What to do on the first day

Where you should be after a day

By now, you should have contacted your bank and the National Scam Response Centre, and you should have a basic timeline of what happened. If not, start with the first hour after a scam before continuing.

The first day is when the police report usually happens, along with a clearer picture of what your bank can and cannot do. This is also when you start protecting the parts of your digital life the scam may have touched.

None of this needs to happen all at once. Spread it across the day if you need to.

Make the police report

A police report gives the Commercial Crime Investigation Department a formal basis to investigate, and it is usually required before a bank dispute or any legal step can move forward. Bring your timeline, screenshots, and transfer receipts.

Read how to make a police report for what to bring and what happens after you file it. Make the report even if you believe the money is already gone, since it still helps link related cases.

Ask for a copy of the report or its reference number, since you will need it again later.

Follow up with a formal bank complaint

If your bank has not given you a clear answer on the recall or hold, ask for the matter to be escalated formally. Reference how a bank recall works if you need to explain what you are asking for.

Request everything in writing where possible, including emails or case numbers, so there is a record of what the bank agreed to check.

Check and protect your other accounts

If the scam involved a link, an app, or shared access to your device, assume other accounts could be exposed. Change your banking, email, and social media passwords, starting with anything reused elsewhere.

Turn on two-factor verification wherever it is available. This single step closes off many of the ways a scammer could try to reach you again.

What to do next

Once the police report is filed and your accounts are secured, more considered work begins. The first week after a scam covers what typically follows.

You can also look at the fuller picture of recovery routes that may apply, from bank complaints to civil claims, once the immediate steps are behind you.