If money has already been sent, speed matters. Contact your bank first, then secure affected accounts, preserve evidence and report what happened.
Use the steps below to slow the situation down, verify the claim through a separate route and protect yourself without giving the suspicious contact more information.
Contact your bank immediately
Use the number on the back of your card, your bank’s official app or another contact route you already trust. Tell the bank that you believe a payment was made because of a scam and give them the payment details they ask for. Do not use a phone number supplied by the scammer.
Do not send a second payment
Scammers may claim another transfer, fee or verification payment will release or recover the first one. Stop sending money until you have independently verified the situation with your bank or another appropriate official organisation.
Secure accounts and passwords
If you disclosed passwords, one-time codes or account details, change affected passwords and review accounts for unfamiliar activity. If a password was reused elsewhere, change those copies too.
Preserve the evidence
Keep the original messages, phone numbers, usernames, website addresses, screenshots, payment references, dates, amounts and any bank details you were given. Avoid editing the original material if you may need it for a report.
Report the fraud
For England, Wales and Northern Ireland, current NCSC guidance directs victims who have lost money to Report Fraud. In Scotland, report fraud to Police Scotland. Your bank may also give you additional reporting steps.
Watch for recovery scams
After a loss, criminals may pose as investigators, banks or recovery specialists and promise to get the money back for an upfront fee. Treat unsolicited recovery offers as a new suspicious contact and verify them independently.
Practical checklist
Quick checklist
- Contact your bank using a trusted route
- Stop further payments
- Secure exposed accounts and passwords
- Keep messages and payment evidence
- Report the fraud through the appropriate UK route
- Be wary of unsolicited recovery offers
Official UK guidance
Scam techniques and reporting routes change. These official sources were checked when this guide was updated: