Triage page

I've just been scammed

Triage for people who have been targeted. No shame, just next steps.

This page is built as a triage, the same way an A&E nurse would assess you on arrival. We move in four phases: the first hour, the first 24 hours, the first week, then the slow rebuild. Do them in order. Do not skip ahead.

Below the four phases there is an extensive FAQ covering refunds, identity documents, telling family, devices, longer-term confidence, and how to help an elderly relative. At the very bottom there is a quiet invitation to talk to a human, free, if you would like one.

Calder Valley · 2026

Calder Valley hills

Phase 1 of 4

The first hour, the freeze

You may feel sick, frozen, or unreal. That is shock, and it is normal. Your job in the first hour is not to fix everything, it is to stop the bleeding. Five steps, in order.

Call your bank fraud line now
Most UK banks share the 159 number. Dial 159 from your own phone, it will route you to your bank free, 24 hours, all major UK banks (NatWest, HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays, Santander, Halifax, Nationwide, TSB, Co-operative, Starling, Metro, Monzo, First Direct, Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, Tide and Virgin Money). See stopscamsuk.org.uk/159. If your bank is not listed, look up its fraud number on the official site, never click a link in a message that says it is from your bank.
Stop talking to the scammer
Block, mute, do not reply, do not pick up. They will try to keep you on the hook with new stories. Disengage completely.
Do not make any new payments
Even ones that feel urgent or claim to "fix" what just happened. A common pattern is a second contact pretending to be the bank or the police asking you to move your money to a "safe account". That second call is also the scam.
Take screenshots of everything
Messages, emails, transaction confirmations, phone numbers, websites visited. Take them before you block, before you delete. You will need them for the bank, for Action Fraud, and for your own peace of mind later.
Tell one trusted person
A partner, family member, neighbour, friend. You should not be alone for the next 24 hours. The shock is real and you need a calm second pair of eyes. If you have no one nearby, ring Victim Support free on 08 08 16 89 111.

A hand paused mid-air above a phone on a wooden table, the moment before deciding what to do.

Phase 2 of 4

The first 24 hours, the anger and shame

Report to Action Fraud
The UK national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre. Online at actionfraud.police.uk or by phone on 0300 123 2040. They give you a crime reference number, which your bank and insurer may ask for. Reporting also feeds the national picture, so even if your case is not solved, it helps catch the same people doing it to someone else.
Contact your bank fraud team properly
Not just a card freeze, a full fraud report. Ask them about the Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM) Code if it was an authorised push payment, and ask in writing whether they will refund. Take notes of names, times, and case numbers.
Change passwords on touched accounts
Start with email (this is the master key to everything), then bank, then social media, then anything financial. Use a different password for each. If you do not have a password manager, NCSC has a free guide.
Set up identity protection
CIFAS Protective Registration costs £30 for two years and flags your name to lenders so they apply extra checks before opening any new credit. Apply at cifas.org.uk. You can also get free statutory credit reports from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Set up free alerts on each.

A steady hand placing a teacup beside a notebook on a warm wooden table.

Phase 3 of 4

The first week, the rebuild

The exhaustion comes in this phase. The replaying. The lying awake at 3am thinking, "why didn't I see it." That is not weakness, that is your brain trying to process a real betrayal of trust. Give it time. Eat. Sleep when you can. Lean on whoever you told in phase 1.

Talk to a free trained helpline
Victim Support runs a free, confidential 24 hour helpline on 08 08 16 89 111. They are not the police, they are trained listeners who specialise in this. Citizens Advice consumer helpline is 0808 223 1133 for practical next steps. Both are free, both have heard worse than yours.
Check your credit report
Look for any accounts, loans, or applications you did not make. You are entitled to free statutory copies from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Anything you do not recognise, dispute it in writing.
Audit recent activity with help
Have someone calm sit with you and go through the last month of emails, texts, and account statements. Look for subscriptions you did not start, password reset emails you did not request, login alerts from unfamiliar locations. Take notes.
Treat identity documents separately
If you sent the scammer photos of your passport, driving licence, utility bills, or National Insurance number, that is identity theft on top of the fraud and needs its own response. Make sure your CIFAS Protective Registration is in place, file a second Action Fraud report flagged as identity theft, and consider replacing the documents that were sent.

A slow sunrise over Calder Valley rooftops with stone houses and chimneys.

Phase 4 of 4

The slow rebuild, the acceptance

Tell your story, anonymously if you prefer
Most people who have not been scammed yet only need one specific real example to inoculate them. Friends, family, your community group, your local newsletter. Citizens Advice runs Scams Awareness resources you can share, and Action Fraud has a public alerts feed.
Seek therapy if the response sticks
Being scammed is a real betrayal of trust and the brain processes it that way. If sleep disruption, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or shame stay heavy beyond four to six weeks, talk to your GP or a therapist. The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute and StepChange both publish guidance on the financial trauma link. There is no shame, the hit was real.
Build a sharper eye for the next attempt
Read the National Cyber Security Centre Suspicious Email Actions guide, and the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign. The pattern repeats: urgency, secrecy, unusual payment method, official-sounding pretext. Once you have seen it once, you will spot it faster next time.

A person on a hillside above Hebden Bridge looking forward with calm shoulders.

FAQ, part 1 of 3

Right now

Will my bank refund me?

It depends on the type of fraud. If a card was used without your permission (unauthorised), banks must refund you under the Payment Services Regulations unless they can show you were grossly negligent. If you were tricked into authorising a payment yourself (authorised push payment fraud), most major UK banks signed up to the Contingent Reimbursement Model Code or, from October 2024, the mandatory reimbursement rules from the Payment Systems Regulator. Refunds are not guaranteed, banks can argue you ignored warnings, but you should ask in writing, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman if refused, and reference the specific scheme that applies.

Will the police catch them?

Honestly, for international scams, usually not. Most large-scale fraud is run from overseas, often through layers of money mules and crypto. The Action Fraud report still matters: it feeds the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, helps police track patterns, and is required by your bank and insurer. Your report can be the one that joins the dots on a bigger case. So report, but do not pin your recovery hopes on a prosecution.

Should I keep talking to the scammer to gather evidence?

No. Every minute of contact is an opening for them to get more from you, with new pressure stories, fake "fraud teams" calling back, or further requests for money. Take your screenshots, then block. Trained fraud investigators have the legal tools to follow up. You do not, and you are not in a state to handle it.

Can I un-send a bank transfer?

Sometimes. If you act within minutes and the receiving account has not moved the money, your bank can try to recall it. Call your bank fraud line immediately (159 for major UK banks). Once funds have been moved through several mule accounts, recovery is very unlikely. Speed is the single biggest factor. Do not wait until morning, do not wait until you feel ready.

Should I sue them?

Realistic only if the scammer is UK-based and you can identify them. Small claims court (up to £10,000) is one route but you need a name and address to serve papers. For most online scams, the people on the other end are anonymous, abroad, or already vanished. Spend your energy on the bank claim and the Financial Ombudsman route instead.

What if I gave them my driving licence or passport?

Treat this as a separate identity theft event. File a second Action Fraud report tagged as identity theft. Apply for CIFAS Protective Registration straight away (cifas.org.uk). Consider replacing the documents: HMPO can reissue a passport, DVLA can reissue a driving licence. Set up free credit alerts on Experian, Equifax and TransUnion to catch any new accounts opened in your name.

What if I sent money via gift cards or crypto?

Honest answer: usually unrecoverable. Gift cards and crypto are favourite scammer payment methods precisely because they are not reversible. Still report to Action Fraud, still report to the gift card issuer (some major retailers will freeze unspent balances if you act in the first hour), still tell the crypto exchange. But focus your emotional energy on protecting what is left, not chasing what is gone.

FAQ, part 2 of 3

This week

How do I tell my partner or family without them being angry?

Lead with the fact you have already taken action: bank called, Action Fraud filed, passwords changed. Frame it as a thing that happened to you, not a thing you did. Most family anger comes from fear, the fear that money is gone and you are vulnerable. Showing you are already on top of it reduces that fear. If you anticipate real conflict, ask a third party (Victim Support, a counsellor, a calm friend) to be present when you tell them.

How do I know if my computer was compromised?

Warning signs: programs you did not install, browser homepage or default search changed, pop-ups appearing when you are not browsing, very slow performance, fans running constantly, antivirus disabled, unfamiliar login alerts on your email. Run a full scan with the built-in protection (Windows Defender, macOS XProtect) and a second opinion scan with Malwarebytes free. If anything is found, change passwords from a different device. If in doubt, get a tech person you trust to look at it.

Do I need to factory reset my phone?

Only if you installed something the scammer told you to (a "support" app, a remote control tool, a screen share app). The most common ones are AnyDesk, TeamViewer Quick Support, and "bank security" apps that were not from the bank. If yes, do factory reset, but back up photos and contacts first to a clean cloud account whose password you have just changed. If you did not install anything, just change passwords and review installed apps.

Are there free tools for checking what data leaked?

Yes. haveibeenpwned.com lets you check if your email or phone number appeared in known data breaches. The NCSC Cyber Aware tools are free and run by the government. Both are safe to use. Do not pay any service that emails you saying your data is on the dark web and they will remove it, that is itself a common scam.

Should I change my phone number?

Usually no. Scammers buy lists of numbers in bulk, your number is not specifically targeted, and changing it is a big disruption (banks, work, family all need updating). Better strategies: register with the Telephone Preference Service free at tpsonline.org.uk, use call screening on your phone, do not answer numbers you do not recognise (let them leave a voicemail), and report the scam numbers to 7726 free from any UK mobile.

What about all my other accounts, where do I start?

Priority order: email first (it is the master key to password resets on everything else), then your bank, then anywhere you have stored a card (Amazon, PayPal, Apple, Google), then social media, then everything else. Use a password manager (Bitwarden free, 1Password paid) so each account has a different password. Turn on two-factor authentication everywhere it is offered, preferably with an app like Authy or Google Authenticator rather than SMS.

Can I get help from my employer if it affects my work email?

Yes, and you should tell them quickly. Your IT or HR contact will want to know so they can check whether the scammer accessed any work systems through your account. Most employers handle this professionally, this is not a disciplinary, it is an incident to contain. Frame it as: "I want to flag a personal fraud incident that may have touched my work email, what do you need from me?" Most companies have a process for this.

FAQ, part 3 of 3

Longer term

How do I rebuild my confidence in money decisions?

Slowly, and with a rule that buys time. The single most effective rule we recommend: any new payment over a threshold you choose (£50, £200, whatever fits your life) waits 24 hours before you make it. Write it on your fridge. Tell your family. Scammers depend on urgency, and a 24 hour wait kills almost every scam pattern stone dead. Over the next year, watching that rule work on real-life decisions rebuilds the trust in your own judgement.

How do I help an elderly relative who has been targeted?

Same playbook as this page, but slower and warmer. Sit with them, do not do it for them, let them call the bank with you next to them. The shame is heavier for older targets because of the cultural assumption they should have known. Reassure them that being scammed is not a marker of cognitive decline, it is what happens when full-time professional fraudsters target millions of people at once. Set up the 24 hour rule together. If you suspect cognitive change, that is a separate, gentler conversation for another day.

What are the warning signs of being targeted again?

Once your details are in scammer databases, you will be hit more often, especially in the first six months. Watch for: calls or messages that claim to be the police, your bank, or a government department, asking you to move money or share security codes; offers to recover the money you lost (recovery scams target previous victims specifically); friend requests on social media from people who claim to know you; new investment opportunities from people who somehow know about your previous loss. Trust your gut, and use the 24 hour rule.

Can HTT help me understand what happened?

Yes. We sit with you in person in the Calder Valley, or on a video call, and walk through what happened in your own words. We look at the messages and the accounts together, in plain English, no tech jargon, no judgement. We help you check your devices, tighten your accounts, set up the protections in this page, and where appropriate we point you at the right specialist help. First conversation is free. We are a Community Interest Company, not a salvage company, our goal is for you to leave the session calmer and more in control, not signed up to anything.

Calder Valley · 2026

Above Hebden Bridge

Free first conversation

If you would like a human to walk through it with you

If you would like a calm walk through with someone who has seen this pattern before, we can sit with you in person in the Calder Valley, or on a video call. No tech jargon, no judgement, just the next steps for your specific situation.

We are Hebden Tech Tutors, a Calder Valley Community Interest Company. The first conversation is free. We are not a salvage company, we will not promise to get your money back, we will help you steady the situation and understand what happened. If after the first conversation you would like longer help, our normal rates apply and concessions are available with no proof required.

Reach us at hello@hebdentech.co.uk or 01422 730 097. We answer within one working day, often faster.

Two figures at a kitchen table, one listening, the other talking softly.

Get in touch when you are ready.

No rush, no script, no sales call. Just one hour with a calm human who knows the pattern.