What evidence should I preserve after a scam?
Last updated: 2026-07-11 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Save everything, and do it before you block anyone or delete a thread — evidence is what turns a report into a case and what a provider needs to process a dispute. Capture: full-screen screenshots of the entire conversation (with dates, times, and the profile/username visible); the scammer's account details (phone number, GCash/Maya number, bank account name and number, email, social profile links); every payment record and reference/transaction number; receipts, the listing or ad, and any contract or promise; and a written timeline of what happened in order. Keep the originals, not just crops. This is the same evidence the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, NBI, your bank/e-wallet, and the SEC (for investment scams) will ask for.
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Frequently asked
What exactly should I screenshot?
The whole conversation from start to finish — not just the incriminating line — with the date, time, and the profile name/username visible. Include the profile page, the listing or ad, the payment confirmation, and any 'agreement.' Screenshots that show context are far more useful than isolated crops.
What details identify the scammer?
Their phone number, GCash/Maya number, the bank account name and number they had you pay, email address, and links to their social or marketplace profile. Investigators and providers use these to trace and, where possible, act on the account.
Why keep a written timeline?
A clear, chronological narrative of what happened — when you were contacted, what you were promised, when and how you paid, when it went wrong — is exactly what a sworn affidavit-complaint is built from and helps the provider and investigators follow the case quickly.
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What to do after an online scam — the first-hour playbook, where to report (PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, NBI, DOJ Office of Cybercrime), how to spot and report investment/Ponzi scams to the SEC, phishing and OTP theft, online-shopping fraud (undelivered, fake, or misrepresented goods), romance and job scams, and the legal basis under estafa (Revised Penal Code Art. 315), RA 8484, RA 10175, RA 8792, RA 7394, and RA 8799.