HOW-TO

How to Report Online Scams and Fraud in the Philippines

Been targeted by a scam text, fake seller or phishing site? Here are the official Philippine channels — the 1326 hotline, CICC, PNP-ACG, NBI Cybercrime and the NPC — and how to file.

Step by step

1. Preserve the evidence firstBefore anything else, screenshot the messages, profiles, links, reference numbers, receipts and phone numbers involved. Do not delete the conversation — investigators need it.
2. Call the 1326 hotline for urgent casesFor active or recent scams, call the government's Inter-Agency Response Center at 1326. It operates 24/7 and can route your case to the right agency quickly.
3. Report online to the CICCFile a report through the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center at cicc.gov.ph/report, providing your evidence and a clear timeline of what happened.
4. Contact your bank or e-walletIf money left your account, call your bank or e-wallet's official fraud hotline immediately to report the transaction and ask about their dispute process.
5. File with PNP-ACG or NBI CybercrimeFor a formal criminal complaint, approach the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (Camp Crame or a regional unit) or the NBI Cybercrime Division. Both typically require a notarized affidavit-complaint.
6. Report data misuse to the NPCIf your personal data was breached or misused, file with the National Privacy Commission at privacy.gov.ph, which handles data-privacy violations.
7. Warn others and stay safeAlert family and friends, and never send more money or share codes to 'recover' what you lost — that is a common follow-up scam.

Move quickly and keep the evidence

When you have been scammed online, the first hours matter. Your two priorities are preserving evidence and reporting through official channels. Before you do anything else — even before confronting the scammer — take screenshots of the messages, the seller’s profile, the links, any reference or transaction numbers, receipts, and the phone numbers or accounts used. Do not delete the conversation. Investigators and your bank will need this trail, and once it is gone it is hard to rebuild.

Resist the urge to argue with the scammer or to send ‘one more’ payment to fix things. Engagement gives them more chances to manipulate you, and any request for additional money or codes at this stage is simply the scam continuing.

The official channels

The Philippines has a coordinated response system, so you do not have to guess where to go. Use the channel that fits your situation, and remember you can use more than one.

• Hotline 1326 — the government’s Inter-Agency Response Center, available 24/7 for urgent or recent scams. It can route your case to the right agency.
• CICC — the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center accepts online reports at cicc.gov.ph/report.
• PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) — for a formal complaint, at Camp Crame or a regional anti-cybercrime unit.
• NBI Cybercrime Division — an alternative investigative body for cybercrime complaints.
• National Privacy Commission (NPC) — at privacy.gov.ph, for breaches or misuse of your personal data.

If money left your bank or e-wallet, call its official fraud hotline immediately — before or alongside reporting to authorities — to flag the transaction and open a dispute.

Filing a formal complaint

Calling a hotline or filing online starts the process, but pursuing a case criminally usually requires more. Both the PNP-ACG and the NBI generally ask for a notarized affidavit-complaint: a sworn, written account of what happened, who was involved, the evidence you hold, and the relief you are asking for. Bring printed copies of your screenshots and records. Being organised here speeds up the investigation and shows the incident clearly.

Write your affidavit in plain, chronological order — the date and time each message or transaction happened, the exact amounts involved in pesos, and the accounts or numbers used. If several people were scammed by the same operation, a coordinated complaint can carry more weight, so it helps to compare notes with other victims where you can. You can approach the PNP-ACG at Camp Crame in Quezon City or a regional anti-cybercrime unit closer to you, and the NBI Cybercrime Division as an alternative. Ask the receiving officer what happens next and how you will be contacted, and keep a copy of everything you submit for your own records.

Watch for the second scam

Victims are frequently targeted a second time by ‘recovery’ scammers who pose as police officers, lawyers, or agents promising to retrieve the stolen money — for an upfront fee. This is always a scam. No legitimate authority charges you to recover funds, and none will ask for your one-time password, account password or card PIN. If you are unsure how to tell a genuine contact from a fake one, our guide on how to spot fake government sites and service scams explains the red flags.

Prevention going forward

After reporting, protect yourself from a repeat. Change passwords that may have been exposed, enable extra security on your accounts, and be cautious with links and unsolicited offers. When you transact for real documents and IDs, stick to official routes such as those in our guides on booking a DFA passport appointment. Gabay is an independent how-to guide, not a government agency or law-enforcement body, and this article is general information rather than legal advice. For your specific case, contact the official agencies above directly through their published channels.

Gabay is an independent guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Fees, links and steps can change — always confirm on the official portal before you act. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.