Unfortunately, a consumer usually does not get their money back after being victimized by a scam. You may be able to get your money back if the scam involved a credit card or debit card, though, since you can contact the entity that provided the card to contest the charges. Similarly, you may be able to recoup fraudulent charges on your phone bill by explaining the situation to your phone service provider. If the police catch the scammer, and they are prosecuted, you may be entitled to a certain amount of restitution as part of a plea deal or conviction. Bringing a civil claim against a scammer usually does not reap rewards, since they have few assets from which to collect a judgment.