- Over 60% of Filipino adults experience financial scams each year, with an average loss of nearly ₱12,000 per person and a staggering ₱280.5 billion stolen in just one year. If it happened to you, you are not alone, and you are not without options.
- Most Filipinos who get scammed do one of two things: panic and do nothing, or report to the wrong agency and give up when nothing happens. This guide tells you exactly what to do, in the right order, with the right contacts.
- The first 24 hours are everything.
Over 60% of Filipino adults experience financial scams each year, with an average loss of nearly ₱12,000 per person and a staggering ₱280.5 billion stolen in just one year. If it happened to you, you are not alone, and you are not without options.
Most Filipinos who get scammed do one of two things: panic and do nothing, or report to the wrong agency and give up when nothing happens. This guide tells you exactly what to do, in the right order, with the right contacts.
The first 24 hours are everything.
Act within 24 hours — request an immediate transaction hold from your bank or e-wallet, citing BSP Memorandum M-2022-015 (Framework on Phishing). The sooner you act, the higher the chance of freezing the funds before they are moved or withdrawn.
Step 1 — Secure yourself immediately.
Before filing anything, do these right now:
Change your passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on all affected accounts. Log out of all active sessions and revoke access to any suspicious apps. Run a malware or antivirus check on affected devices. This prevents the scammer from doing further damage while you prepare to report.
Step 2 — Document and preserve everything.
Your evidence is your case. Collect and save all of the following:
Screenshots of all conversations, messages, and transactions. Transaction reference numbers, dates, amounts, and recipient account names or numbers. URLs of fake websites or social media pages. Email headers and SMS sender information. Any contracts, receipts, or documents the scammer provided.
Hash your files using SHA-256 and include the hash in your affidavit to prove non-alteration. Keep original devices untouched once digital copies have been made.
Step 3 — Report to your bank or e-wallet immediately.
This is always the first step for financial scams. Call your bank's 24/7 hotline or go to the app's Help Center and report the unauthorized transaction. Request a transaction dispute, trace and recall, and if possible, a temporary hold on the recipient account.
Report the unauthorized transaction and request a transaction dispute, trace and recall, and temporary holds on suspect counterparties when available.
Step 4 — File with the NBI Cybercrime Division.
Go to the NBI Cybercrime Portal at nbi.gov.ph/ccd-complaints. Create an account, click "Create Complaint," fill out the e-complaint form with your personal details and a full explanation of what happened, and upload your evidence. Accepted file types are JPG, PNG, PDF, DOCX, EML, MSG, or ZIP — up to 25MB per file.
You can also go in person to:
NBI Main Office: Filinvest Cyberzone Bay, Diosdado Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City
NBI Hotline: (02) 8523-8231 to 38
Step 5 — File with the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG).
File where any element of the crime occurred — which gives you flexibility on venue. Every PNP regional headquarters hosts a Regional Cybercrime Unit.
PNP-ACG: Camp Crame, Quezon City
Hotline: 1800-10-PNP-ACG (1800-10-767-224)
Website: acg.pnp.gov.ph
Email: pnpacg@gmail.com
Step 6 — Report to the right agency based on scam type:
Investment scams, pyramiding, fake trading bots, unregistered securities:
File with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC can issue Cease and Desist Orders, revoke registrations, impose administrative penalties, and refer criminal charges to the DOJ.
SEC Hotline: 1473-2
SEC iMessage Portal: imessage.sec.gov.ph
Bank and e-wallet fraud, phishing, unauthorized transactions involving BSP-supervised institutions:
File with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The BSP can enforce Financial Consumer Protection rules and impose regulatory sanctions on supervised institutions.
BSP Consumer Assistance: consumeraffairs@bsp.gov.ph
BSP Hotline: 1800-10-BSP-3564 (toll-free)
Contact list access, data shared without consent, privacy violations:
File with the National Privacy Commission (NPC).
NPC: privacy.gov.ph
Email: complaints@privacy.gov.ph
Text scams, smishing, SIM-based fraud:
File with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in addition to NBI/PNP-ACG.
NTC: ntc.gov.ph
Hotline: (02) 8921-3251
Step 7 — Request asset recovery through AMLC.
The Anti-Money Laundering Council may secure a Freeze Order on suspects' accounts — ex parte — for 20 days, extendible by the Court of Appeals. A civil action for damages may also be filed separately.
AMLC: amlc.gov.ph
Email: amlc_rg@amlc.gov.ph
Step 8 — Monitor your case.
Monitor your case status every 30 days. File a letter-request for an update if you receive no response beyond 60 days.