A person who has been scammed may feel ashamed, frightened or determined to prove that the situation was genuine. Blame can make it harder for them to disclose what happened or accept help.
What to say first
- “These scams are designed to deceive people.”
- “Let us deal with the next step together.”
- “You are not wasting my time.”
Practical priorities
- Stop further contact and payments.
- Contact the bank if money or card details are involved.
- Secure email and other exposed accounts.
- Preserve messages, payment records and account details.
- Report the incident using the official route.
Continue checking in
Scammers may return as police, lawyers, investigators or recovery specialists. Agree that unexpected recovery offers will be checked together before any response or payment.
If the experience has caused severe distress, encourage support from a GP, trusted organisation or victim-support service.