scammers often use fake contact details to trap victims further.
  • Do not reply to emails or messages asking you to “verify” personal data, Social Security numbers, or banking details, as this can give criminals even more information.
  • Do not rely on unsolicited “recovery specialists,” so‑called credit repair outfits, or unknown third‑party websites that promise fast identity theft fixes for a fee, since many are themselves fraudulent or unnecessary.

Who you should contact instead

  • Contact official channels such as IdentityTheft.gov (FTC in the U.S.), your bank or card issuer using the number on the back of your card or on their official website, and the major credit bureaus to place fraud alerts or freezes.
  • If money was stolen or new accounts opened, contact local law enforcement and request a police report, which can help with disputes and recovery.

Simple rule of thumb

If the person or company reached out to you first, is pressuring you to act urgently, or cannot be verified through an official government or financial institution website, you should not contact or trust them with any personal or financial information.