How to report a suspected scam
Prioritise payment and account security
If you sent money, contact your bank or payment provider promptly using a trusted channel and explain that you suspect fraud. Available remedies depend on payment method, timing and jurisdiction; do not assume a refund is guaranteed. Secure exposed credentials and preserve the transaction references.
Use the right authority
Report to police and the financial regulator relevant to your country and the claimed firm. Use official reporting pages directly; UK routes differ from those outside the UK and can change. A TradAdvise submission helps us review a record but does not replace an official report or initiate fund recovery.
Prepare one factual summary
List the exact website, claimed firm and licence, contact details used, dates, amount paid, payment recipient and steps already taken. Identify which facts are documented and which remain uncertain. Keep the official report reference. Do not send fresh payments to someone who claims a reporting fee is needed to unlock the case.
Choose the route for the actual issue
A suspected crime, a dispute with an authorised provider, a misleading advert and an urgent payment concern may need different recipients. Start with the bank for payment security and use the relevant official regulator or police pages for their remit. Do not assume one submission is automatically forwarded to every institution. When in doubt, explain the facts and ask the recipient whether another official route is also required for your circumstances.
Prepare copies that protect privacy
Give the recipient enough context to understand the allegation, but do not post complete bank statements or identity documents publicly. Keep originals and provide redacted working copies when appropriate. Use an authenticated official upload or contact route for sensitive material. A request from a stranger to send the entire case to a private messaging account should be verified, even if they claim to work for an authority. Never include account passwords or authentication codes.
Follow up without duplicating assumptions
Save acknowledgement dates, references and any requested next step. If new evidence emerges, attach it to the existing reference where the channel allows rather than changing your account of events. Explain what is new and how you obtained it. Reporting does not guarantee an investigation update, compensation or recovery. Stay alert to follow-up impersonation: independently verify anyone who later claims to have recovered your money or offers priority handling for a fee.