Which recovery route fits your case
You are wondering which recovery option actually applies to how you were scammed.
Updated 2026-09-29
Start with how the money left
The route that fits depends first on the payment channel, not the scam story. Bank transfer, card payment, e-wallet, and cryptocurrency each open different doors.
Below is each channel, what it opens, and what it needs from you.
Bank transfer or DuitNow: recall and bank complaint
A recall asks your bank to intercept the funds before the receiving account withdraws them. It works best within hours of the transfer.
Read how a bank recall works for what the bank will ask you. If the recall does not succeed, a formal complaint through Bank Negara Malaysia’s channels is the next step, alongside your police report.
Card payment: chargeback
A chargeback, asking your card bank to reverse the payment, disputes the charge on the basis that it was obtained by deception. It needs the transaction record and, ideally, the messages that show what you were told before you paid.
Chargebacks have their own time limits. Raising the dispute early matters more than the amount involved.
E-wallet or cryptocurrency: report and trace
E-wallet transfers are reported to the provider and the police. The platform itself can sometimes flag or freeze a receiving wallet.
Cryptocurrency has no recall or chargeback. The crypto scam route relies on wallet records and, where the amount justifies it, tracing by a lawyer.
Civil action: when the other routes are not enough
A civil claim to trace and freeze funds becomes relevant when the receiving account is known and the amount is meaningful, regardless of channel. It usually follows a bank or police step rather than replacing it, so start there first.
Whether it is worth pursuing depends on the amount, the traceable assets, and how much time has passed. This is covered in whether legal action is worth it.
What to do next
Report through the official channel for your payment method first, since every later route depends on that record existing. Our emergency action steps set out the order to follow by how urgent your case is.
Once you have reported, a short conversation can confirm which combination of routes actually applies to your case.
Tell us how the money left and we will help you see which recovery route genuinely applies to your situation.
Common questions
Can I try more than one recovery route at the same time?
Often yes. A bank recall and a police report usually run together, since the report supports the recall and any later step. A civil claim is different, since it usually follows once you know whether the receiving account still holds funds.
What does a recovery route actually need from me?
Each route needs proof of what happened: the transfer or transaction record, the messages that led to it, and the account or platform details you paid. Without these, a bank, a card issuer, or a court has little to act on.
What if none of the routes seem to fit my situation?
That happens when the money moved through several accounts or was converted quickly, which narrows the realistic options. A short conversation can still clarify whether a civil claim to trace the funds makes sense for your amount.
Read next
How a bank recall can help
If you sent money to a scam by bank transfer, here is how a bank recall and a hold on the receiving account work, and how fast to act.
Read thisHow a bank recall actually works
A bank recall asks the receiving bank to check for and return your funds. Here is each step, and what can change the result.
Read thisFreezing scam funds: how it works
Here is how a court order to freeze or preserve scam funds works in Malaysia, when it may be possible, and why urgency matters.
Read thisIs legal action worth it: an honest look
Here is how to weigh whether legal action is worth pursuing after a scam, based on the amount lost, the evidence, and the likely cost.
Read thisTell us how the money left and we will help you see which recovery route genuinely applies to your situation.