PlayInfoBox

Home /Education /How to Report an Online Scam

How to Report an Online Scam

Act quickly and in this order to give yourself the best chance of recovering your money.

  1. File a report through your national cybercrime portal

    Most countries offer an online cybercrime reporting portal where you select the type of scam, upload evidence, and enter details about the loss and the other party. This usually generates a reference number and directs you to the right local office.

  2. Follow up in person at your local police station

    An online report alone often isn't enough to complete the process. Bring ID and your reference number to the cybercrime unit at your local police station to formally register the case.

  3. Ask your bank to freeze the receiving account

    If you transferred money to a scammer, contact your bank's fraud department or call center immediately, often at the same time as filing your police report, to request a freeze on the receiving account before the funds can be withdrawn.

  4. Save every piece of evidence from the transaction

    Screenshot chat logs, the account number, the seller's contact details, the site URL, and payment confirmations. This evidence is critical for both your report and any later compensation claim.

  5. Check the other party against a scam registry before you pay

    If you haven't paid yet, some countries have a public scam-report registry or a police-run app that lets you check whether a phone number or account has prior fraud reports, a useful precaution before sending money.

  6. Look into refund and relief procedures

    After a receiving account is frozen, ask whether there's a formal refund process for the frozen funds, and whether a consumer protection agency or ombudsman can offer further help.

Speed matters more than anything else

The single biggest factor in recovering money lost to an online scam is speed. Freezing the receiving account before the scammer withdraws the funds is far more effective than any step taken afterward. Report to your national cybercrime authority and your bank as close to simultaneously as you can.

Before you send money, check who you're dealing with

If a deal seems too good to be true or the seller is pushing you to pay quickly outside a secure marketplace, take a moment to check the account or phone number against a public scam registry first. It takes a minute and can prevent the loss entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

I already sent the money. Is it too late?

It's not too late immediately after the transfer. Contact your bank right away to request a freeze on the receiving account; the sooner you act, the more likely the funds are still there to be recovered.

Do I need to file both an online report and an in-person report?

In most places, yes. An online submission gets the process started and gives you a reference number, but you typically still need to visit your local police cybercrime unit in person to complete formal registration.