Recovery guides
If you already clicked, paid, or shared something, stay calm. These step-by-step guides explain what to do next.
What to do if you clicked a scam link Clicking a link is not always harmful by itself. The risk is what happened next - whether a page loaded, you entered details, or a file downloaded. What to do if you sent money to a scammer Acting fast gives the best chance of stopping or recovering a payment. Banks can sometimes halt a transfer if you call quickly. What to do if you shared an OTP An OTP lets someone complete a login or payment. If you shared one, treat the linked account as at risk right now. What to do if you shared your password A shared password can unlock more than one account if it was reused. Change it everywhere it was used. What to do if you shared card details Card details in the wrong hands can be used quickly. Freezing the card limits the damage. What to do if you shared bank details Sharing account details raises the risk of unauthorised transfers and targeted follow-up scams. What to do if you installed a suspicious app A malicious app may capture what you type or control your device. Removing it and securing accounts is the priority. What to do if you scanned a scam QR code A QR code only sends you to a page. The risk is what you did on that page - entering details or paying. What to do if you gave remote access Remote access means someone could see and control your device, including banking. Treat your accounts as exposed. What to do if your social account was hacked A hacked social account can be used to scam your contacts. Regaining control and warning others matters quickly. What to do if your WhatsApp was hacked WhatsApp takeovers usually happen when a verification code is shared. Re-registering removes the attacker. What to do if your Instagram was hacked Regaining access fast limits misuse of your Instagram account and protects your followers. What to do if your Facebook was hacked A compromised Facebook account can spread scams to friends. Recover access and review security promptly. What to do if you downloaded a suspicious attachment An attachment can carry malware. If you opened it, secure your device and accounts. What to do if you received a sextortion message Sextortion threats are frightening but paying rarely ends them. Keeping evidence and reporting is the safer path. What to do if you sent crypto to a scammer Crypto transactions are usually irreversible, but reporting quickly can still help and protects others. What to do if you shared your ID or passport Identity documents can be used for impersonation and fraud. Monitoring and reporting reduce the risk. What to do if you shared a selfie verification Selfie or 'verification' images can be misused for identity fraud. Treat the accounts involved as at risk. What to do if you gave your address to a scammer An address alone is lower risk, but combined with other details it aids targeting. Stay alert to follow-ups. What to do if you shared bank login details Online banking credentials give direct access to your money. Act immediately to lock the attacker out. What to do if you paid a fake delivery fee A fake delivery fee captures your card details. The small charge is often followed by larger attempts. What to do if you paid a fake job fee Job-fee scams take an upfront payment and often request more. Stop further payments and report. What to do if you paid a recovery scammer Recovery scams target people who already lost money. If you paid a 'recovery agent', treat it as a second scam. How to save scam evidence Good evidence helps banks and authorities act and supports any chance of recovery. Capture it before deleting or blocking. You entered your card details on a scam page If you typed your card number, expiry, or CVV into a page from a suspicious message, act quickly: contact your bank to stop the card, watch for charges, and treat the details as compromised. Most banks can block and reissue the card in minutes, and you can usually dispute fraudulent charges. You installed a remote-access app for a 'support' caller If you installed remote-access software and shared the code because of a 'support' or 'refund' call, the scammer may have seen or controlled your screen. Disconnect, remove the app, and secure your accounts from a different device. Move quickly if banking was open during the session. You shared your passport or ID with a scammer If you sent photos or numbers from your passport, ID, or KYC documents, the risk is identity theft - accounts or loans opened in your name. You usually don't need a new document immediately, but you should alert the issuing authority, watch your credit, and report it. Your crypto wallet was drained If your wallet was emptied after a 'connect wallet', signature, or seed-phrase request, act fast: move any remaining assets to a brand-new wallet, revoke token approvals, and report it. Crypto transfers are usually irreversible, so the priority is protecting what's left and stopping further losses. Your bank account is compromised If you think someone has access to your bank account - after sharing a login, OTP, or details - contact your bank immediately using the number on your card, secure your login, and watch for transfers. Banks can freeze access, reverse some payments if caught quickly, and reissue credentials. Your SIM was swapped If your phone suddenly loses signal and you can't make calls or texts, your number may have been ported to a scammer's SIM (a SIM swap). They can then intercept OTPs and reset your accounts. Contact your carrier urgently, then secure your bank and email with app-based two-step verification, not SMS. Your email was hacked Your email is the key to your other accounts, so a hacked inbox is urgent. Reset the password from a secure device, kick out other sessions, turn on app-based two-step verification, and check for hidden forwarding rules. Then secure the accounts that use that email to reset passwords. Your elderly parent was scammed If an older family member has been scammed, lead with calm support, not blame - shame keeps people from acting. Help them secure money and accounts, gather evidence, and report it. Then set up simple protections, like a family 'secret word', to reduce the next attempt's chance of working. The first 10 minutes after a scam The first few minutes matter most. Stop all contact with the scammer, protect your money and main accounts, and don't pay anything else. You don't need to fix everything at once - this guide gives you the highest-impact steps to take right now, calmly and in order. The first 24 hours after a scam Once the immediate panic passes, the first 24 hours are about securing your accounts, saving evidence, and reporting. This guide lays out a calm, ordered plan so you cover the important things - money, logins, identity, and reporting - without missing a step. How to report a scam safely Reporting helps protect you and others, and it creates a record you may need for disputes. This guide shows what to gather, who to report to, and how to do it without exposing yourself further - and why you should never use contact details from the scam message itself. How to verify a message without clicking You can almost always verify a message safely without tapping its link. Go to the company or agency yourself - through their official app, a number you look up, or by typing the address - and check there. This guide shows simple, reliable ways to confirm a message is real before you act. How to talk to a scam victim How you respond to a scam victim shapes whether they act in time. Lead with calm and without blame - shame and 'how could you?' make people freeze or hide it. This guide gives simple, kind ways to help them take the next safe step and feel supported, not judged. How to warn family about scams A few simple habits protect a whole family. This guide gives you a calm way to talk about scams, the key red flags everyone should know, and practical protections - like a family secret word and app-based two-step verification - that make the common scams far less likely to work. How to create a family secret phrase A family 'secret word' is one of the simplest, strongest defences against AI-voice and 'help me' emergency scams. If a call or message claims to be a relative in trouble, you ask for the word. This guide shows how to choose one, share it safely, and use it. How to secure your accounts after phishing After clicking a phishing link or entering details, securing your accounts well prevents most follow-on damage. The priorities are: change exposed passwords, turn on app-based two-step verification, sign out other sessions, and check for sneaky changes like mail-forwarding rules. This guide walks you through it in order. How to freeze or monitor your identity after a scam If your ID or personal details were exposed, freezing or monitoring your credit limits the damage from identity theft. A freeze stops new credit being opened in your name; monitoring alerts you to changes. This guide explains the options and the steps, recognising they vary by country. What to do if you replied to a scam message Replying can confirm your number or account is active, but you can limit the harm by stopping now and not sharing anything. What to do if you fell for a romance scam Romance scams are designed to be convincing and they are not your fault. Stopping payments now and saving evidence are the most useful first steps. What to do if you paid an advance fee for a job, loan, visa, grant, or prize Advance-fee scams ask for money before releasing a job, loan, prize, visa, or grant that does not exist. Stopping further payments now is the priority. What to do if your business paid a fake invoice or changed bank details Invoice redirection and business email compromise (BEC) divert real payments to a fraudster. Fast contact with your bank gives the best chance of recall. What to do if you fell for a digital arrest, fake police, or AI voice call scam Real police and courts never demand secret video calls, transfers, gift cards, crypto, or remote access. Ending the contact and verifying officially are the key first steps. Family and senior scam safety checklist A few simple, agreed family rules prevent most scams. This checklist is designed to be shared and discussed without blame. What to do if you shared investment, trading, or crypto platform login details Acting quickly to lock down the account limits what an attacker can do. Change access first, then secure anything linked to it.