Speed matters more than perfection. Most freezes happen within 24 hours; after 72 hours the funds are usually mixed and gone. Follow this order:
The 6-step global protocol
- Stop sending money. Including any "tax" or "unlock fee" — that is the secondary scam, designed for victims.
- Preserve evidence. Screenshot the chat, the platform UI, deposit confirmations, wallet addresses, and transaction hashes. Save them off-device too.
- Call your bank or card issuer within 24 hours. Use the fraud line, not the main number. Ask for a recall or chargeback and a written case reference.
- Call your crypto exchange's compliance / fraud line. Most exchanges (Coinbase, Kraken, Binance) have priority lines for confirmed fraud. Provide the destination address.
- File with your national fraud agency. See the GACS reporting directory for the right one in your country. Keep the police reference — your bank and insurance will ask for it.
- Add it to the GACS public blacklist so the next person searching the wallet, platform, or phone gets warned within minutes.
What NOT to do
- Don't pay any "recovery agent" or "blockchain lawyer" who DMs you.
- Don't confront the scammer — they will delete the chat and burn the wallets.
- Don't post personal details publicly while the case is open.
- Don't assume "it's gone, no point reporting" — your report often saves the next victim.
GACS provides a free auto-generated reporting kit with the right agency for every country, a complaint letter template, and a tracked case file. Start at /report.