If you believe that you may have been scammed, you should immediately reach out to the local branch of the state consumer protection agency. Depending on the type of scam, you may even want to alert federal authorities. It will be up to a prosecutor to determine whether or not to file charges. Even if the scammer is not taken to criminal court or convicted of a criminal offense, you could still collect damages through a civil lawsuit, as the burden of proof in civil cases is much lower than it is in criminal cases.