Assessing the Situation
Before any actions are taken, let's take a step back and access the situation by asking yourself the following questions:
1) Are you in any direct or indirect threat?
2) Are your personal details compromised in any way? Did you lose any important personal documents (not limited to I/C)?
3) How much money did you lose?
4) Are you still in contact with the person? Can you get back your money (and documents)?
5) Besides the loss of money, are there any other damages (eg. bank account)?
Taking Actions
Now that a clear picture of the situation and severity had been outlined, plans and course of actions can be taken. Based on the answer of the above questions, actions shall be made accordingly.
1) Are you in any direct or indirect threat?
If you answered 'Yes', there is an imminent need to report this to the police and request their protect upon any situation. Although the police will not provide you with a body guard or such, they will provide a direct number for quicker response.
2) Are your personal details compromised in any way? Did you lose any important personal documents (not limited to I/C)?
If you answered 'Yes, there is an imminent need to report this to the police. In the case your personal details are used against you by the scammers (be it credit cards, bills, or loan), the police report will be your best defence in those situation.
3) How much money did you lose?
The answer to this answer will vary accordingly to the scams. In any situation, it is good to know your losses and serve as a reminder to be more careful next time. Of course, reporting the case to the police will be a good idea, even if you only suffer financially.
4) Are you still in contact with the person? Can you get back your money (and documents)?
If you are still in contact with the person, we may need to re-access the situation, especially if part or all of the money can be recouped. Sometimes, it may be the case of bad company planning, resulting in non-performance.
If you answer 'No', then we can be sure that it is most likely going to be a scam and there is a need to report to the police for a record, especially if it involved the leak of your personal details to the party.
5) Besides the loss of money, are there any other damages?
It is important to know if there are any other areas being compromised, so that actions can be taken before it is too late. For instance, if they have your bank details, it is ideal to contact the bank to explain your situation and avert any situations that might occur in the future.
In addition, there are also other steps that can be done to minimise the damages.
1) Contact your bank
If the money is being sent through telegraphic transfer or cheque, it is possible to contact the bank and stop the fund from being transferred. You may also ask them to suspend the account and credit card to be safe.
2) "Sweep" your computer
Do a system check, and change all passwords if faced with an online scam.
3) Report to the police
In the face of identity theft, reporting to the police and having a report is your best defence in any situation.
4) Consult a doctor
This is the action to be taken the case of purchasing any suspicious ingested item.
