What To Do in the First 24 Hours After a Scam
After the immediate steps, lock down accounts, report fully, and protect against follow-on fraud.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
First 10 minutes
- Confirm you've stopped contact and payments
- Confirm your bank has been told
First 24 hours
- Change passwords on all affected and reused accounts
- Enable strong 2FA everywhere, starting with email and banking
- Report to your national fraud/cybercrime service
- Tell relevant providers (platform, employer, card issuer)
- Warn family or colleagues if their data or money could be affected
- Check statements and credit activity for unauthorised use
Contact your bank or payment provider
- Follow up on any recall request and get a reference
- Confirm card replacement and monitoring are in place
Evidence to preserve
- Compile screenshots, receipts, and reference numbers in one place
- Back up evidence somewhere safe
Secure your accounts and devices
- Reset passwords (unique per account, use a password manager)
- Enable app-based 2FA
- Sign out unknown devices and revoke suspicious app access
Report it
- Report to your national fraud/cybercrime service
- Report to the platform, bank, or provider involved
- Keep any reference numbers you're given
Once the immediate emergency is handled, the next day is about containment and reporting. Assume any details you shared may be misused, and prioritise securing your email — it's the recovery point for most other accounts.
Report thoroughly so the crime is recorded and any reimbursement process can begin. Then stay alert: scammers often return with 'recovery' offers, and your data may surface in further phishing.
Frequently asked questions
Which account should I secure first?
Your primary email account. Because it can reset passwords for most other services, locking it down with a strong password and app-based 2FA is the highest priority.