What to Do If You've Been Scammed — Step-by-Step Action Plan
If you've just been scammed, every minute matters. This step-by-step guide tells you exactly what to do in the first hours and days after falling victim to fraud to maximise your chance of recovery.
If you've just realised you've been scammed, the next few hours are critical. The actions you take immediately can significantly affect how much — if any — of your money you recover. Don't let embarrassment or shock delay you. Work through this checklist as fast as possible.
Immediate steps — do these first
Step 1: Contact your bank or card issuer right now
This is the single most important step. Call the number on the back of your card or on your bank's official website. Tell them you've been the victim of fraud.
Ask them to:
- Freeze or block your account to prevent further unauthorised transactions
- Recall the transfer if you made a bank transfer — some banks can attempt to retrieve funds from the recipient's bank within the first few hours
- Raise a chargeback if you paid by credit or debit card — you have strong consumer rights for fraudulent transactions
Don't use any phone number provided by the scammer — use the number from your bank's official website or the back of your card. Some scammers conduct "vishing" attacks where they continue the deception by staying on the line or calling you back pretending to be your bank.
Step 2: Stop all contact with the scammer
Block them on every platform. Do not respond to messages, calls, or emails — even if they threaten you, offer refunds, or claim to have new information. Further contact only gives scammers more opportunities to manipulate you or extract more money.
Step 3: Don't pay any "recovery fees"
After a scam, victims are frequently targeted by follow-up scammers posing as recovery services, law firms, or government agencies claiming they can retrieve your money for a fee. These are scams. No legitimate service can recover scam losses in exchange for an upfront payment.
Step 4: Document everything immediately
Before the website disappears, the social media account is deleted, or the email trail is cleared, capture everything:
- Screenshots of all conversations, messages, and emails
- Screenshot the website and any payment pages
- Save any payment references, transaction IDs, or receipts
- Note the phone numbers, email addresses, usernames, and any names used
This documentation is essential for your bank dispute, police report, and any fraud authority investigation.
Step 5: Change your passwords
If you shared any passwords, or if the scammer had access to your email or device, change all your passwords immediately — starting with your email (which is the master key to everything else) and your banking apps. Use a strong, unique password for each.
Enable two-factor authentication on all important accounts.
Step 6: If you gave remote access to your device
If a "tech support" scammer or anyone else had remote access to your computer or phone:
FAQ
Immediately. The faster you act, the better your chances of recovering money. Contact your bank within minutes of realising you've been scammed — some transfers can be recalled in the first few hours.
It depends on how you paid. Credit card payments have the strongest chargeback protection. Bank transfers can sometimes be recalled if reported quickly. Cryptocurrency and gift card payments are almost impossible to recover.
No. Scammers are highly skilled professionals who study psychology and practice deception full time. Reporting fraud — even if embarrassing — protects others and helps authorities track criminal networks.
Most are scams themselves. After losing money, victims are targeted by 'recovery services' who charge upfront fees and deliver nothing. No service can magically recover scam losses, especially from cryptocurrency or gift cards.