All common scams

A call from your bank's "fraud department"

Someone says they are your bank, says your money is in danger and asks you to "move it to a safe account" or read out a code.

What it looks like

This is the fraud department at your bank. Your account has been frozen. Do not hang up. To protect your funds, move your money to a safe account immediately and read me the verification code we just texted you.

A made-up example. Real messages change the words, the names and the numbers.

The signs to look for

• It asks you to read out or send a code, a PIN or a password. A bank does not need that from you, and a code it just texted you lets someone into your account.
• It says your account is frozen or about to be emptied. The fear is the tool: it is meant to make you act before you think.
• It tells you to act at once and not to hang up, so you have no chance to call the bank yourself on the number on your card.

What they usually ask for next

1. They often start with a warning that your account has a problem.
2. They usually point you to a link that looks like a real sign-in page.
3. They often ask you to type in a password or a code.
4. They may ask you to "update" your card or payment details.

If you already paid, gave access or gave a code

These are the same steps the tool shows after a check, in the same words.

1. Contact your bank, card company, or payment provider right away, by phone or in their official app, using a number from your card or statement. Ask whether the payment can be stopped or disputed. That depends on the payment type and the timing, and an outcome can't be promised. Phone is usually the fastest first move. Going to a local branch (a later step) is the follow-up, not a replacement.
2. Treat the account as being accessed by someone else. Contact the company through its official app or website, change the password from a trusted device, and sign out all sessions. Never give another code to someone who contacted you.
3. From a device you trust, change the password for the affected account and for any other account that uses the same password. Sign out other sessions and turn on multi-factor authentication if it is available.

These steps are general guidance. They have not yet been reviewed by the organizations named, and agencies, deadlines and rules differ by country, so use your own government's official website to find the right office. We can't tell whether any step will help in your case.

This is general information, not legal, financial or investigative advice. We can't promise any money will come back.

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