Been scammed? What to do in the first hours
Acting fast makes the difference. This step-by-step plan helps you block your money, ask for it back and secure your accounts.
1How they do it
- Call your bank or your country's national blocking line straight away (see “Help by country”). This gets your cards, apps and payments blocked.
- Report it to your bank in writing and ask for a refund of the unauthorised payments. In the EU, since the European Court ruling (15/10/2026), the bank must in principle refund immediately.
- Report it to the police and keep all the evidence: text messages, emails, screenshots, account numbers.
- Change your passwords, starting with your mailbox. Turn on a second step everywhere.
2A real example
Ms V. clicked on a text message from “her bank” one evening. At 21:40 she called the blocking line, at 22:00 she emailed the bank. Two transfers were still stopped.
3How to spot it
- Not sure? Treat it as fraud. Better one card too many blocked.
- Do not be ashamed: scammers are professionals.
- Do not wait until the next day.
4How to protect yourself
- Bank refuses to refund? Ask for a written explanation and go to the banking ombudsman in your country.
- Report suspicious messages to the phishing reporting point in your country.
- Beware of “recovery” services that promise to get your money back for a fee.
In Belgium
- Fraudstop: 078 170 170, day and night.
- Banking ombudsman: Ombudsfin.
- Suspicious messages: suspicious@safeonweb.be.
How WolfKey helps
With WolfKey every account has its own password that nobody knows, and you can only log in with your phone and your finger. That makes it much harder for scammers.
Get WolfKeySuspicious number, email or website? Check it or report it.
Examples have been made unrecognisable. Names and numbers in the examples are made up.