Lesson 125 · 3 min
The first hour after sending money to a scammer
If you sent money to a scammer, calling your bank within minutes gives the best chance of stopping it, so call first and deal with the feelings later.
Call your bank's official hotline straight away, using the number on your card or in the app. Say you sent money to a scammer, give the time, amount and receiving account, and ask them to check and hold the transfer if possible.
If you shared a password or a one-time code, or installed an app, tell the bank so they can lock your account and cards. Change your passwords from a safe device.
Report to the police: call 113 or go to the nearest station. Take screenshots of the chat, call logs, the transfer receipt and the scammer's account details, and keep them all.
Then watch out for a second scam. People who claim they can "recover your money" for a fee are almost always scammers too. Getting money back is not guaranteed, so tell your family and lean on them.
Do it now
Prepare before it happens
- 1. Save your bank's hotline in your phone under "Bank emergency".
- 2. Find where your banking app shows each transaction's reference number.
- 3. Write the steps on a note for your parents: call the bank, call 113, save screenshots.
Quick check
Keep going
Next →Photos that leak your addressWords from this lesson
- Phishing
- Fake messages that pretend to be someone you trust to trick you into clicking a link, paying or sharing passwords.