What to do in the first hour

Where things stand after the first hour

An hour after a scam, the most urgent calls should already be made. If you have not yet contacted your bank or the National Scam Response Centre, do that before reading further.

If those calls are done, the next hour is about turning a stressful blur into a clear, usable account of what happened. This helps every channel that comes next, from the bank to the police.

Nothing here is wasted time. A clear timeline and saved evidence make every later step faster.

Confirm what your bank has done so far

Check whether your bank has confirmed a recall attempt, a hold on the receiving account, or simply logged your report. Ask for a reference number if one exists, and write it down.

If you have not read how a bank recall works, do so now, since it explains what a recall can and cannot achieve depending on how far the money has moved.

If you paid by e-wallet or card instead of a bank transfer, contact that provider directly too, since each channel has its own process.

Build a simple timeline of what happened

Write down, in order, how contact started, what was promised, how much you paid and when, and how the platform or person responded. Include screenshots where you have them.

This timeline does not need to be formal. A simple list of dates, amounts, and account numbers is enough for now, and it becomes the basis of your police report later.

Note any account number that received your money. You can later check whether it has been reported before through Semak Mule, the police’s mule account database.

Preserve the evidence before it disappears

Save chat messages, emails, and call logs before an account gets deleted or blocked. Export or screenshot conversations rather than relying on the app to keep them for you.

Keep the original transfer receipt or confirmation screen too, not just a summary. Banks and investigators often need the exact reference number shown at the time of payment.

What to do next

With a timeline and evidence in hand, you are ready to move into the first twenty-four hours, when a police report and any formal bank complaint typically happen.

Read the fuller first response guide if you want the complete order of steps from the very start.