Reporting is the part people most often get wrong, and the part that most affects what remains possible. These briefings cover Action Fraud, Police Scotland, banks and the evidence that makes a report usable.
If an online romantic contact persuaded you to transfer money into a cryptocurrency platform that is now inaccessible, cease all communication and do not send further funds. Secure your accounts immediately and report the fraud to your bank and UK authorities.
If you transferred funds through a cloned broker, stop sending money immediately and report the firm to your bank and the authorities. Legitimate regulated firms never request top-up payments to release your capital, and onchain tracing can identify the genuine destination of your assets.
If a fraudster accessed your computer to purchase cryptocurrency, disconnect the machine from the internet immediately, alert your bank, and change passwords from another device. Reporting the crime and tracing the outward transactions can identify where the funds were transferred.
If you sent digital assets to a purported giveaway promising doubled returns, stop sending funds immediately, as genuine organisations never distribute currency in exchange for an upfront payment. Preserving transfer records and reporting the theft will help document the fraud.
If you contacted a fraudulent helpline and lost cryptocurrency, immediately disconnect any active sessions, secure your genuine accounts with fresh credentials, and alert your bank. Legitimate wallet providers and exchanges never operate phone lines that ask you to transfer funds or reveal passphrases.
No legitimate bank, police officer, or genuine financial organisation will ever instruct you to transfer your money into a cryptocurrency wallet to protect it. If you are told to convert funds to crypto to safeguard them, stop all contact immediately because it is an impersonation fraud.
If you transferred digital assets to a giveaway promising to double your funds, stop sending payments immediately, as legitimate organisations never distribute currency this way. Preserve all transaction records and report the theft to UK authorities and your banking provider straight away.
Legitimate cryptocurrency platforms will never contact you first via direct message, nor will they ask you to transfer funds to external wallets to resolve technical issues. If you suspect an impersonator has contacted you, sever communication immediately and secure your accounts on official platforms.
Peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trades carry substantial fraud risks, particularly when counterparties use compromised bank accounts or request settlement outside platform escrow. Verifying payer identities and refusing off-platform arrangements protects participants from irreversible asset loss.
Unauthorised remote desktop access allows fraudsters to manipulate digital wallets, harvest sensitive credentials, and initiate irreversibly routed asset transfers directly from victim hardware. Prompt intervention helps secure compromised systems and preserve relevant diagnostic evidence.
Unauthorised entities frequently impersonate legitimate UK-regulated firms to entice prospective cryptocurrency investors into fraudulent arrangements. Conducting independent regulatory checks and cross-referencing published contact details are vital measures to safeguard your capital before initiating transactions.
Relationship-led investment fraud relies on building artificial personal trust across weeks or months before introducing speculative cryptocurrency opportunities. Victims are systematically guided to purchase assets through legitimate UK platforms before transferring them to hostile onchain destinations.
Accurate record-keeping immediately after an incident provides investigators and authorities with the vital data needed to trace misappropriated funds. Capturing immutable transaction details, communications, and platform records assists subsequent formal reports to UK enforcement bodies and financial institutions.
Remote access tools are frequently weaponised by fraudsters seeking direct control of personal computers to initiate unauthorised cryptocurrency transfers. Recognising the risks of third-party remote assistance is essential for protecting self-custody wallets and online exchange accounts.
Deceptive platforms frequently block customer withdrawals by demanding upfront payments disguised as taxes, regulatory levies, or administrative clearance fees. Legitimate financial institutions and regulatory bodies never require direct digital asset payments to release retained capital.
Fraudsters frequently impersonate government departments, law enforcement officers, or domestic banks to pressure individuals into converting fiat savings into cryptocurrency. Recognising these coercive tactics helps safeguard personal capital and prevents irreversible transfers to illicit recipient wallets.
Early documentation of transaction hashes and rapid formal reporting remain vital when digital assets are misappropriated. Establishing an accurate audit trail assists both banking institutions and specialist investigators in tracing the movement of illicit capital.
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Lost funds to a scam?
We assess at intake and say honestly whether the onchain data supports a traceable case.