Scammed or defrauded? What to do in the first 72 hours

When money is lost to fraud, the first three days matter most. Funds are often moved on quickly, and every hour of delay makes tracing harder. These steps help preserve your position.

Day 1: stop the bleeding

• Call your bank’s fraud line and ask them to flag or recall the transfer and to notify the receiving bank.
• Change passwords and secure email, banking apps and phones.
• Stop all further payments — including “release fees” or “taxes” requested to unlock your funds, which are a common second-stage scam.

Day 1–2: preserve evidence

• Screenshot chats, emails, websites and social-media profiles before they disappear.
• Keep transfer receipts, account numbers, names and phone numbers used.
• Write a short timeline of what happened while it is fresh.

Day 2–3: take legal steps

• Speak to a lawyer about an urgent application to freeze the receiving accounts.
• Consider a well-prepared petition to the Police or EFCC — your lawyer can advise on timing and content.
• Identify any assets or businesses linked to the people involved.

Checklist

• ☐ Bank notified and recall requested
• ☐ Evidence saved and backed up
• ☐ Timeline written
• ☐ Lawyer contacted about freezing orders
• ☐ No further payments made

Every situation is different — for advice on yours, speak with our team in confidence.