Realising that money has left your account through a fraudulent platform, a fake broker or an unauthorized charge is disorienting. The hours and days that follow are the most important — clear, calm action now protects your options later. Here is a practical order of things to do.
1. Secure your accounts first
Before anything else, stop the bleeding. Change the passwords on your email, banking and any accounts you used with the platform, and turn on two-factor authentication. If you shared card details or installed a "support" or remote-access app at anyone's request, remove it and contact your bank immediately to flag the card and block further transactions.
2. Document everything
Evidence is what any dispute is built on, so gather it while it is fresh:
- Bank and card statements showing the transactions, with dates and amounts.
- Screenshots of the platform or "dashboard", the website address, and any account or transaction IDs.
- Emails, chat logs and phone numbers — every message you exchanged with the people involved.
- A short written timeline of what happened, in order. This one page will save you hours later.
3. Report it on time
Notify your bank or payment provider as soon as you can, and keep the reference number they give you. Card and bank dispute windows are limited, and acting quickly keeps more paths open. If the loss is significant, report it to the relevant authorities as well.
Finally, be cautious with anyone who contacts you promising to get your money back for an upfront fee, or who asks for cryptocurrency, wallet keys or an "unlock" payment — that is a hallmark of a second scam, not a solution.