Anyone can be the victim of a scam. Here are some steps you can take if you think you’ve fallen victim to scammers:

Don’t panic. Take a deep breath and think clearly about what you can do next. You need to check if you can get your money back, report the scam and protect yourself from further risks.

Contact your bank immediately. If you think that you may have been scammed, it might not be too late to stop it if you act fast. They will also help you to freeze any cards or bank accounts if they’ve been compromised. Speak to your bank straight away by calling the number on the back of your card or by calling 159 and selecting your bank, for most major UK banks.

Gather all details of the scam, including who you have been in contact with (including names and any contact details they may have used), what information you have shared with them (including passwords or PINs), whether you’ve paid any money and what method you used to do this.

Report it. There are various ways of doing this:

Speak to someone - perhaps a friend or family member who can support you. Don’t be embarrassed to discuss it. Remember, scammers are very clever and anyone can fall victim to them. If you and those around you share information, it can really help prevent others becoming victims of fraud.

Change your passwords if you think they may have been compromised, or if you use the same password for several sites. You can read advice on how to create a strong password by the NCSC at www.ncsc.gov.uk. 

Monitor your credit report, particularly if you’ve been the victim of identity theft. This will help you to see if anyone tries to open accounts or take out credit in your name. Most of the main agencies will let you view your credit report and score for free, but you may need to sign up to a 30 day free trial, and cancel it before you are charged a subscription fee.

This messaging system is not for reporting crime as responses are not monitored 24/7.  If you have time-critical information regarding the content of the above message, or if you wish to report any other non-urgent matter, please call 101.  In an emergency, call 999.

Police Scotland's North East Division covers rural and urban areas in Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City.  The division has five territorial command areas which have their own dedicated Area Commander, who is responsible for the daily policing function.  Each command area is served by a number of community policing teams whose activities are built around the needs of the local community.  These teams respond to local calls and look for long term solutions to key issues.  They are assisted by the division's Crime Reduction Unit who deliver against Force and local priorities in a number of areas, including physical and social crime prevention, supporting and enhancing community engagement and creating and sustaining strong and effective partnership working.