This is a fast, UK-focused checklist. Start with the first 5 minutes, then choose what happened.
First 5 minutes
Do these three things first.
1) Stop contact immediately
Hang up. Stop replying. Block the number or account if you can.
Avoid keeping them talking while you investigate. It increases the chance you will be pushed into a second action.
2) Capture evidence quickly (before it disappears)
Screenshot or save:
- Message thread or email chain
- Phone number(s) and account handles
- The exact link(s) they sent
- Any payment confirmation or transaction reference
- Date and time (even approximate)
3) Secure your email (the reset key)
If someone gets your email, they can reset passwords across banking, PayPal, Apple or Google, marketplaces, socials, and more.
- Change your email password
- Turn on 2-step verification (2FA)
- Check email settings for forwarding, filters, and auto-delete rules
- Check recovery email and phone, remove anything unfamiliar
Then move to the section below and choose what happened.
If you sent money (or made a transfer)
Step 1: Call your bank’s fraud team now
Use the number on the back of your card, inside your banking app, or the bank’s official website. Do not call a number that texted you.
Hi, I need to report a scam. I made a payment or transfer of £[amount] to [payee] on 2026 after being contacted via [text/call/email/social]. Please secure my account, check for any additional activity, and tell me the quickest way to stop or recover this payment. I can provide screenshots and references.
If you were pressured into authorising it, say this clearly: “I was manipulated or pressured into acting quickly and did not understand it was a scam at the time.”
Step 2: Ask these specific questions
- Is the payment pending, and can it be stopped?
- Can it be recalled (transfer) or charged back (card)?
- Are there any new payees added?
- Have there been any device changes or new logins?
- Are there any new standing orders or direct debits?
- What evidence do you need from me (screenshots, transaction refs)?
Step 3: Lock the account down
After the bank call:
- Change banking password (only after email is secure)
- Enable 2FA where available
- Turn on transaction alerts
- If your bank offers it, add extra security or confirmation checks for new payees
If you shared a one-time code (OTP), card details, or login info
Do this immediately
- Call your bank and say you shared a code or details
- Freeze your card in-app (or ask the bank to do it)
- Check for new payees, new devices, address or email or phone changes, and new standing orders or direct debits
- Change passwords (email first, then bank)
I shared a one-time passcode or security details because I believed I was speaking to [bank/company]. I now believe it was fraud. Please secure my account immediately, block new payments, and check for any changes made to payees, devices, or contact details.
Extra check: mobile account security
If the scam involved your phone number, contact your mobile provider and ask to add an account PIN or password. This reduces SIM swap risk.
If you clicked a link and entered details
Do this now
- Change the password for whatever you entered (email first if it’s involved)
- Turn on 2FA
- If you reused that password anywhere else, change it there too
- Check the account for new logins or devices, changed recovery options, and suspicious messages sent from your account
- Run a security scan on your device
Quick rule
If you entered bank details anywhere outside your banking app, or outside a URL you typed in yourself, treat it as compromised and act quickly.
If you downloaded something or gave remote access
Do this immediately
- Disconnect from the internet (airplane mode or Wi-Fi off)
- If you installed a remote access app (AnyDesk or TeamViewer), remove it
- From a different device if possible, call your bank and report remote access fraud
- Change these passwords in this order: Email, Apple ID or Google, Banking, Password manager (if used)
If you are not confident
Ask a tech-savvy friend or take the device to a reputable local repair shop and say: “I suspect remote access scam software was used. I need help checking and securing the device.”
If you are not sure (or you only replied)
Do these no-regrets steps
- Stop contact and capture screenshots
- Secure your email (password and 2FA, then check forwarding rules)
- Check your bank for any unknown activity
- If you’re unsure, use the quick scam checker.
- If anything involved money, codes, logins, or remote access, call your bank
What not to do
- Do not keep engaging to confirm
- Do not click further links to check
- Do not send ID documents unless you can verify the recipient independently
- Do not install apps or “security software” suggested by a caller or text
A short script to end pressure fast
I’m going to end this call now and contact the organisation directly using the official number.
Then hang up.
After the urgent steps: the next 24 hours
- Check bank transactions and pending payments again
- Review account security: email, bank, PayPal, Apple or Google
- Change any reused passwords (start with the most important accounts)
- If personal details or ID were shared, consider checking your credit file and adding extra security where available
UK contacts and reporting
Official services and reporting routes.
Where to go next
Unsure if it’s a scam? Use the quick scam checker.
Want prevention habits that do not feel paranoid? Read scam-resistant money habits.
Back to the Scam Shield hub.