When suspicion turns into certainty
Maybe you confirmed a transfer you now regret. Maybe you read out a code over the phone, or you clicked a link and can no longer get into your online banking. At this moment, one thing matters most: act quickly and calmly. The scams themselves keep changing, sometimes it is a supposed bank employee, sometimes a text message about a parcel, sometimes a relative claiming to be in trouble. Which trick was used no longer matters for what comes next. What matters now is what you do in the coming hours.
Step 1: Block your card and your account access immediately
The most important step comes first: block your card or your online access before you do anything else. In Germany, the central blocking hotline is 116 116, free of charge and reachable around the clock, no matter which bank you use. You can usually also block your card directly in your bank's app, often through a button labelled "block card" or "temporarily block card".
If someone managed to get your online banking login details, or you suspect someone has access to your account, also call your bank directly. Use the phone number printed on the back of your card or on a genuine bank statement, never a number from an email or text message you just received.
Step 2: Notify your bank's fraud department in writing
After the phone call, report the incident in writing as well, for example by email or through your bank's contact form. Keep it short and factual: the date, the time, the amount, and how it happened. This written report matters because it later serves as evidence if there is a review or a dispute about reimbursement. Explicitly ask for confirmation that your report was received.
Step 3: Change passwords, PINs and login details
If you shared a password, a PIN, or a one-time code (also called a TAN or OTP, a code valid for a single action only), change every login detail that could be connected to it. This is especially important if you reuse the same password for other services, such as your email account or online shops. Change the password there too, because scammers often try stolen login details on other accounts as well.
Step 4: Preserve evidence before it disappears
Take screenshots of everything connected to the fraud: the text message or email, the website where you entered your details, the chat history, or the call log. Do not delete anything, even if the message is unpleasant to look at. Also write down when the call or message arrived, which phone number was shown, and exactly what was said or written. These records will later help both your bank and the police.
Step 5: File a police report
File a police report (an official report of a crime), either in person at a police station or, in many regions, online through the local police's internet portal. Bring or attach the evidence you have gathered. The report is not a mere formality: many banks require a copy of it, or at least a case number, before they decide on reimbursement.
Will you get your money back?
When someone acted without your consent
If a payment was made without your agreement (for example because someone copied your card or took over your account without your knowledge), banks in Germany and the EU are generally required to refund the amount quickly. This applies above all when you reported the fraud without delay and did not act with gross negligence, such as writing your PIN directly on the card.
When you approved the payment yourself
It gets harder when you yourself confirmed a transfer or passed on a code, even if you were deceived into doing so. In these cases, the bank reviews each situation individually, and there is no guarantee of reimbursement. The faster you report the fraud and the better you can document what happened, the better your chances. With some instant transfers, the money reaches the recipient within seconds and is often withdrawn before the bank can even react. In such cases, a refund frequently does not happen, even when the bank tries to help.
No one can promise in advance whether, or how much, money will come back. It depends on exactly what happened, how quickly you acted, and the bank involved. Do not let that stop you from taking every step anyway. Even a partial refund or goodwill gesture from the bank is impossible without a report.
What happens afterwards
Watch your bank statements closely over the coming weeks and dispute any further unknown transaction in writing right away. If you have lost trust in your current account, or a completely fresh start feels right, you can find an overview of personal accounts from different banks on our overview page.