Quick answer

If you believe you were scammed through an online shop, marketplace, messaging app, or social-media account, act immediately:

Contact your bank, card issuer, e-wallet, or payment provider and report the transaction as fraudulent or disputed. Ask whether the transfer can be held, recalled, reversed, or traced.
Report the seller, account, listing, and transaction through the platform’s official complaint or dispute system.
Preserve all evidence before the account, messages, or listing disappears.
Report the incident to law enforcement—such as the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, the NBI Cybercrime Division, or the nearest police station—and consider reporting it through the government’s 1326 cybercrime channel.
If the transaction involved a business seller, file a consumer complaint with the Department of Trade and Industry when the seller or platform fails to resolve it.

These steps serve different purposes. A platform complaint may produce a refund or remove an account; a bank report may help preserve funds; a DTI complaint addresses consumer remedies; and a police or NBI complaint begins possible criminal investigation. Filing with one does not necessarily replace the others.

First, secure your money and accounts

Contact the financial institution through the number printed on your card, its official app, or its verified website—not through a number or link supplied by the suspected scammer.

Give the institution:

The transaction date, time, amount, and reference number
The recipient’s account name, account number, mobile number, or wallet identifier
The name of the marketplace or social-media account involved
A short explanation of how the transaction occurred
Copies of receipts, confirmation messages, and relevant conversations

Ask the institution to:

Mark the transaction as disputed or fraud-related
Check whether the funds can be temporarily held, recalled, or recovered
Secure or restrict your account if credentials were exposed
Replace compromised cards or account credentials
Give you a complaint or case-reference number
Preserve transaction and account records for investigation

Under the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, BSP-supervised institutions may temporarily hold funds involved in a disputed transaction, subject to BSP rules and a statutory maximum period of 30 calendar days unless extended by a court. A hold is not automatic, and reporting does not guarantee recovery, especially if the funds have already been withdrawn or transferred onward.

If you disclosed an OTP, PIN, password, recovery code, card security code, or identity document, immediately change affected passwords, sign out other sessions, enable multi-factor authentication, and notify every institution whose account may be at risk. Never give another OTP to a person claiming it is needed to process a refund.

If the institution does not resolve your complaint, escalate it through the BSP Consumer Assistance Mechanism. BSP generally expects the consumer to raise the issue with the supervised financial institution first. Keep the institution’s response and your case-reference number.

Preserve evidence before reporting the account

Save the evidence in its original form whenever possible. Do not rely only on copied text or a handwritten summary.

Preserve:

Screenshots and screen recordings showing the full account, listing, URL, username, profile identifier, and date
The original chat or message thread, including voice messages and attachments
Order confirmations, invoices, delivery records, tracking details, and receipts
Bank, card, e-wallet, remittance, or cryptocurrency transaction records
The recipient’s account name, number, QR code, wallet address, mobile number, and email address
The seller’s claimed name, address, business registration details, and identification documents, if supplied
Advertisements, product descriptions, promises, refund terms, and warranty statements
Photos or videos of the item received, including packaging and shipping labels
Calls, SMS messages, emails, and any threats or demands for additional payment
Your complaint to the platform or seller and every response
Names and contact details of witnesses, if any

Capture the entire page where practical, not just a cropped statement. Keep the original files and make a backup. Record a simple timeline while events are fresh.

Do not publicly post the recipient’s full bank details, identification documents, home address, or other sensitive personal information. Give unredacted evidence only through official reporting channels.

Report the seller and transaction to the platform

Use the marketplace or social-media platform’s official reporting, buyer-protection, or dispute function. Select the most accurate category, such as fraud, non-delivery, counterfeit goods, impersonation, or unauthorized transaction.

Request appropriate action, which may include:

Cancellation or refund
Preservation of account and transaction records
Suspension of the seller or fraudulent account
Removal of the listing
Disclosure of seller information to competent authorities when legally required

For covered internet transactions, the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 requires e-marketplaces and digital platforms to provide an effective and responsive redress mechanism. As a general rule, an aggrieved party must first use the platform’s, marketplace’s, or e-retailer’s internal redress mechanism before filing a complaint with a court or appropriate government agency. That mechanism is considered exhausted if the complaint remains unresolved after seven calendar days.

Do not wait seven days, however, before securing a compromised financial account, asking the payment provider to act, preserving evidence, or seeking emergency assistance. Where there is an ongoing crime, threat, account takeover, identity theft, or immediate risk that funds will disappear, promptly contact law enforcement and the financial institution.

Keep proof showing when the platform complaint was submitted. If the account or listing disappears, that proof may help establish that the platform received notice.

File a consumer complaint with the DTI

A DTI complaint is appropriate when the respondent acted as an online merchant, e-retailer, or business seller and the issue concerns matters such as:

Paid goods that were not delivered
Goods materially different from the description or sample
Defective, unsafe, counterfeit, or unauthorized products
Refusal to honor a valid warranty
Misleading advertisements or deceptive sales practices
An unjustified refusal to provide an available repair, replacement, or refund

Start through the DTI Consumer Care portal or ask the DTI for the current filing channel if the portal is unavailable. Attach the evidence, state the remedy you want, and include proof that you first used the seller’s or platform’s internal complaint process.

The Internet Transactions Act recognizes repair, replacement, refund, and other remedies under the Consumer Act and applicable law when goods are defective, malfunctioning, lost without the consumer’s fault, inconsistent with the warranty, or otherwise subject to seller liability. The proper remedy depends on the facts; a consumer is not automatically entitled to keep both the refund and the goods.

The Act also gives the DTI a “no-wrong-door” role: complaints involving another agency’s jurisdiction may be referred to the proper regulator. Specialized products or services may instead fall primarily under another agency, such as the BSP for regulated financial services, the FDA for regulated health products, or the Securities and Exchange Commission for certain investment-related matters.

A claim for damages under the Internet Transactions Act must be filed before the DTI or a court within two years from the time the cause of action arose. Other causes of action may have different prescriptive periods, so do not treat two years as a universal deadline.

Important exception for private sales

The Internet Transactions Act does not cover a genuine consumer-to-consumer transaction—that is, an occasional private sale between end-users outside the seller’s ordinary course of business. A person who repeatedly sells or operates commercially may still qualify as an online merchant despite describing the account as “personal.”

Even when the DTI consumer process does not apply, fraud may still support a police or NBI complaint and civil remedies under other laws.

Report the possible crime

You may report an online shopping or social-media scam to:

The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or the nearest police station
The National Bureau of Investigation, including its cybercrime investigators
The DICT/Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center reporting channel by dialing 1326 or emailing 1326@dict.gov.ph

Use official government websites or verified contact details. Be cautious of social-media accounts claiming they can recover your money for an advance fee; “recovery scams” often target people who have already lost money.

Bring or submit:

A valid government-issued ID
A chronological written account
The amount lost and requested remedy
Copies of payment and account records
Screenshots, exported messages, URLs, usernames, and contact details
Platform and financial-institution case numbers
The device used, if investigators request examination
A sworn complaint or affidavit if required by the investigating office

Ask for a receiving copy, police blotter entry, complaint reference, or other proof of submission. Cooperate promptly if investigators request clarification or original files.

What law may apply?

A broken promise, delayed delivery, or ordinary contract dispute is not automatically a criminal scam. Criminal liability depends on evidence of deceit or another unlawful act, not merely on the failure to perform.

Depending on the facts, an intentional scheme to obtain money through false pretenses may constitute estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code. Prosecutors generally examine whether a material false representation or fraudulent act induced the victim to part with money or property and caused damage. When a crime under the Revised Penal Code or another special law is committed through information and communications technology, Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 may also apply.

The Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act separately penalizes specified activities involving money-mule accounts and social-engineering schemes. Its application depends on the offender’s acts and knowledge; not every payment to a dishonest seller automatically falls under that law.

The final charge is determined by investigators and prosecutors from the evidence. A victim does not need to identify the perfect criminal provision before making a report.

If the seller is anonymous or outside the Philippines

Do not assume that an unknown username makes reporting pointless. Preserve every identifier linked to the account and payment.

Under the Internet Transactions Act, covered marketplaces and platforms must maintain seller information and may be required to provide specific information when a competent authority issues a subpoena during an investigation based on a sworn complaint. The law may also apply to a foreign online merchant or platform that avails itself of the Philippine market and has sufficient contacts here.

Enforcement and recovery may nevertheless be harder when the seller, platform, or funds are abroad. Report promptly so investigators and financial institutions have the best available opportunity to preserve records and trace transactions.

Common mistakes to avoid

Continuing to send “release,” “insurance,” “tax,” “verification,” or “refund-processing” payments
Giving an OTP, PIN, password, or screen-sharing access to an alleged investigator or bank employee
Deleting chats after taking only a few screenshots
Cropping out the username, URL, transaction reference, or date
Reporting only to the social-media platform when money has already been transferred
Waiting for the seller’s repeated promises before notifying the bank or e-wallet
Paying a private “hacker” or recovery agent who guarantees retrieval of the funds
Threatening, impersonating an officer, hacking the suspect, or publishing personal information
Sending original evidence without keeping a copy
Exaggerating facts or naming an unverified person as the offender

Report only what you know and clearly label assumptions. A bank-account name, phone number, or identification document may belong to a money mule, an identity-theft victim, or another intermediary rather than the person who designed the scam.

When help is urgent

Seek immediate assistance when:

The fraudulent transfer has just occurred
Your bank, card, e-wallet, email, or social-media account has been taken over
The scammer has your password, OTP, card details, identification document, selfie, or biometric information
You are being threatened, extorted, stalked, or pressured to meet in person
A child, senior citizen, or vulnerable person is being targeted
The scam involves a large amount, several victims, cryptocurrency, investments, or an overseas recipient
You received suspicious deliveries or believe your identity is being used to open accounts
The seller is deleting accounts, messages, or listings

For immediate danger or threats to personal safety, contact emergency services or the nearest police station. For substantial losses or complicated evidence, consider consulting a Philippine lawyer promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I recover money sent through a bank transfer or e-wallet?

Possibly, but recovery is never guaranteed. The chance generally depends on how quickly the transaction is reported, whether the funds remain in the financial system, and whether the institution has legal and operational grounds to hold or return them. Report first; do not wait for a police report unless the institution specifically requires one for a later stage.

Should I report to DTI or the police?

Often both. DTI handles covered consumer disputes and remedies involving business sellers. Police, the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, or the NBI investigate possible crimes. A contractual or consumer remedy does not prevent a criminal report when there is evidence of fraud.

Must I wait seven calendar days before going to DTI?

For a covered internet transaction, the general rule is to use the platform’s, marketplace’s, or e-retailer’s internal redress mechanism first. It is deemed exhausted if unresolved after seven calendar days. Preserve evidence and notify the financial institution immediately; urgent criminal or safety concerns should also be reported without delay.

Can I report a scam if I did not send money?

Yes. You may report an attempted scam, fake account, phishing message, impersonation, or fraudulent listing to the platform and the appropriate cybercrime channel. If credentials were disclosed, secure the affected accounts even if no unauthorized transaction is visible yet.

What if I paid cash on delivery and received the wrong or worthless item?

Photograph or record the unopened package, shipping label, opening process, contents, and condition of the item. Keep the packaging and receipt. Report the transaction to the platform and seller, then pursue DTI remedies if it was a business-to-consumer sale and the internal process does not resolve the complaint.

Is a seller’s refusal to refund automatically estafa?

No. It may be a consumer or contractual violation without being a crime. Estafa requires proof of the legally required fraudulent conduct and resulting damage. The surrounding communications, representations, seller identity, transaction history, and conduct after payment all matter.

Can I publicly expose the suspected scammer?

Public warnings can create privacy, defamation, evidence-preservation, and mistaken-identity risks. Report through official channels and give authorities the complete evidence. If you warn others, stick to verifiable facts and redact sensitive personal and financial information.

Do I need a lawyer to file a report?

Usually not for the initial platform, financial-institution, DTI, police, or NBI report. Legal help is particularly useful for substantial losses, multiple respondents, overseas transactions, identity theft, threatened litigation, or a contemplated civil case.

This article provides general Philippine legal information, not legal advice or a prediction of any complaint’s outcome. Procedures and available remedies depend on the transaction, evidence, platform rules, payment method, and agencies involved. Official legal and agency sources were checked as of 19 September 2026.