Safety and evidence toolkit

Use this in order: safety, evidence, help

• Leave any place where you may be controlled, filmed or threatened.
• Stop transfers, top-ups, screen sharing and sharing verification codes.
• Keep the original chats, bank records, call logs and account details.
• Build a timeline before deciding whether to report, complain or consult a lawyer.
• Back up important evidence to a separate, secure device.

If you are facing fraud, a privacy threat, financial control or a property dispute, do not start with a long argument. Start with physical safety, stop further payments, then preserve the evidence.

This toolkit breaks the usual materials into practical templates. You can copy them into a document, or print the page. The templates are a starting point, not legal advice.

Stop these five things first

• Do not send more money, top up an account, pay a deposit or buy a service the other person recommends.
• Do not share your screen, bank card details, one-time codes or face verification.
• Do not meet alone, and do not send new private images to buy deletion.
• Do not log into the other person's accounts or install unknown software to gather evidence.
• Do not delete the chat in a moment of panic. Back it up first.

Losses often grow through one more payment, one more chance or one more attempt to fix the relationship. Stop the bleeding before you try to recover anything.

Template one: one-page timeline

A useful timeline is not literary. It shows what happened, when, who was involved, what it cost and what evidence exists.

Use one line per event. Replace the sample entries with your own facts and do not add details you cannot support.

Template two: evidence checklist

You do not need everything. You need evidence that connects three things: the relationship, the money and the threat or deception.

Preserve the original carrier where possible. A screenshot of a screenshot, or a cropped chat, is weaker than the original conversation.

Template three: police statement outline

• Who I am: name, contact, city.
• When and where: how you met, where you met, when money moved.
• Who the other person is: account, phone, company, payment recipient.
• What happened: the script used and what you were asked to do.
• What was lost: amount, number of payments, where the money went.
• What I want: stop the threats, preserve evidence, handle the case according to law.

When reporting, use the order person, event, money, evidence, request. Do not begin with the emotional history of the relationship.

If you are overwhelmed, write the outline on one page and hand it to the officer.

Template four: platform complaint

A complaint should identify the account, the facts, the evidence and the remedy you want. Do not write only that you were scammed.

If there is a threat to your safety, state clearly that the police have been contacted and include the report number.

Template five: questions for a lawyer

• Is this closer to a civil dispute, an administrative offence or a criminal risk?
• Does the current evidence connect the relationship, the money and the threat?
• Should I report to the police, file a civil claim or negotiate first?
• What is the limitation period, the competent court and the defendant's identity?
• What are the likely fees, timeline and range of outcomes?
• Which evidence needs notarisation, expert review or corroboration?
• How should I preserve evidence if the threats continue?
• Do I qualify for legal aid?

Do not begin the first consultation by asking whether you can win. Ask the lawyer to identify the type of case, the evidence gaps and the likely cost.

Send the timeline and evidence list before the meeting. It is more useful than a one-hour account from memory.

Template six: privacy leak response

The first step after a privacy leak is not to negotiate. It is to reduce further spread and preserve evidence. Do not forward the material or use it to trade for deletion.

If someone is demanding money or a meeting in exchange for silence, contact the police and do not go alone.

1. Stop interacting: Do not reply to threats, send money or provide new images.
2. Preserve evidence: Keep the threats, account details, publication pages and payment records.
3. Use platform tools: Request removal and account suspension; keep the ticket number.
4. Contact police: Call 110 for extortion, image-based abuse or a threat to safety.
5. Reduce exposure: Adjust privacy settings and tell someone you trust.
6. Get support: Contact a friend, family member or professional service; do not carry it alone.

Frequently asked questions