What to do when you are a victim of a scam?
If the scammer contacts you
If the scammer calls you or sends you a message, ignore them or block the number, but keep a record of what has happened so that you can report it.
If you have transferred money to the scammer in the last 24 hours
If the scammer asked you for money and you accidentally transferred the money to them, contact the respective bank about the transaction. Also, send a complaint to the respective organization that the scammer impersonates.
If you think your account/card details have been stolen
Contact your bank and card issuer company to block the account/ card.
If you think your password could have been stolen or your account has been hacked
Change the password and locked your account immediately.
If you know the contact medium of the scammer
Leave the social media group (like Telegram groups) immediately. Report complaints again these scammer groups immediately to the respective organization.
How should you respond to scams?
Follow the below steps while dealing with scams:
Check the domain name
Sites set up to spoof a legitimate site often use domain names that look or sound similar to the legitimate site addresses. For e.g., instead of fundingsocieties.com, a spoof site might use “fscapital” domain name which may look similar to the original site or redirects you to the legitimate company site, and when you try to sign up or log in, the scammer tricks you to the phishing site.
Be careful how you pay
The scammer may have asked you to pay money via the link, which you received over email or message. Never pay money directly to the bank account specified in the scam. Also, please be aware that financial institutions will never send a text or call asking for credentials or transfer of money.
Too good to be true?
The scammer offers a good loan scheme that seems to be very beneficial in your favor. Stop and think twice. It might be a trap.
Do an Internet search
If you still can’t figure out about the scam, do an Internet search about the website, group, or loan scheme. Do some searching to see what other people on the Internet are saying about it.
Always use a secure connection
When you visit a legitimate site that asks for financial or secure data, the company name should be visible next to the URL in the browser bar, along with a padlock symbol that signifies you're logged into a secure connection. If you don't see this symbol or your browser warns you the site doesn't have an up-to-date security certificate, that is a sign of warning.
Do contact the legitimate company via their official channels
As you may have received fake contact details, do email or call the person/company to verify whether they have, indeed, sent the email/SMS/message.
Click here to learn more about scam and how to identify it.