If you have sent money to someone you suspect is a scammer, contact your bank, e-wallet or payment provider immediately through its official app, website or verified customer-service channel. Give it the transaction details and ask what action is possible.
Act quickly, but do not assume the payment can be reversed. Recovery is not guaranteed, and each provider has its own investigation and recovery process. See GCash’s scam reporting guide for one example.
1. Report the transaction to your provider
Use the support details in the app you normally use, on your bank card or on the provider’s official website. Avoid calling a number supplied by the suspected scammer or someone promising to recover your money.
Explain that you believe you were tricked into sending the payment. Give the provider the amount, date and time, transaction reference, recipient details and any relevant messages. Ask for a case or reference number and keep it for follow-up.
If you used a card, bank transfer, e-wallet or remittance service, the options and time limits can differ. Ask the provider what it can do and whether it needs additional documents. Do not send more money to “unlock” a refund or pay an unsolicited recovery fee.
2. Preserve the evidence
Save the receipt and transaction reference, the recipient’s account details, relevant chat messages, screenshots, advertisements and profile or listing links. Record what happened while it is fresh in your memory.
Keep the original messages when possible. Share evidence through the provider’s official reporting channel and with investigating authorities. Do not post sensitive account details or identity documents publicly.
3. Secure accounts if you shared credentials
Tell your bank or e-wallet immediately if you shared a password, PIN, one-time password or card details. Ask whether it should block a card, restrict transactions or secure the account.
Change compromised passwords using the official app or website, and change reused passwords on other accounts. Review recent activity and enable available two-step verification. Never give a caller a one-time password or PIN, even if they claim to be helping with the report.
For a separate situation involving exposed personal information, see our guide on what to do if your personal data may have been exposed.
4. Report the suspected crime
GCash advises scam victims to report to the Philippine National Police (PNP) or National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as well as to GCash. Check current official contact details and follow the agency’s instructions.
Provide the transaction evidence and your provider’s reference number. A law-enforcement report and a provider complaint serve different purposes, so ask each organization what it needs. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) also publishes reporting information for scams involving financial institutions.
5. Follow up and escalate when appropriate
Keep the provider’s case number, dates and responses. For a complaint involving a BSP-regulated financial institution, the BSP process asks you to file with the institution first and keep the reference number before raising it through BSP Online Buddy.
Open the BSP website directly and use its official Online Buddy channel. Escalation does not guarantee a refund or a particular result.
How to report a GCash scam
GCash currently instructs users to open Transactions in the app, select the relevant transaction, tap Get Help, choose Report as scam, fill out the ticket form and submit it. Its help page also recommends reporting to the PNP or NBI.
The menu and the appropriate reporting path can change, so follow the current instructions in the official app. If money left your account without your authorization, tell GCash or your provider that specifically, because the reporting process may differ. Our GCash unauthorized transactions article gives background on that separate issue.
Frequently asked questions
Can my bank or e-wallet get the money back?
Sometimes a provider may be able to investigate or take action, but a refund is not guaranteed. Ask your provider what applies to your transaction.
Should I wait for the scammer to reply?
Contact your provider immediately if you suspect fraud. Preserve the conversation, and do not send another payment to resolve the issue.
Can I report to the BSP immediately?
For a complaint involving a BSP-regulated financial institution, the BSP process asks you to report to the institution first and keep the reference number for escalation.
Takeaway
Contact the payment provider promptly, preserve evidence and ask for a case number. Secure any exposed credentials, report the suspected crime through official channels and keep following up. Avoid anyone who promises a guaranteed recovery for an upfront fee.
