I shared a verification code. What now?

Contact your bank or the affected provider immediately, change passwords and enable two-factor authentication.

Should I report to the police too?

Where a crime has occurred, reporting to your national reporting body or police is worthwhile. ScamGuide is an independent platform, not a law-enforcement agency.

Does ScamGuide contact the impersonated company?

Reports may be used to identify patterns; the platform does not claim any official partnership with the organisations impersonated.

Can I report an attempted scam that failed?

Yes, and it is useful. Attempted-scam reports strengthen pattern detection.

Help & reporting

Report an impersonation scam

Impersonation scams work by borrowing authority: a bank's fraud team, a tax office, a delivery company, a police officer, or a brand you already use. The pressure to act immediately is the manipulation, not the message content.

Report a Scam Search Scam Reports See how ScamGuide works

What this kind of scam is

The caller or message claims to be from an organisation you recognise and trust.
You are told your money, account or identity is at immediate risk.
You are directed to move funds to a 'safe account', share codes, or install software.

Common warning signs

You are told not to hang up, or not to tell bank staff the real reason for a transfer.
A one-time passcode or verification code is requested by the caller.
The number appears genuine — caller ID and sender IDs can be spoofed.
You are asked to install remote-access or 'security' software.
Payment is requested in gift cards, cryptocurrency or an unusual transfer method.
The urgency escalates whenever you hesitate or ask to verify independently.

Steps to consider now

1
End the contact and verify independently
Call back only on the number printed on your card, statement or the organisation's official website.
2
Tell your bank immediately
Report unauthorised or misdirected payments as soon as possible; timing affects the available options.
3
Secure devices and accounts
Uninstall any software you were asked to add, change passwords from a clean device and enable two-factor authentication.
4
Keep the messages and call records
Save texts, emails, numbers, times and the exact wording used.
5
Open a ScamGuide case
Impersonation reports help map recurring numbers, sender IDs and scripts.

Evidence worth preserving

Screenshots of every conversation, including profile names, handles and the dates shown.
Payment records: bank transfer confirmations, card statements, invoices or receipts.
Cryptocurrency transaction hashes and the destination wallet addresses.
The website address, app name and any download links you were sent.
Emails with full headers where possible, plus any documents or contracts you received.
A short written timeline of what happened and when, made while it is still fresh.

How ScamGuide works

1. You submit a structured report through a guided wizard — no legal or technical knowledge needed.
2. A private case is created with a reference number, timeline and secure evidence vault.
3. A case specialist reviews the details and communicates with you in an encrypted, private thread.
4. You explore the recovery and reporting options that realistically apply to your circumstances.
5. A sanitised, moderated summary may be published so other people can search it. You are never named.

ScamGuard Pro provides scam reporting, information and recovery-support services. Recovery outcomes depend on the circumstances of each case and cannot be guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions

Caller ID spoofing is common and inexpensive. A matching number is not verification.

Ready to document what happened?

Reporting is free and takes a few minutes. You can search existing reports first — try a phone number, sender ID or company name.

Report a Scam Search Scam Reports