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If you have just realized you were scammed, the most useful thing you can do right now is file a report that law enforcement can act on. Getting it right the first time matters far more than doing it in five minutes — amendments later can weaken how seriously a case is treated.
Speed matters in one specific way.
If your funds are still sitting on an exchange, that exchange can sometimes freeze them — but only while they are there. Alert the platform immediately, even before you finish gathering everything else.
Before you report: gather your evidence
A strong report is built on organized evidence. Spend an hour on this before filing anything.
- Transaction records — the wallet addresses you sent to, the transaction hashes for every transfer, and screenshots from your exchange or wallet. These are what let investigators trace the stolen funds.
- Communications — chat logs (WhatsApp, Telegram, the platform), emails with full headers where possible, and the website URLs or app names involved.
- A timeline — a short, factual sequence: first contact, how trust was built, when money moved, when you realized something was wrong.
Where to report
File with your national cybercrime channel first, then escalate.
| Region | Where to report |
|---|---|
| United States | FBI IC3 (ic3.gov) |
| United Kingdom | Action Fraud |
| Australia | ReportCyber / Scamwatch |
| Canada | Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre |
| EU & elsewhere | Your national police cybercrime unit |
Also file with your local police and keep the reference number — banks, exchanges, and regulators often require one before they will engage. If a fake investment platform was involved, add a report to the relevant financial regulator (for example the SEC, CFTC, or FCA); regulators track patterns across many victims.
Your refund rights at the bank stage depend heavily on where you live. See our jurisdiction guides on getting a bank refund in the UK, Australia's Scams Prevention Framework, Singapore's anti-scam laws, and where the US stands on crypto scams.
The first 24 hours
The hours right after a scam decide how much can be done. Work through the ordered steps below, and see our fuller first-24-hours checklist for securing your remaining accounts.
- 1
Contact the platform
If funds touched a regulated exchange, alert its fraud or compliance team with your transaction hashes. Freezes are only possible while funds remain on-platform.
- 2
File the official report
Submit to your national cybercrime channel and local police. Keep every reference number.
- 3
Notify your bank
If you funded the purchase from a bank account or card, tell your bank — they may have their own dispute process.
- 4
Preserve everything
Do not delete chats or apps. Export and back up all evidence before the scammer disappears.
What a strong report includes
A report that gets attention is specific and technical: exact amounts and dates, every wallet address and transaction hash, the platform's full URL, and your factual timeline. Vague reports stall; precise ones move.
Check your urgency
Recovery urgency check
Tick what applies to your case:
Report without delay
Your next steps
- 1Gather your transaction hashes — they make the funds traceable. How to find them
- 2Ignore anyone promising guaranteed recovery for a fee. That is a second scam. Why
Protect yourself from the second wave
The moment you become a known victim, recovery scammers appear.
Anyone who guarantees they can get your money back — for an upfront fee, a "tax", or a "release payment" — is running a recovery scam. No legitimate party asks for your private keys, seed phrase, or passwords. Both rules have zero exceptions.
How Scambulance helps
You do not have to do this alone. Scambulance is a nonprofit built by a fraud victim, for fraud victims. We help you assemble a substantial, technically correct report and can assist at any stage. Start with the guided report your case flow, which structures your information the way law enforcement expects to receive it.
Key takeaways
- Report to the platform first — freezes are only possible while funds remain there.
- Gather transaction hashes, communications, and a factual timeline before filing.
- File with national cybercrime, local police, and (for fake investments) a regulator.
- A specific, technical report gets acted on; a vague one stalls.
- Never pay for guaranteed recovery and never share your keys.
Know someone who needs this? Share it.
Scambulance will never ask for your private keys, passwords, or seed phrases. Anyone promising guaranteed fund recovery is likely a scammer.