The scam call playbook: what to do and what never to do

How the script is built

Nearly every fraudulent call follows the same three beats: establish authority, create urgency, then request an action that is difficult to reverse. The authority may be a bank, a tax office, a courier, a police officer or your own “account security team”. The urgency is always artificial.

Do

These habits cost nothing and stop the majority of attempts.

• Hang up and call the organisation back on a number you looked up yourself
• Assume caller ID is spoofed — it usually is
• Take the caller's name and reference, then verify it independently
• Say out loud that you will confirm before acting, and accept any delay that causes
• Talk to someone you trust before moving money

Do not

Each of these is a point of no return.

• Never read out a one-time passcode, PIN or seed phrase — no institution needs them
• Never install remote-access software at a caller's request
• Never move money to a “safe account” on the phone
• Never pay in crypto, gift cards or vouchers to resolve a dispute or fee
• Never continue because the caller says stopping will cost you

Recovery calls are the most dangerous

If you have reported a loss anywhere, expect follow-up calls from people who already know the details. Being told your money has been located and needs a fee, a tax payment or a wallet verification to release is the defining shape of a recovery scam. Our team never asks for payment in crypto, and never contacts you from anything other than an @globaldar.help address.

After a call goes wrong

Contact your bank or card issuer immediately, freeze what can be frozen, change credentials from a different device, and write down the exact sequence of events while it is fresh. Time-stamped notes and call records carry real weight in a dispute.