Right now
- Stop sending money. Not for "taxes", "fees", "verification" or to "unlock" a withdrawal. A request to pay before you can withdraw is a sign of fraud.
- Stop talking to the scammers. Don't warn them, threaten them or tell them you've reported. Don't delete the chat.
- If you gave anyone access to your computer or phone (AnyDesk, TeamViewer or similar), uninstall it, and change your banking, email and exchange passwords from a different device.
- If you shared your seed phrase or private key, treat that wallet as compromised. Move anything left in it to a new wallet you set up yourself, on a device you trust.
Today
- Call your bank's fraud line if you paid by EFT, card or from a rand account. Use the number on your card or in your banking app — never a number the scammer gave you. Ask whether the payment can be stopped or recalled.
- Tell the exchange you sent from. Use its official app or website. Give them the wallet addresses you sent to and the transaction IDs (TXIDs).
- Save the evidence before it disappears (see the list below).
- Open a case at a police station and ask for your CAS number. How to report in South Africa.
Evidence to save
- Every wallet address you sent crypto to
- The transaction ID (TXID) of each transfer, with its date, time and amount — find these in your exchange's withdrawal history
- Bank statements, EFT confirmations and receipts for buying crypto
- Full, uncropped screenshots of chats (WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, dating apps), including the other person's number or username
- The exact web addresses of the platform, app, advert or profile — and screenshots of your "account" or "dashboard"
- Names, phone numbers, emails, usernames and any licence or FSP number the scammers showed you
- A short timeline: first contact, each payment, when withdrawals stopped, last contact
Keep the original files. Don't edit or crop screenshots you've already taken — take extra ones if you need to.
Then: put it all together
Our free report turns all of this into a draft police statement, a payment schedule checked against the blockchain and an evidence list — so you walk into the police station prepared.
Start my reportWatch out for the second scam
Within days, you may be contacted by so-called recovery agents, "ethical hackers", lawyers or even people claiming to be police, the FSCA or an exchange, offering to get your crypto back for a fee. These are almost always scams. How to spot them.
Look after yourself
Losing money this way can bring shame, anger, panic or sleeplessness. These are normal reactions to a crime — you were deceived by people who do this for a living. Tell someone you trust. If you need to talk to someone now:
- SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group): 0800 567 567 — free, 24 hours
- Lifeline South Africa: 0861 322 322
- In an emergency, call 10111 or 112 from a cellphone.