Key takeaways
- Call your bank first: the first hours are the only chance to stop or recall a payment.
- Save the evidence before blocking the scammer: screenshots, profile links, numbers, transaction references.
- Report to the police or your national fraud service, and to the platform where it happened.
- Beware of “recovery” services that contact you afterwards: they’re usually a second scam.
After a scam, many victims feel ashamed and say nothing. That’s exactly what scammers count on. Reporting helps you (with your bank and insurer), helps the police connect cases, and gets accounts and websites taken down. Here is the order that works best, wherever you are.
1. Call your bank immediately
If you paid by card, transfer or a payment app, call your bank’s emergency number now, not tomorrow. Ask them to block the card, stop or recall the transfer, and open a fraud dispute. Card payments can often be disputed; instant transfers are harder, but a fast call sometimes catches the money before it’s withdrawn. See /blog/bank-card-fraud-what-to-do/.
2. Save the evidence
Before you block the scammer or delete anything, keep:
- Screenshots of the whole conversation, with dates, and of the scammer’s profile.
- The profile or page URL, phone numbers, email addresses, usernames.
- The ad, the fake website’s address and screenshots of it.
- Payment proof: bank statements, transaction IDs, wallet addresses for crypto.
Our guide /blog/online-harassment-how-to-collect-evidence/ explains how to capture messages so they stay usable as evidence. You can also keep everything together as one incident in Chameleon AI, fingerprinted and encrypted on your device.
3. Report to the official service of your country
Most countries have a police complaint and a dedicated online service for internet fraud. A few examples:
- United States: the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov) for cybercrime.
- United Kingdom: Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk), which replaced Action Fraud in December 2025 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
- France: the THESEE online complaint for internet scams, through service-public.fr; illegal content can be reported on PHAROS.
- Canada: the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and your local police.
- Morocco: the national police’s E-Blagh platform (e-blagh.ma) for online fraud, sextortion and illegal content, or a complaint at a police station or with the public prosecutor.
If your country isn’t listed, search for your national police or consumer protection website, and file a complaint at a police station. See /blog/how-to-file-a-police-report/.
4. Report to the platform
Report the profile, ad or page on the platform where it happened: marketplace, social network, messaging app, dating app. Platforms can remove accounts and sometimes share data with the police. Report phishing emails and SMS too: many operators accept forwarded scam SMS (7726 in the UK and US, for example).
5. Secure your accounts
If you gave passwords or codes, change them, enable two-step verification, and log out other devices. If you gave ID documents, watch for identity fraud (see /blog/lost-or-stolen-id-card-or-passport/).
After a scam, victims are often contacted by “recovery experts” or fake police officers offering to get the money back for a fee. Real authorities don’t charge to investigate. Don’t pay.
Frequently asked questions
Will the police really investigate a small scam?
Not every case leads to an investigation, but reports are grouped: many small reports against the same account or website often lead to a case. Your report also supports your bank dispute and insurance claim.
Can I report a scam if I live in another country than the scammer?
Yes. Report in the country where you live; cross-border cases are shared between authorities. Also report to the platform, which works across borders.
How long do I have to report?
Legal deadlines are usually long (years), but practical deadlines are short: bank disputes and payment recalls have limits of days to weeks. Act as soon as possible.
General information to help you get organised, not legal advice. Procedures and numbers can change: confirm them with the office concerned, and in danger call your local emergency number first.
