If you are victim to fraud, follow the steps below to immediately report a fraud and to protect yourself from further losses. If you want quick action, see the relevant fraud reporting tools on the fraud resources page.
Step 1: Stop Investing!
– If you believe you have been scammed STOP sending money and Do NOT pay any more money to the fraudsters, starting now.
– If you have given your bank account details to the fraudsters, tell your bank immediately. Explain you’re issue and demand they do an immediate ‘money recall’ on your previous payments, as you may be able to get some money back if have sent payments recently.
Step 2: Ignore Phone Calls & Emails
– Ignore all phone calls and emails from the fraudsters. It’s recommended you change your phone number and email address because this will end the calls and emails 100%. Fraudsters are very persistent and will continue to contact you even after you report a fraud. Changing your phone number and/or email will close a negative chapter and give you a new start without the stress of being contacted. Your new chapter starts today…
– Another option — only if you feel emotionally strong enough — is to record phone calls for evidence. But this is not advised as you may be convinced to transfer more money to the fraudsters, which is the worst case scenario. Think carefully about this.
Step 3: Report the Fraud
– Report the fraud immediately to ActionFraud
– Report the fraud to the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority)
– If you are in the USA report a fraud through StopFraud
Step 4: Get Emotional Support
– If you need help emotionally, be strong and please speak with Victim Support. They have professionals who can help you.
– If you know a relative or friend who has been defrauded, they need support not enquiry, do not judge them, ever! They are not to blame, the fraudster is.
Step 5: Avoid being scammed again
– Fraudsters are relentless! If you have been contacted in the past or even invested in the past — no matter how recently — they will contact you again. Be aware and be ready, or better still change your phone number or email to remove them from your life completely.
– Investment Frauds have multiple-levels. If you have lost money to fraud, you will be contacted again by the fraudsters pretending to be from a company who can recover your lost money. They will use multiple strategies to do this. But they can NOT recover you money. You must treat them as the same company who defrauded you the first time and ignore and report them.