You have been scammed: who to call first and in what order

Key rules

• Order: Bank first, then police, then the platform, then 017.
• Instant transfers: These cannot be reversed, but the bank can still ask the other bank to block the funds.
• Online report: A police online report must be confirmed in person at a station.
• Interpreter: If you do not speak Spanish, you have the right to a free interpreter when you file.

Start with your bank, right now

Call your bank's fraud line straight away, using the number on your card or in its app, because speed decides whether money can be stopped. Do not wait until you have all your papers. Ask the bank to block your card or to recall the transfer, then confirm the request in writing (the app's message centre or an email works).

The bank can send a recall request to the receiving bank. That bank can only return the money if the account holder agrees or if the funds are still there. So hours matter, not weeks. Recall works best when the receiving bank is in Spain or the EU.

Instant transfers cannot be reversed. Even so, ask the bank to request a block on the funds. Transfers sent abroad or turned into crypto are rarely recovered.

Then file a denuncia

A denuncia is a police report. Your bank often asks for it, and it is what lets the police ask banks to freeze accounts. A judge can later order a seizure of the money.

• Go in person to any Policía Nacional station or Guardia Civil post. Many are open 24 hours.
• You can also go to the duty court.
• For fraud you can start the report online. The Policía Nacional has an online pre-report, and the Guardia Civil has an online channel for cyber-fraud. The Policía Nacional one must be confirmed in person at a station with your ID. An online report alone is not enough.
• Say what happened, bring your ID, NIE or passport and your evidence, and leave with a copy showing the report number.

If you do not speak Spanish, you have the right to a free interpreter and to a receipt in a language you understand. In tourist areas, the Policía Nacional's tourist service has multilingual staff. Only report what really happened: a false report is an offence.

Report it to the platform

Tell the marketplace, social network or email provider where the scam took place. They can close the scammer's account and may protect other users. Use their in-app report option and keep a copy of what you send.

Call 017 for advice

You can call 017 for free, confidential advice every day from 9:00 to 21:00, but it gives advice and does not take formal police reports. It can point you to the right office and help with reporting harmful content. It also takes messages by WhatsApp, Telegram and web form. Service is in Spanish, with some other Spanish languages on some channels.

Secure your accounts

If the scam reached your phone, email or accounts, change your passwords and secure your devices. If you clicked a link or shared a code, see the section on that below.

If the bank cannot fix it

If the bank refuses to help, you can later complain to the Banco de España's claims service. For misuse of your personal data, you can complain to the data protection authority. Neither replaces the first steps above.

Success is never guaranteed, but the sooner you act, the better your chances. The timeline, documents, checklist and reporting resource below help you run the sequence.

Timeline and deadlines

• Call your bank's fraud line and ask it to recall the transfer: straight away, within hours

• Confirm the recall request to your bank in writing: right after the phone call

• File the denuncia so the police can ask banks to freeze accounts: as soon as possible, the same day if you can

• Expect the bank to send the recall to the receiving bank: fraud recalls are usually requested within days; some SEPA recall reasons allow up to 10 banking days

Documents you need

• Your ID, NIE or passport, to file the denuncia (police report) at a station.

• Evidence of the scam, such as messages, emails, screenshots, payment receipts and the scammer's account details.

• The copy of your denuncia with its number, which the police give you after filing. Your bank often asks for it.

• A receipt or translation of the denuncia in a language you understand, if you do not speak Spanish. You have the right to this and to a free interpreter.

Checklist

• File a denuncia at a Policía Nacional station or Guardia Civil post, or start one online and confirm it in person with your ID.

• Ask for a copy of the denuncia with its number.

• Report the scam to the platform where it happened, such as the marketplace, social network or email provider, so it can remove the account.

What to watch out for

• Waiting costs you the money: Money moves quickly, and recovery depends on hours, not weeks. Funds that have left Spain or been converted to crypto are rarely recovered. Call your bank's fraud line first, before anything else, then file the denuncia the same day.

• 017 does not take police reports: The 017 line gives advice and refers you on, but it does not take formal denuncias or investigate. Use it for advice after you have contacted your bank, and file the denuncia at a police station or Guardia Civil post.

• An online report alone is not enough: The Policía Nacional online pre-denuncia must be confirmed in person at a station, and without that it does not count. Take your ID and evidence to a station and leave with a copy showing the denuncia number.

• A false report is an offence: Filing a false report is a crime, so state only the facts as they happened. Stick to what you can show with messages, receipts and screenshots.

What if you already clicked the link or shared a code?

Act fast: the first minutes matter most. Call your bank first, then work through the rest in order.

If you clicked a link or typed in your details

1. Stop. Close the page and do not enter anything else.
2. Call your bank straight away. Use the number on the back of your card or in the bank's official app. Never use a number from a text or email, because scammers can fake bank numbers. Say what you shared. Ask the bank to block your cards and online access and to check your recent movements.
3. Change your passwords. Start with the affected account, then change any other account that uses the same password. Make each one unique. A password manager makes this easier.
4. Turn on two-factor authentication for your email and bank accounts.
5. Scan your phone or computer with an up-to-date antivirus and delete any apps you do not recognise. If you suspect a virus, reset the device.
6. Check your bank and email activity for anything you did not do.

If you gave a one-time code or approved a payment

1. Call your bank's fraud line at once. Ask it to block your cards, online banking and any pending or recent operations, and to try to stop or recall transfers.
2. Reset your online banking login and set up the app again on a device you trust. Then go through all recent movements.
3. File a police report (denuncia) quickly with the Policía Nacional or the Guardia Civil. Give a copy to your bank.
4. Ask the bank in writing for a refund. For card payments, also ask for a chargeback. Banks often say you authorised the payment, so a written claim matters. The bank should refund payments you did not authorise, unless it shows fraud or gross negligence on your part. Approving a prompt in the app can be treated as authorisation, so a refund is not guaranteed.
5. If the bank says no, complain to its customer service department first. Then go to the Banco de España claims service. You can also get legal advice or contact a consumer association.

Keep evidence

Save screenshots, messages, web addresses, texts and call logs before you delete anything. You need them for the police report and any claim to your bank.

Get free advice

INCIBE runs a free, confidential helpline on 017. It can advise you on what to do next. You can also report the message to the company the scammer pretended to be.

Where to report and check fraud in Spain

• Your bank's fraud line: Call to block cards and online banking and to try to stop recent transfers. Use the number on the back of your card, in the card contract, or in the bank's app or its own website typed in directly. Never use a number from an SMS or email.

• INCIBE, Spain's cybersecurity institute (017 helpline): Call 017 for free, confidential advice every day from 9:00 to 21:00, or use WhatsApp, Telegram or the web form. It gives advice and sends you on to the police.

• Policía Nacional: File a denuncia (formal police report) in person at any station with your ID, NIE or passport and your evidence. You can start an online pre-denuncia for some offences, including fraud, but you must confirm it at a station. Ask for a copy with its number.

• Guardia Civil: File a denuncia at any Guardia Civil post, or report online fraud through its online channel for cyber crime.

• Juzgado de guardia (duty court): File a denuncia here if you cannot get to a police station.

• Policía Nacional tourist attention service (SATE): Ask for help in your language in tourist areas when filing a report as a visitor.

• Banco de España claims service: Complain here if your bank rejects your refund claim after you have complained to the bank's customer service department.

Frequently asked questions

Can the bank get my money back after a transfer to a scammer?

Sometimes, if you act within hours and the money is still in the receiving account. The bank can send a recall request to the other bank, but that bank can usually return the money only with its account holder's consent or if funds are available. Transfers abroad or converted to crypto are rarely recovered.

Can I still recall an instant transfer?

Instant transfers cannot be cancelled, so recall is harder, but your bank can still ask the other bank to block the funds. Call the fraud line at once and confirm in writing. Speed matters more here than for any other payment type.

Can I file the police report online if I do not speak Spanish?

Yes, the Policía Nacional has an online pre-denuncia for some offences including fraud, but you must confirm it in person at a station with your ID.

Can the police freeze the scammer's account?

Yes, once you have filed a denuncia, the police can ask banks to freeze accounts, and a judge can order a seizure. This is why filing quickly matters. Success is not guaranteed.