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Marketplace purchase paid via platform checkout

eBay, FB Marketplace shipping, OfferUp shipping, PayPal Goods & Services — paid through the platform.

Realistic recovery rate
60–80%

Purchase Protection programs are designed for this. If platform denies, escalate to the card or bank used to fund the purchase as a chargeback.

Do this first

Open a dispute in the platform's Resolution Center / Purchase Protection within their stated window. For eBay and PayPal G&S this is your primary path — recovery is the norm.

Calls to make first

Phone calls move faster than online filings, especially in the first 24–48 hours. Make these calls before, or while, you work through the templated filings below.

  1. 1. Your card issuer's fraud line

    24/7 for major issuers
    On the back of the card

    What to say: Say: 'I have fraudulent charges on my card and need to file a dispute.' You can also mention the legal rules that protect you — Regulation Z for credit, Regulation E for debit — but you don't have to. Ask for a new card while you're on the call.

    Why this one: Federal law limits how much you can be charged for fraud on your card: $50 maximum on a credit card. The same $50 cap on a debit card applies only if you report within 2 business days; wait longer and the cap rises to $500. Calling fast matters.

  2. 2. Your local police non-emergency line

    24/7 for non-emergency; online forms available anytime
    Search '[your city] police non-emergency' or 311 in many cities. Online report option exists in most US cities.

    What to say: Say: 'I want to file a police report for fraud. I'm not asking for an investigation — I need a case number for my bank and federal filings.' Get the case number in writing or by email.

    Why this one: The case number is the deliverable. Most departments do not investigate losses under ~$5,000, but the case number is required by many banks for dispute processing and by the FTC identity-theft flow.

Find your bank's official fraud page

Each link goes to the bank's main domain. The current fraud phone number lives on that page — call the number listed there, or the one printed on the back of your card. Don't trust phone numbers found in a search result.

Don't see your bank? Type its name into a search engine with the words "report fraud" and only follow a link whose domain matches the bank's main website. Scammers buy ads on bank-name searches; the top result is not always real.

Channels in priority order

  1. 1. Platform-specific report (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, Meta, eBay, etc.)

    Triggers the platform's internal fraud review and any applicable Purchase Protection. Required for marketplace Purchase Protection claims.

    Each platform has its own flow — see the per-platform links in the generated plan. Typical path: in-app Help → Report a Problem / Resolution Center.

    Expected outcome: Strong recovery for platform-checkout-paid marketplace purchases (eBay, PayPal G&S). Weak for peer-to-peer payments outside Purchase Protection.

  2. 2. Bank or card-issuer dispute

    Investigates the transaction and can reverse it. This is where most actual recovery happens. The legal rules that require the bank to investigate are called Regulation E (for debit cards and electronic transfers) and Regulation Z (for credit cards) — mentioning the name on the call signals you know your rights.

    Call the fraud number on the back of your card, or your bank's fraud line — not the branch and not the general customer-service number. Say: 'I need to report fraud and file a dispute.' Be ready to email or upload documents. Before you hang up, get a dispute reference number.

    Expected outcome: For debit cards, the bank usually puts the money back temporarily within 10 business days while they investigate. For credit cards, the charge is usually removed right away. Final decision takes 60–90 days. This is the single strongest place to recover money — every other step supports this one.

  3. 3. FTC ReportFraud

    Feeds the Consumer Sentinel database used by state attorneys general and law enforcement. Does not investigate individual cases.

    Go to reportfraud.ftc.gov. The form is shorter than IC3 — about 10–15 minutes. Same incident narrative, less detail required.

    Expected outcome: Aggregate enforcement signal. Useful for documentation. Not a recovery channel on its own.

    https://reportfraud.ftc.gov

Free, official help from a real person

If you'd like to talk to someone before filing, these are free public services. They cannot recover funds for you, but they will walk you through what to do next.

  • AARP Fraud Watch Helpline — 877-908-3360. Free, 7 days/week, you do not need to be an AARP member or over 50. Trained volunteers who specialize in scam recovery guidance.
  • FTC ReportFraud advisor — reportfraud.ftc.gov. After filing, the FTC sometimes connects you with a consumer- advice specialist.
  • FTC IdentityTheft.gov — identitytheft.gov. Best place to start if your Social Security number, accounts, or personal information were exposed.
  • FBI IC3 — ic3.gov. Federal intake for internet-enabled crime.
  • CFPB — consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Use this if your bank refuses your fraud dispute.
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