Build a clear scam timeline

Why a chronology matters

A lawyer or the police read a timeline far faster than a folder of screenshots in no particular order. It also shows patterns, like a fee that kept increasing.

These patterns are easy to miss when the story is told from memory. Building a chronology is mostly organising what you already have, not creating new information.

What each entry needs

Write one line per payment or event, in date order. Include the date, the amount, how it was sent (bank transfer, card, e-wallet, or crypto), and the account or wallet it went to.

Add a short note on what you were told or promised at that point. Pull the dates and amounts from your bank or e-wallet statement rather than memory, since the record is more reliable.

Our evidence checklist covers what else to keep alongside these entries.

Handling a scam with several payments

List every payment separately, even small ones. The pattern across payments often matters more than any single amount.

This pattern is common in investment scams, where the amount requested keeps rising each time. Note where the story changed, such as a new fee or a new reason the platform gave for blocking a withdrawal.

If different accounts or wallets received the money, mark this clearly next to each entry.

When you are not sure of a date

Use your bank statement or message timestamps to confirm a date wherever you can. These are more reliable than memory.

Where a date is genuinely unclear, write your best estimate. Mark it as approximate rather than leaving a gap.

Finishing the chronology

End with the date you realised something was wrong, and any action you had already taken by then, such as contacting your bank. This closing entry helps a lawyer see how quickly you acted.

What to do next

A clear chronology makes it much easier to assess whether legal action is worth it. The amount, the pattern, and the timing all become visible at once.

It also speeds up a police report or a bank recall request, since you can answer questions from the record instead of memory.