Start here
The free tool below runs entirely in this browser — no account, nothing stored or transmitted. Redact anything you would not want kept before you type it.
Open the companion tool →Why the first day beats the first week
Wire recalls, card reversals, and fraud holds are time-sensitive, and the later reports — police, adult protective services, credit bureaus — all require the same basic facts.
The caregiver's job is to remove shame from the conversation so the account holder will describe what happened accurately.
The protocol
- Write the facts: what was sent, when, how, to whom, and from which account.
- Call the bank or payment provider now and ask for a fraud hold and a case reference.
- Ask about a wire recall if the transfer was same-day, and record what the bank says is possible.
- Report to the FTC, the local police, and identity theft resources if personal data was shared.
- Change credentials, add alerts, and write a short plan for the next approach attempt.
What the tool does
Build a scam-loss recovery plan It runs locally in this browser and sends nothing.
Limit first: This is a caregiver's planning aid, not legal, medical or financial advice. It cannot confirm a caller's identity, recover funds, or make decisions on someone's behalf.
Open the companion tool →Cost and free path
Cost: Free: one complete run in this browser, no account. Optional $4 one-time unlock allows unlimited runs of this tool on this browser. The free path and safety guidance never require payment.
Free path, in order (no cost):
- The bank's fraud line and the FTC report route — both free, both fast
- Local police and adult protective services for the safeguarding record
- AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline for support through the process
What this cannot do: It cannot confirm a caller's identity, recover funds, or make decisions on someone's behalf.
Sources checked 2026-10-03 · source bank reviewed against the live pages listed in metadata.
One human next step
Report to the bank first, then the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov; for an older adult, also contact adult protective services and the state long-term-care ombudsman if a facility or caregiver is involved.
Research log and safety checks
AI-assist path: not used for a verdict. This builder organises the reader's own documents and names an independent source; it does not infer authenticity, eligibility, or legal rights. §6.9/§6.10/§6.11 disclosed in the batch report; §6.12 status line carried in metadata as `status_line`.
§0.5 protection result: category is elder-protection; crisis-adjacent: no; fear/urgency/scarcity toolkit used: no. The protective function is free and the paid feature is convenience only.