IF YOU'VE BEEN TARGETED

Here's exactly what to do next.

Whatever happened, you're not the first person to go through it and you won't be the last. This page walks through what to do in the first 24 hours, who to contact, and how to protect yourself going forward — free, and wherever in the world you are.

This is not your fault. Scams are designed by people who do this for a living, often running the same script on hundreds of people at once. Feeling embarrassed is common — acting quickly matters more than feeling bad.

FIRST 24 HOURS

Work through these in order

Stop all contact and payments

Don't send any more money, don't reply, and don't warn the other party that you're onto them. If a payment is still pending, try to cancel or delay it.

Preserve every piece of evidence

Screenshot conversations before an account can be deleted. Save wallet addresses, transaction IDs, phone numbers, emails, and any website links involved.

Contact your bank or payment provider

Report the transaction immediately and ask about recall or chargeback options. For cards, ask about freezing or reissuing. Speed matters — some recall windows are short.

File a report with local authorities

A police or cybercrime report creates an official record, which banks, platforms, and insurers may ask for later — even if recovery isn't guaranteed.

Report it to Vigil Atlas and warn your network

Your report helps flag the wallet, domain, or company before it reaches someone else. Consider telling friends or family who might be targeted next.

Secure your accounts

Change passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and watch for follow-up "recovery agent" scams that target people who've already been victimized once.

WHO TO CONTACT

Reach out to each of these

Your bank or card issuer

They can flag, freeze, or attempt to recall a transaction — but only if you call promptly.

Local police or cybercrime unit

File a formal report, even for online-only losses — it's often required for later claims.

The platform involved

Report the profile, listing, or app to the platform it appeared on so it can be taken down.

Vigil Atlas

Report a scam so the wallet, domain, or company is flagged for the next person who searches it — free, worldwide, no account needed.

COMMON QUESTIONS

You're probably wondering

Sometimes, especially with card payments reported quickly. Bank transfers and crypto payments are harder to reverse, but reporting fast still improves your odds and helps investigators trace where funds went.

Crypto transactions are public on-chain, so the wallet can be traced and flagged even if funds can't be recovered directly. Save the wallet address and transaction ID, then look it up and report it.

It's best not to. Confronting a scammer rarely helps and can prompt them to delete evidence or disappear before you've had a chance to report it.

Be very cautious. "Recovery agents" who ask for upfront payment are a common follow-up scam that specifically targets people who've already lost money once.

Get in the habit of verifying a company, wallet, website, email, or phone number before you send money or personal details — especially when someone's creating urgency to act fast.