Bank transfer
Contact your bank quickly and ask whether a recall or fraud investigation can be started.
Follow the stepsSent money to a scammer
What to do if you sent money to a scammer
If you have sent money to a scammer, contact your bank or payment provider as soon as possible using a trusted route. Recovery is not guaranteed, but acting quickly can improve your chances.
UK-focused guidance Plain English Official reporting routes No blame or panic
Do these first
Use official contact routes only. Do not trust numbers, links or “recovery” offers sent by the person or website involved in the scam.
- Contact your bank or payment provider immediately.
- Tell them the payment was part of a scam.
- Ask whether the payment can be stopped, recalled or challenged.
- Secure any accounts or passwords that may be involved.
- Watch for follow-up recovery scams.
What kind of payment was it?
The next step depends on how the money was sent. Start with your bank or payment provider if you are unsure.
Card payment
Ask your card provider whether chargeback or other card protection may apply.
Check your optionsCash, crypto or gift cards
These are often harder to recover, but you should still report the scam and secure your accounts.
Report the scamStep-by-step guidance
Move quickly, but use trusted routes. Keep notes of who you speak to and what they say.
1
Contact your bank or provider
Use your banking app, the number on your card, or the provider’s official website. Tell them you believe the payment was fraudulent.
2
Ask what can be done
Depending on the payment method, ask about:
- stopping the payment
- recalling a bank transfer
- chargeback for card payments
- freezing or monitoring your account
3
Secure your accounts
If you shared login details, card details or personal information, change passwords and check account activity. Start with your email account if it may be involved.
4
Report the scam
Report fraud and cyber crime through Report Fraud. If the scam involved a marketplace, social platform or retailer, report it there too.
5
Keep evidence
Save screenshots, messages, payment references, account names, phone numbers, email addresses and any website links involved.
6
Watch for recovery scams
Be careful of anyone claiming they can recover your money for an upfront fee. Scammers often target people again after a loss.
What not to do
Avoid steps that could make the loss worse or expose more information.
Do not send more money
Do not pay extra fees to release funds, unlock an account or recover the original payment.
Do not use contact details from the scam
Use official bank, provider or platform contact routes instead.
Do not delete evidence
Messages, payment references and screenshots may help your bank or reporting route.
Do not blame yourself
Scams are designed to create pressure, trust and confusion. Focus on the next practical step.
Want printable scam-safety checklists at home?
The UK Scam Safety Toolkit gives you practical checklists and action sheets to keep at home, including steps for suspicious messages, bank calls, online shopping scams and family conversations.
If something else happened
These guides may help if the payment was part of a wider scam.
I clicked a scam link
Close the page, check what you entered and secure any accounts involved.
Read the link guidanceMy account was hacked
Secure your email first, change passwords and check recent account activity.
Read the account guidanceI received a suspicious text
Use a quick check before clicking, replying or sharing details.
Read the text scam checksKeep the 10-second scam check nearby
The safest step is often a pause. Download the free Cleverways guide and keep a simple check nearby for suspicious messages, calls and payment requests.