• Recovering money after a scam is rare because criminals move funds quickly and overseas.
• Speed matters most; acting fast with banks and payment platforms can sometimes stop losses.
• Reporting scams helps investigators connect cases and may lead to limited recovery later.

When scam victims report a crime to anti-fraud nonprofit Operation Shamrock, the organization connects them that day with an investigator to work on their case. In 2025, 20 investigators — volunteers from law enforcement who specialize in fraud — helped 206 victims nationwide to trace and recover $3 million. 

“Not all of the $3 million got back to the victims,” says Erin West, Operation Shamrock’s founder and a former deputy district attorney in Santa Clara County, California, but getting some money back is gratifying for victims both financially and emotionally.

Such cases are encouraging, but as scams proliferate, recovering stolen money remains difficult. 

“Recovery is very rare,” says Amy Nofziger, senior director of victim support with the AARP Fraud Watch Network. Adds West: “We occasionally have some good luck, but for the most part, you will not be able to recover your funds.”

Why recovery is so difficult

Scammers typically steal money via hard-to-trace payment methods, such as gift cards, cash and gold, and transfer it through a maze of locations.“Funds often move through multiple accounts and jurisdictions very quickly, which reduces the odds of reversal,” says fraud prevention expert Alexis Abramson, author of Stop Fraud: Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones From Fraud, Scams and Identity Theft. And the money frequently travels outside of the United States: “The bad guys want to move that money from anything identified to you to something under a shell corporation in another country,” says West.

When the funds are transferred through multiple accounts in multiple countries, it becomes far more difficult to trace. 

The same is true with cryptocurrency. A few years ago, criminals sometimes left crypto funds in online wallets, giving law enforcement an opportunity to seize them, says West. Now the scammers quickly move the money overseas.

“The money was sitting in a way that it’s not sitting anymore,” she explains. “Today the bad guys are cashing it out as soon as they can on the other side of the world and outside the jurisdiction of American law enforcement. So there’s nothing to recover.”

Ways to get money back

Recovering money is unlikely but not impossible. Once you know you’ve experienced a scam, respond in this order, Abramson advises:

• Stop communicating with the scammer
• Preserve evidence
• Notify financial institutions
• Report the crime to law enforcement 

To improve your chances of recovering money, take these steps.

Catch your breath. Before you leap into action, take a few minutes to gather yourself.  

“Scam victims are often in a heightened state of fear, embarrassment or urgency,” says Abramson. “Taking a brief pause helps regulate the nervous system so you can think clearly and take the right steps.”

Gather your records. Among the records that investigators will likely want to review are emails, texts, phone numbers, transaction receipts, screenshots, account statements and timelines that will help banks and law enforcement trace patterns and identify accounts being used to move or hide stolen money.

Join Our Fight Against Fraud 

Here’s what you can do to help protect people 50 and older from scams and fraud: 

• Tell lawmakers to stop criminals from using crypto kiosks to steal from us. 
• Sign up to become a digital fraud fighter to help raise awareness about the latest scams. 
• Read more about how we’re fighting for you every day in Congress and across the country. 
• AARP is your fierce defender on the issues that matter to people 50-plus. Become a member or renew your membership today. 

Act fast. “The single most important factor is speed,” says Abramson. “Victims should immediately — after taking a deep breath — contact their bank, credit card issuer or payment platform and clearly state that they are reporting fraud. Financial institutions can sometimes freeze or recall transactions if alerted quickly, particularly with wire transfers, ACH payments or newer digital payment platforms.”

Report the scam. Once you’ve notified your financial institutions, contact your local police (here’s our advice on how to do so).

“The sooner you are willing to get yourself in front of a qualified investigator, the more likely you are to recover [your money],” says West. Local law enforcement may or may not be equipped to handle a scam case, but reporting is still important “because we want them to understand: Hey, you’ve got a problem in your community,” she says. Another benefit: In identity theft cases, a police report often satisfies creditors and agencies that want proof of the crime, notes the Identity Theft Resource Center. 

Also report the scam to your state attorney general’s office (in Minnesota, a new Consumer Protection Restitution Account will help victims of various scams receive compensation for losses) and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov).

“There is a chance, a very small chance, that someday what you have reported will be connected to something else, and there will be a recovery, and you will end up getting your money back,” says West.

Investigate crypto ATM recovery. At least two states are helping victims recover money sent to scammers via crypto kiosks. The state of Maine reached a $1.9 million settlement in January with Bitcoin Depot, a crypto ATM operator. The settlement reimburses people who used the company’s ATMs in Maine from 2022 to 2025 to convert cash into cryptocurrency for scammers. In Arizona, a new law allows victims of crypto ATM scams to apply for a refund. And Indiana recently became the first state to outlaw crypto kiosks, with AARP’s backing.

Operation Shamrock has also had some success recovering crypto ATM fees.  

“Sometimes, even if we can’t get your money back, we can get back the exorbitant fees that you paid,” says West. “So if you paid 20 percent in fees, and you lost $10,000, it’s nice to get $2,000 of that back.” 

Ask the payment platform you used for reimbursement. Did you send money to a scammer using Zelle? If so, you might be able to recoup your losses. Since 2023, the peer-to-peer (P2P) payment service has investigated and recovered money lost to criminals. Among the requirements for Zelle to begin an investigation: the scammer must have impersonated a government agency, a financial institution or a service provider (such as a utility company) and you must report the fraud within 120 days of its occurrence. Report the crime to the bank or credit union where you have your Zelle account. Also report it to Zelle online.  

PayPal has an online security center where you can report fraud or unauthorized activity, and Venmo suggests contacting its support team if you used its service to pay a scammer. The companies are often unable to cancel payments to criminals, but you should still report the fraud. 

Seek gift card reimbursement. Scammers often want you to pay them with gift cards. If that happens, you might be able to recover all or some of the money by reporting the fraud to the gift card company. The FTC maintains a list of popular gift card companies and how to contact them; if you still have the card (many victims provide the card number to scammers by phone or text), look for a 1-800 number on the back. The Retail Gift Card Association suggests that customers tell the company that the card was used in a scam and provide a receipt or the card number. 

“Once you report a gift card scam to the gift card company, ask for your money back,” the FTC recommends. “If the money was frozen or not downloaded by the scammer, some gift card companies will give the money back.” In addition to possibly reimbursing victims, some companies will flag fraudulent transactions and freeze stolen gift card money so criminals can’t access it, the FTC states.

Beware of recovery scams. Many scam victims are retargeted in recovery scams where criminals pose as someone from law enforcement, a consumer advocacy organization, a law firm or a government agency and charge fees for phony recovery services.

“If you’ve been scammed once, you are now on a list, and they will come for you again,” West says.

Ignore the offers, Abramson advises: “Anyone who promises they can get your money back for a fee is almost always running a second scam.”

Many supermarkets don’t just sell groceries — they also sell over-the-counter medications, soaps and shampoos, makeup and a variety of other products. But these items are often marked up significantly, says Bobby Ghoshal, CEO of Dupe.com, an AI shopping tool that helps consumers find lower-cost versions of popular products.

“Honestly, anything other than food can likely be found much cheaper at a discount store or wholesale store,” Ghoshal says. “I recommend only purchasing items that you’re going to consume at grocery stores. They don’t have an incentive to mark down items like diapers, greeting cards and other nonperishable items that won’t expire. Most are banking on the fact that consumers are busy and would rather save on time than money.”

1. Cleaning products

Bleach, sponges and other cleaning supplies are supermarket staples, but you’re typically better off buying them in bulk from a warehouse store. “You will not find a better deal on Lysol at your local grocery store than you would at Costco or Sam’s Club,” Ghoshal says.

2. Pet products

Many grocery stores charge a premium for pet supplies, including food, treats and essentials like poop bags and cat litter, says Clay Cary, senior trends analyst at CouponFollow, a website that tracks coupon codes from online merchants to help consumers save money.

To find the lowest prices, he recommends buying pet goods from online retailers like Chewy or Amazon, which offer discounts for using their “autoship” and “subscribe & save” programs, respectively. 

“You can get a really good deal,” Cary says. “Amazon and Chewy almost always will offer 5 percent off on a subscription for pet food.” PetSmart and Petco also offer discounts on auto-ship orders.

Tip: Because unit prices are typically lower on big packages, buying larger bags of dry pet food will “get you more bang for your buck,” says budgeting coach Andrea Woroch

3. Greeting cards

The best deals on greeting cards are at dollar stores, Woroch says. “Look for the two-for-$1 options,” she recommends.  

Don’t be afraid to load up. “Pick up generic birthday or blank greeting cards so you always have some on hand,” Woroch suggests. “This way, you don’t find yourself running to the closest store to grab a card that will likely be overpriced.” 

4. Health and personal care items

When you need vitamins, over-the-counter medications, shampoo,  toothpaste or other health and personal care products, steer clear of the grocery store, Ghoshal says. “The markup is insane,” he says.

Big-box stores sell many of these products at notable discounts. Drugstores like Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid can also be good places to shop for health and personal care items. 

“Our supermarket has a phenomenal pharmacy, and they give us great service,” Carter says, “but when it’s time to look at lotions and face creams and decongestants and cough syrups and antacids — things like that — I don’t want to go there. I want to go to the drugstore.”

5. Beauty products and cosmetics

Drugstores are also often superior places to buy beauty essentials and cosmetics, Woroch says. “Drugstore beauty brands are a great option on a budget, and many stores like CVS offer rewards and coupons based on your purchases, so you can stack those to save more on your favorites,” she says. 

6. Kitchen supplies

Buying kitchen staples like foil, plastic wrap and paper towels at the grocery store is usually a costly mistake, Ghoshal says. Unless your supermarket is offering a buy-one-get-one deal, “you’ll find much better discounts at your local dollar store,” he says. Warehouse clubs also offer competitive deals on household and kitchen essentials.  

7. Cookware

Among the things to “absolutely never” buy at a supermarket, “pots and pans first among them,” Carter says. “Even if it’s a known name, it’s a lower-level entry in that lineup. You’ll never find anything of value or quality.”

Instead, consider shopping for cookware at discount department stores like HomeGoods, Marshalls or TJ Maxx, where “you can get quality kitchen goods from name brands for up to 60 percent off retail,” Woroch says. “Look for the red sticker for extra clearance savings.”

8. Batteries

“Batteries are one of the most egregiously priced items at the grocery store,” Carter warns. Warehouse clubs and big-box stores are a better choice, he says. Because batteries are long-lasting and easy to store, buying them in bulk can help maximize savings.

9. Magazines and books

Talk is cheap, but reading matter isn’t when it’s sold at the grocery store. Take People magazine. Although it costs $6.99 per issue on newsstands, a one-year subscription (48 issues) costs $48 — just $1 per issue.

As for books? That’s another no-brainer: “Just borrow from your local library for no cost,” Woroch says.

10. Seasonal items

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day chocolate in February, Easter candy in the spring, swim goggles in the summer or pumpkin carving kits for Halloween, the seasonal aisle at the supermarket is usually a bum deal, Cary says. 

“At Christmastime, my grocery store sells Christmas trees and Santa statues and all kinds of stuff, and it’s marked up five times what it costs at Walmart,” he says.

Woroch recommends shopping for seasonal items at dollar stores, especially for decorations that don’t need to last.

reprinted from AARP

April is Financial Literacy Month and what better time to roll out new financial wellness resources. According to the Pew Research Center, only half of the adults in America believe they have a good handle on their personal finances. 

The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) has launched a new webpage that will make it much easier for adults to take the steps needed to build their financial skills. The page is the latest enhancement to FAME’s free online educational platform. You can find it here at Build Your Financial Wellness.

The site includes personalized financial lessons, interactive tools, articles, quizzes, and calculators. People can learn how to set goals, track their spending, create a budget, and reduce expenses among other useful skills. FAME’s objective for this program is to break down what can seem like a daunting goal into small steps, making learning easier.

The public is invited to break the silence of domestic abuse with Finding Our Voices on April 22 with a 1 p.m. protest in front of the post office on Main Street in Farmington followed by a 4 p.m. survivor-led community conversation at the Carrabassett Valley Public Library. 

The library event from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. will feature survivors sharing their experiences of entrapment and escape, and advising how to spot signs of intimate partner abuse and best help those you are worried might be suffering from this. 

Participants of the 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. protest are encouraged to bring signs about what they want the public to know about domestic abuse, and to wear yellow which is the color of Finding Our Voices. 

According to Patrisha McLean, CEO+Founder of Finding our Voices and a survivor herself, the April 22 events are in response to the shooting death in Carrabassett Valley of 23-year-old Makayla Rose Desantis on International Women’s Day. Makayla’s longtime boyfriend Austin Doucette is charged with her murder. 

“We are coming to Franklin County on April 22 out of love for a sister-survivor,” said McLean of the statewide nonprofit, “and out of outrage over the femicide and epidemic of domestic violence in our state.” 

Noel Richardson will be one of four survivor- panelists at the 4 p.m. Carrabassett Valley Public Library event. Noel’s then-partner punched her in the mouth in Franklin County in 2023 while she was holding their baby. Finding Our Voices provided Noel with legal help to get a 15-year restraining order for herself and her baby, and matched her with their program of donated dental care to fix her broken teeth. She is now an honors student at Central Maine Community College.

Finding Our Voices is the grassroots and survivor-powered nonprofit spreading awareness and education about domestic abuse across Maine, including in schools, and providing critical resources to women survivors to escape, get their children safe, and rebuild their lives. 

For more information visit https://findingourvoices.net or contact Patrisha McLean at [email protected]

“Break the Silence of Domestic Abuse”

Finding Our Voices will host a Community Conversation here in the Begin Family Community Room at the Carrabassett Valley Public Library on Wednesday, April 22 from 4:00-5:30pm.

Free and open to the public.

reprinted from AARP Fraud Watch Network

1. Goodwill Senior Discount: Some Goodwill regions offer a senior discount on a set day (details vary by location and are not nationwide).
2. Kohl’s Senior Day: 15% in-store discount every Wednesday for customers aged 60 and older at many locations.
3. Walgreens Seniors Day: Seniors Day happens on the first Tuesday of each month—customers aged 55+ can get 20% off eligible regular-priced items (myWalgreens membership required).
4. Amazon Prime Discount: Amazon offers Prime Access (a discounted Prime membership) for customers enrolled in qualifying government assistance programs (not based on age alone).
5. Best Western Senior Discounts: Discounted room rates are available for guests aged 55 and older (discount amount varies).
6. Denny’s Senior Discount: Denny’s offers a 55+ menu. AARP members can also get 15% off their check at participating locations (with a max discount limit).
7. AMC Theatres Senior Pricing: AMC offers senior ticket pricing for guests aged 60+.
8. Amtrak Senior Discounts: Amtrak travelers aged 65+ are eligible for a 10% discount on most rail fares (with separate age rules on some cross-border services).
9. National Park Service Senior Pass: U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 62+ can buy a lifetime Senior Pass for $80, covering entry at federal recreation sites.
10. AT&T Senior Plan: AT&T offers an AT&T 55+ plan for eligible customers aged 55+ (terms and availability can vary, and eligibility must be verified).