THE SHORT ANSWER

Stop further action, secure affected accounts, contact the relevant bank, payment or platform provider through an official channel, preserve records, use the official reporting route for your jurisdiction, and monitor affected accounts. Recovery is not guaranteed.

Stabilize the situation first

STOP FURTHER ACTION ↓ SECURE ACCOUNTS ↓ CONTACT THE FINANCIAL OR PLATFORM PROVIDER ↓ PRESERVE RECORDS ↓ REPORT ↓ MONITOR ↓ UPDATE CONTROLS.

  • Do not send an additional payment to unlock or recover the first one.
  • Use official contact details, not a number supplied by the suspected scammer.
  • If credentials were shared, change them and revoke sessions from a trusted device.
  • Keep transaction IDs, messages, times and relevant screenshots without continuing the interaction.

Evidence & context: United States Federal Trade Commission · United States Federal Trade Commission

Contact the payment provider promptly

Tell the bank, card issuer, wallet, exchange or payment service what happened and ask what protective or dispute steps are available. RBI requires regulated banks to provide reporting channels for unauthorized electronic transactions, but liability and outcomes depend on the facts and current rules.

Evidence & context: Reserve Bank of India

Use the current official route in your jurisdiction

In India, as checked on 29 September 2026, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal provides financial-fraud reporting and identifies helpline 1930. Confirm the current process at cybercrime.gov.in when acting. Elsewhere, use your national reporting service and local law-enforcement guidance.

Evidence & context: Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs

Monitor and improve the control that failed

Watch affected accounts and communications, warn people who may receive impersonated messages, and document what needs to change. For a business incident, follow What Happens When a Business Gets Hacked? and seek qualified legal, financial or security help where the consequence requires it.

Sources & further reading

  1. National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal

    Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs. India's official portal for reporting cybercrime, including financial fraud, checked in September 2026. The portal and helpline processes can change; confirm instructions on the official site when acting.

  2. Customer Protection — Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions

    Reserve Bank of India. RBI directions on bank reporting channels and response to unauthorised electronic transactions. Rights and timelines depend on the facts and current rules; this module does not provide legal or recovery advice.

  3. What To Do if You Were Scammed

    United States Federal Trade Commission. Practical recovery guidance organized by what was shared or how payment was made. Provider and reporting details are United States-specific and no recovery outcome is guaranteed.

  4. How To Recover Your Hacked Email or Social Media Account

    United States Federal Trade Commission. Defensive account-recovery guidance including reviewing recovery details and warning contacts after compromise. Exact recovery controls depend on the platform.

Examples and exercises are illustrative unless attributed to a source. No independent expert review is claimed.

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