I. Introduction

Online scams in the Philippines commonly involve fraudulent bank transfers, e-wallet payments, fake online sellers, investment schemes, phishing, romance scams, job scams, loan scams, identity theft, and unauthorized account access. In many cases, the victim’s first priority is not yet prosecution but stopping the movement of money before the scammer withdraws, transfers, converts, or launders the funds.

The phrase “freeze a scammer’s bank account” is often used broadly, but under Philippine law it can mean several different things:

Bank-initiated temporary hold or restriction after a fraud report;
Account investigation and blocking by an e-wallet or payment provider under its terms and compliance rules;
Freezing by court order, especially in money laundering or cybercrime-related cases;
Preservation of computer data or transaction records under cybercrime procedures;
Attachment, garnishment, or execution in a civil or criminal case after proper court proceedings.

A private victim generally cannot personally order a bank to freeze another person’s account. Banks are bound by confidentiality rules, banking regulations, due process, and anti-money laundering laws. However, a victim can take urgent steps that may lead the bank, law enforcement, prosecutors, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, or a court to preserve funds and records.

This article explains the Philippine legal framework, the practical emergency steps, the agencies involved, the evidence needed, and the remedies available to victims.

II. What “Freezing” Means in Philippine Law

A. Temporary bank hold or internal restriction

When a victim reports fraud to a bank or e-wallet provider, the institution may temporarily restrict the receiving account, flag the transaction, block further activity, or escalate the report to its fraud, compliance, or anti-money laundering unit. This is usually based on:

The bank’s internal fraud policies;
Customer terms and conditions;
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulations;
Anti-money laundering obligations;
Suspicious transaction monitoring;
Coordination with law enforcement.

This is not necessarily the same as a formal legal freeze order. It may be temporary, discretionary, and subject to the bank’s procedures.

B. AMLC freeze order

The Anti-Money Laundering Council, commonly known as the AMLC, plays a central role when proceeds of unlawful activity are suspected to be passing through bank accounts, e-wallets, remittance channels, crypto platforms, or other covered persons.

Under Philippine anti-money laundering law, freezing of monetary instruments or property is generally done through legal mechanisms involving the AMLC and the courts. Scams may qualify as predicate or unlawful activities depending on the facts, such as estafa, swindling, cybercrime offenses, fraud, identity theft, or related crimes.

C. Court-issued freeze, preservation, attachment, or garnishment orders

Courts may issue orders affecting funds or accounts in appropriate proceedings, including:

Freeze orders in anti-money laundering cases;
Cybercrime-related warrants or preservation orders;
Provisional remedies in civil actions, such as attachment;
Restitution or forfeiture-related remedies in criminal cases;
Garnishment or execution after judgment.

These remedies require legal grounds, evidence, and compliance with procedural rules.

III. Immediate Steps After Sending Money to a Scammer

Time is critical. Scammers often move money within minutes or hours.

1. Contact your own bank or e-wallet provider immediately

Report the transaction as fraudulent and request urgent assistance. Provide:

Your account name and number;
Transaction date and time;
Amount sent;
Reference number;
Receiving bank or e-wallet;
Receiving account name and account number or mobile number;
Screenshots of the transaction confirmation;
Screenshots of conversations with the scammer;
Any advertisement, listing, profile, invoice, receipt, QR code, or payment instruction used.

Ask your bank to initiate a fraud report, recall request, interbank coordination, or chargeback or dispute process, depending on the payment channel.

For bank transfers, recovery is usually difficult once the receiving account has withdrawn or transferred the money. Still, immediate reporting improves the chance that the receiving institution can flag or hold the account.

2. Contact the receiving bank or e-wallet provider

Victims often hesitate to contact the receiving institution because they are not its customer. Still, it is useful to send a written fraud report to the receiving bank’s official fraud or customer support channel.

Include:

The recipient account details;
Transaction proof;
Police report or complaint affidavit, if already available;
Your contact information;
A request to preserve funds and transaction records;
A request to escalate to the fraud or compliance department.

The receiving bank may not disclose information about its customer because of bank secrecy, privacy, and confidentiality rules. However, it can receive your report and investigate internally.

3. File a police report or cybercrime complaint

For online scams, file a complaint with appropriate law enforcement, such as:

Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group;
National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division;
Local police station, especially for initial blotter or documentation;
Other specialized units depending on the nature of the fraud.

A police report alone does not automatically freeze an account, but it creates an official record and may support requests for preservation, subpoenas, warrants, and AMLC referral.

4. Prepare a sworn complaint-affidavit

A complaint-affidavit is often needed for criminal investigation. It should state:

Your identity and contact details;
How you met or encountered the scammer;
What representations were made;
Why you relied on those representations;
When and how payment was made;
The exact account or wallet that received the money;
What happened after payment;
Why you believe the transaction was fraudulent;
What evidence supports your claim.

Attach screenshots, bank receipts, IDs, URLs, phone numbers, emails, usernames, delivery details, business names, and witness statements.

5. Preserve digital evidence

Do not delete conversations. Preserve:

Full chat threads;
Profile links and usernames;
Mobile numbers;
Email headers, if available;
Transaction receipts;
QR codes;
Advertisements;
Marketplace listings;
Website URLs;
IP logs, where lawfully available;
Delivery tracking records;
Voice notes, call logs, and SMS;
Screenshots showing date, time, and account identifiers.

Use screen recording or export chat features where available. Keep originals. Avoid editing screenshots except for personal copies.

IV. Legal Bases Potentially Involved

A. Estafa under the Revised Penal Code

Many scams fall under estafa, particularly where the offender defrauds another by false pretenses, deceit, abuse of confidence, or fraudulent means. Examples include fake sellers, fake investment recruiters, false job offers, rental scams, and bogus service providers.

Estafa may support criminal investigation and prosecution. It may also support restitution or civil liability.

B. Cybercrime Prevention Act

If the scam was committed through information and communications technology, the Cybercrime Prevention Act may apply. Online fraud, identity theft, illegal access, computer-related fraud, phishing, and related conduct may bring the case within cybercrime jurisdiction.

Cybercrime classification matters because it can support preservation of computer data, coordination with service providers, and specialized investigation.

C. Anti-Money Laundering Act

When scam proceeds are deposited, transferred, layered, withdrawn, or converted, anti-money laundering rules may become relevant. Banks and other covered persons have duties to monitor suspicious transactions and submit reports where appropriate.

Victims do not directly file suspicious transaction reports. Covered institutions do. However, a victim’s complaint can trigger internal review and possible escalation.

D. Bank secrecy and data privacy laws

Philippine banks cannot freely disclose account details to private complainants. A victim may know the receiving account name from a transfer receipt, but the bank usually cannot confirm balances, transaction history, address, ID documents, or other customer information without lawful authority.

This is why law enforcement, prosecutors, AMLC processes, subpoenas, warrants, and court orders matter.

E. Civil Code remedies

Aside from criminal prosecution, a victim may pursue civil remedies based on fraud, unjust enrichment, damages, or breach of obligation, depending on the facts. Civil proceedings may allow provisional remedies such as attachment if legal standards are met.

V. Who Can Actually Cause a Bank Account to Be Frozen?

A. The bank or financial institution

A bank may internally restrict or monitor an account based on fraud alerts, AML concerns, or suspicious activity. This may happen quickly, but it depends on the institution’s policies and the available evidence.

The bank’s action is not guaranteed. It may require:

A clear fraud report;
Matching account details;
Transaction confirmation;
Police report;
Written complaint;
AML or fraud indicators;
Coordination with another financial institution.

B. Law enforcement

Law enforcement can investigate, receive complaints, coordinate with banks, request preservation of digital evidence, and refer matters for prosecution or AMLC action. They may also apply for warrants or court processes when needed.

However, law enforcement officers generally cannot casually order a bank to freeze an account without proper legal basis.

C. Prosecutors

Prosecutors evaluate criminal complaints and may issue subpoenas during preliminary investigation. Prosecutorial action can support formal case development, but a prosecutor’s involvement does not automatically freeze an account unless connected to an applicable legal process.

D. AMLC

The AMLC is the key body for anti-money laundering action. If the facts show that the funds are proceeds of unlawful activity and there is a basis under anti-money laundering law, AMLC-related processes may lead to freezing or forfeiture remedies.

E. Courts

Courts can issue binding orders affecting accounts when the law allows it. These include freeze orders, search warrants, warrants to disclose computer data, attachment orders, garnishment, forfeiture orders, and execution orders.

VI. Practical Evidence Checklist

A strong freezing or recovery effort depends on fast, clear, organized evidence.

A. Transaction evidence

Keep:

Deposit slip;
Fund transfer confirmation;
InstaPay or PESONet reference number;
GCash, Maya, bank app, remittance, or crypto transaction receipt;
Sender and receiver details;
Date and time;
Amount;
QR code used;
Merchant or account name shown;
Screenshots from the banking app.

B. Identity and contact evidence

Collect:

Scammer’s name used;
Account name;
Bank name;
Account number;
E-wallet number;
Mobile number;
Email address;
Social media profile;
Marketplace username;
Website domain;
Business page;
Delivery address;
Pickup address;
Any ID sent by the scammer.

C. Fraud evidence

Save:

Promises made by the scammer;
False representations;
Payment instructions;
Proof of non-delivery;
Proof of blocked communication;
Other victims’ reports, if available;
Screenshots of the same scam listing;
Reviews, posts, or complaints showing a pattern.

D. Timeline

Prepare a chronological timeline:

First contact;
Offer or representation;
Negotiation;
Payment instruction;
Payment made;
Follow-up messages;
Failure to deliver or perform;
Blocking, excuses, disappearance, or further demands;
Reports made to banks and authorities.

A timeline helps banks, police, prosecutors, and counsel understand urgency.

VII. Reporting to Banks: What to Say

A concise written report is more useful than a vague complaint. The report should identify the transaction and request preservation.

Suggested wording:

I am reporting a fraudulent transaction involving funds sent from my account to the following receiving account. I request urgent escalation to your fraud/compliance department, preservation of available funds if still present, preservation of transaction records, and coordination with the sending institution and law enforcement. Attached are the transaction receipt, screenshots of the fraudulent communications, and my identification/contact details.

Avoid threats, insults, or exaggerated accusations. Stick to verifiable facts.

VIII. Reporting to Law Enforcement

A victim should bring:

Government ID;
Printed and digital copies of transaction receipts;
Screenshots of conversations;
Account details of the recipient;
URLs and usernames;
Timeline;
Names of witnesses;
Bank complaint reference numbers;
Any communication with the receiving bank;
Affidavit, if already prepared.

For cybercrime complaints, digital evidence should be preserved in a way that shows authenticity. Where possible, keep files in original format and avoid cropping or altering metadata.

IX. Can the Victim Demand the Bank to Return the Money?

A victim may demand assistance, but a bank does not automatically return money merely because a sender alleges fraud. Several issues arise:

The receiving account holder also has rights;
The money may already have been withdrawn;
The receiving bank may need legal authority before debiting or reversing funds;
Transfers through real-time channels may be final or difficult to reverse;
The bank must comply with confidentiality and due process;
Some fraud claims are disputed or involve civil disagreements rather than clear scams.

Banks may help facilitate recalls, disputes, holds, or investigations, but recovery is not guaranteed.

X. Interbank Transfers: InstaPay, PESONet, and Similar Channels

Many scam payments move through electronic fund transfer systems. In practice:

InstaPay transactions are near real-time and often difficult to reverse once credited;
PESONet transactions may have more processing time, but reversal still depends on timing and rules;
Incorrect transfers and fraudulent transfers are treated differently;
The sending bank may contact the receiving bank;
The receiving bank may need the recipient’s consent or legal authority unless fraud controls apply.

The faster the report, the better the chance of preventing withdrawal.

XI. E-Wallets and Mobile Money Accounts

Scammers frequently use e-wallets because accounts can be opened quickly, transfers are fast, and funds can be cashed out through agents, bank transfers, crypto, or other wallets.

Victims should immediately report to the e-wallet provider and provide:

Wallet number;
Account name shown;
Transaction ID;
Date, time, amount;
Screenshots;
Fraud narrative;
Police report, if available.

E-wallet providers may suspend, restrict, or investigate accounts under their user agreements and compliance obligations. They may also request additional documents.

XII. Cryptocurrency and Digital Asset Transfers

If scam proceeds were converted into cryptocurrency, freezing becomes more difficult but not always impossible. Relevant steps include:

Identify the exchange or platform used;
Preserve wallet addresses and transaction hashes;
Report to the platform’s compliance or abuse team;
File a law enforcement complaint;
Provide blockchain transaction details;
Request preservation of account and KYC records.

Self-custody wallets are much harder to freeze than exchange accounts. Regulated exchanges may respond to lawful requests and internal fraud reports.

XIII. Civil Remedies: Attachment and Recovery

A victim may file a civil action to recover money and damages. In proper cases, the victim may seek preliminary attachment, a provisional remedy that can secure property of the defendant while the case is pending.

Attachment is not automatic. The plaintiff must show legal grounds, such as fraud in contracting or incurring the obligation, intent to defraud creditors, or other grounds under procedural rules. Courts usually require an affidavit and bond.

If granted, attachment may lead to garnishment of bank accounts, subject to legal procedures.

Civil litigation may be useful when:

The scammer’s identity is known;
The amount is substantial;
There are attachable assets;
Criminal prosecution alone may not ensure recovery;
The victim needs a direct money judgment.

XIV. Criminal Case and Restitution

In criminal proceedings, a victim may seek civil liability arising from the offense. If the accused is convicted, the court may order restitution, indemnity, or damages.

However, conviction may take time. If funds are not preserved early, collection can still be difficult even after a favorable judgment.

XV. Small Claims: When It May or May Not Help

Small claims proceedings can be useful for simple money claims, but scam cases often involve fraud, identity issues, fake names, and unknown defendants. Small claims may help where:

The defendant’s real identity and address are known;
There is a clear obligation to return money;
The amount is within the applicable small claims threshold;
The claim can be proven through documents.

Small claims is less useful if the scammer is unidentified, uses fake details, or the primary need is account freezing.

XVI. The Role of the AMLC

The AMLC is not a customer service recovery office for every scam complaint. Its role concerns money laundering and covered unlawful activities. Still, in serious fraud cases, especially involving multiple victims, large amounts, organized schemes, mule accounts, layering of funds, or repeated suspicious transactions, AMLC involvement may be important.

Indicators that may justify AML concern include:

Multiple victims sending money to the same account;
Rapid withdrawals after deposits;
Transfers through several accounts;
Use of nominee or mule accounts;
Structuring of deposits;
Conversion into crypto;
Cross-border transfers;
Fake businesses or investment schemes;
Use of stolen identities.

A victim’s complaint to law enforcement and the bank can help trigger AML review.

XVII. Mule Accounts

Many scam accounts are not held by the mastermind but by “money mules.” A money mule may be:

A person who knowingly lends an account for a fee;
A person recruited through fake jobs;
A person who sells or rents bank or wallet access;
A person whose identity was stolen;
A person deceived into receiving and forwarding money.

Even if the account holder claims to be only a mule, the account may still be central to tracing and recovery. Victims should include the mule account details in reports.

XVIII. Bank Secrecy and Why Victims Often Receive Limited Information

Philippine bank secrecy and confidentiality rules generally prevent banks from revealing account balances, transaction history, personal information, and related records to private individuals.

This means a victim may receive responses such as:

“We cannot disclose the result of our investigation”;
“Please coordinate with law enforcement”;
“We need a court order”;
“We have forwarded your report internally”;
“We cannot confirm whether the account exists.”

This can be frustrating, but it does not always mean no action was taken. Banks may investigate without disclosing details.

XIX. Data Privacy Considerations

Victims sometimes post alleged scammer account details online. While warning others may feel necessary, public posting can create risks, especially if it includes IDs, addresses, phone numbers, or personal information of someone who may be a mule, identity theft victim, or wrongly accused person.

Safer practice:

Submit full details to banks and authorities;
Avoid doxxing;
Avoid posting sensitive personal information;
Preserve evidence privately;
Share warnings carefully and factually;
Do not fabricate or exaggerate accusations.

XX. Demand Letters

A demand letter may be useful where the recipient is identifiable. It can demand return of funds and warn of civil and criminal action.

A demand letter should include:

Identity of the sender;
Amount paid;
Date and method of payment;
Basis of the claim;
Demand for return by a specific deadline;
Payment instructions;
Reservation of legal rights.

However, for active scams, sending a demand letter may alert the scammer and accelerate fund movement. In urgent freezing situations, reporting to banks and law enforcement should come first.

XXI. What to Do Within the First 24 Hours

The first day is crucial.

Recommended sequence:

Call your bank or e-wallet provider immediately;
Submit a written fraud report with attachments;
Contact the receiving bank or wallet provider;
Save all evidence;
File a police or cybercrime report;
Request a complaint reference number from each institution;
Prepare a sworn statement;
Monitor for additional unauthorized activity;
Change passwords and enable multi-factor authentication if account compromise is involved;
Notify other victims, if part of a group scam, to file separate reports.

Multiple independent reports against the same receiving account may help establish urgency and pattern.

XXII. What to Do If the Bank Says It Cannot Freeze the Account

Ask for the matter to be escalated to the fraud, cybersecurity, or compliance department. Request confirmation that your report has been logged. Ask what documents are needed.

You may also:

File or supplement a police complaint;
Ask law enforcement whether preservation or subpoena processes are appropriate;
Consult counsel regarding civil attachment;
Report to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas consumer assistance mechanism if the issue concerns how your financial institution handled your complaint;
Follow up in writing to create a record.

The bank may still be legally limited in what it can disclose or do without proper authority.

XXIII. Can BSP Freeze the Account?

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas supervises banks and certain financial institutions. It handles regulatory and consumer protection concerns, but it is not typically the body that directly freezes a specific scammer’s account upon a private complaint.

A BSP complaint may be appropriate if:

Your bank refuses to receive a complaint;
Your bank fails to follow complaint-handling procedures;
There is an issue involving unauthorized transactions from your own account;
The institution’s customer assistance process is deficient.

For freezing scam proceeds, banks, law enforcement, AMLC processes, and courts are more directly relevant.

XXIV. Can a Barangay Blotter Freeze an Account?

No. A barangay blotter does not freeze a bank account. It may help document an incident, but banks generally require stronger documentation, internal investigation, law enforcement coordination, or legal orders.

For online scams, police or cybercrime authorities are usually more appropriate than barangay proceedings.

XXV. Can a Lawyer Freeze an Account by Letter?

A lawyer’s letter can help present the claim formally, preserve evidence, and demand action. But a lawyer cannot unilaterally compel a bank to freeze another person’s account without legal authority.

A lawyer may assist by:

Preparing affidavits;
Filing complaints;
Coordinating with banks;
Requesting preservation;
Seeking provisional remedies;
Filing civil or criminal actions;
Communicating with law enforcement;
Preparing evidence for AMLC referral or court relief.

XXVI. Can the Victim Sue the Bank?

A victim may consider claims against a bank only where there is a legal basis, such as negligence, failure to follow applicable regulations, mishandling of a complaint, or unauthorized transactions involving the victim’s own account.

However, suing the receiving bank merely because it held the scammer’s account is difficult. Banks are not automatically liable for every fraud committed through an account. Liability depends on facts, duties, notice, regulatory standards, and causation.

XXVII. Unauthorized Transactions From the Victim’s Own Account

A different legal analysis applies when the victim’s own account was hacked or accessed without authorization. In that case, the victim should immediately:

Report unauthorized access to the bank;
Freeze or disable the account, card, or online banking access;
Change credentials;
File a dispute;
Submit required forms;
File a police or cybercrime report;
Preserve device, SMS, email, and phishing evidence.

The bank’s duties may be more direct because the affected account belongs to its customer.

XXVIII. Online Marketplace Scams

Common online marketplace scams include:

Fake sellers;
Fake payment confirmations;
Overpayment scams;
Courier scams;
Escrow impersonation;
Fake buyer chargeback schemes;
Rental listing scams;
Ticket scams;
Gadget scams.

Victims should report both the payment account and the platform account. Marketplace reports can preserve listings, chat logs, device information, and linked accounts.

XXIX. Investment and Ponzi-Type Scams

Investment scams often involve larger amounts and multiple victims. These may implicate securities laws, estafa, cybercrime, and AML rules.

Victims should preserve:

Investment contracts;
Promissory notes;
Receipts;
Group chat messages;
Promotional materials;
Names of recruiters;
Bank accounts used;
Payout records;
False licenses or registrations;
Screenshots of dashboards or apps.

Multiple victims should coordinate but file individual affidavits. Group complaints can help show pattern, scale, and intent.

XXX. Romance, Job, and Loan Scams

Romance scams, fake job offers, and fake loan processing schemes often rely on emotional pressure and repeated small payments. Victims should include all payment episodes in one organized schedule:

Date	Amount	Channel	Recipient Account	Reason Given	Proof

This format helps investigators trace the flow of funds.

XXXI. How Fast Must You Act?

Very fast. In many scams, funds are moved almost immediately. The best chance of recovery usually exists within the first minutes or hours after transfer.

Delays reduce the chance of freezing funds because the receiving account may already be empty. Still, delayed reporting remains useful for investigation, prosecution, identifying mule accounts, and preventing further victimization.

XXXII. Common Reasons Freezing Fails

Freezing or recovery may fail because:

The report was made too late;
The funds were already withdrawn;
The account was a mule account;
The scammer used fake identity documents;
The bank needs legal authority;
Evidence is incomplete;
The complaint lacks transaction details;
The scammer used multiple layers;
The account is outside the Philippines;
The receiving platform is unregulated or offshore;
The transaction was crypto-to-wallet and not exchange-based.

XXXIII. Best Practices for Victims

A. Act immediately

Report first, organize later. Time is crucial.

B. Use written reports

Phone calls are useful, but written reports create records.

C. Get reference numbers

Ask every bank, wallet, police unit, or platform for a reference number.

D. Preserve originals

Keep original screenshots, PDFs, receipts, and chat exports.

E. Avoid direct confrontation

Confronting the scammer may trigger faster fund movement or destruction of evidence.

F. Coordinate with other victims

Pattern evidence can strengthen the case.

G. Consult counsel for large losses

For substantial amounts, legal strategy may be needed quickly, especially for attachment, AMLC referral, and civil recovery.

XXXIV. Sample Incident Timeline

A useful timeline might look like this:

Time/Date	Event
May 1, 9:00 AM	Victim saw online advertisement for discounted phone
May 1, 10:15 AM	Seller confirmed item availability through chat
May 1, 10:30 AM	Seller instructed payment to Bank Account No. XXXX
May 1, 10:45 AM	Victim transferred ₱25,000 via InstaPay
May 1, 11:00 AM	Seller promised same-day shipping
May 1, 4:00 PM	Seller stopped replying
May 2	Victim discovered seller profile deleted
May 2	Victim reported to sending bank and receiving bank
May 2	Victim filed cybercrime complaint

XXXV. Sample Bank Fraud Report

Subject: Urgent Fraud Report and Request for Preservation of Funds/Records

I am reporting a fraudulent transaction involving funds transferred to an account maintained with your institution.

Transaction details:

Date and time:
Amount:
Sending bank/e-wallet:
Receiving bank/e-wallet:
Receiving account name:
Receiving account number/mobile number:
Transaction reference number:

The recipient obtained the funds through fraudulent representations. Attached are the transfer receipt, screenshots of communications, account details used by the recipient, and my identification/contact information.

I respectfully request urgent escalation to your fraud/compliance department, preservation of available funds if still present, preservation of relevant records, and coordination with the sending institution and law enforcement.

Please provide a complaint or reference number for this report.

XXXVI. Sample Complaint-Affidavit Structure

A complaint-affidavit may be organized as follows:

Personal information of complainant;
Statement that the affidavit is executed voluntarily;
Description of how the complainant encountered the scammer;
False representations made;
Payment instructions given;
Actual transfer details;
Failure of scammer to deliver, perform, or return funds;
Subsequent conduct showing fraud;
Identification of documentary evidence;
Request for investigation and prosecution;
Verification and jurat before a notary or authorized officer.

The affidavit should be factual, chronological, and supported by attachments.

XXXVII. Preventive Measures

To reduce the risk of future scams:

Verify account names before transferring;
Avoid sending funds to personal accounts for business transactions;
Check business registration, but do not rely on registration alone;
Use platform-protected payment methods;
Avoid “too good to be true” offers;
Be wary of pressure tactics;
Confirm identities through independent channels;
Do not share OTPs, passwords, or remote access;
Use multi-factor authentication;
Maintain separate low-balance accounts for online transactions;
Report suspicious accounts even if you did not lose money.

XXXVIII. Key Legal Takeaways

A victim cannot simply command a bank to freeze another person’s account. The practical path is to create urgent, documented, legally usable reports that allow banks, law enforcement, AMLC processes, prosecutors, and courts to act.

The most important steps are:

Report immediately to the sending institution;
Report immediately to the receiving institution;
Preserve all evidence;
File a police or cybercrime complaint;
Prepare a sworn affidavit;
Seek AMLC, prosecutorial, or court action where justified;
Consider civil attachment or recovery proceedings for substantial losses.

The faster and better documented the report, the greater the chance that funds or records can be preserved before the scammer dissipates the money.