Guide
Fake bank adviser: blocking your card, evidence and disputes
If you approved a transaction or gave information to someone claiming to be your bank, contact the bank immediately through an official channel. Ask for any transactions still in progress to be blocked, keep the exchanges, and then put your dispute in writing.
8 min read · Updated 16 August 2026 · For individuals
Need to act right now?
Three immediate reflexes: hang up and don’t call back the number shown (use the one on the back of your card), block the exposed payment methods with your bank, and never confirm a transaction or a code “to cancel it”. If money has just gone out, the emergency is a banking one before it is a technical one.
Act fast, but in the right order
The right order saves time and avoids sending an incomplete file. We always separate the banking emergency, keeping the evidence and your options for redress.
What to do as soon as the call ends
Five practical steps, in order. None of them requires technical skills: they protect your money first, then your file.
- Hang up and don’t call back the number shown. Only use your bank’s official number, from the app, your card or the official website.
- Block the exposed cards and payment methods. Also ask for transfers to be temporarily frozen if the situation warrants it.
- Dispute the transactions you did not genuinely want: card payment, transfer, new payee, mobile payment, credit or transfer to crypto-assets.
- Change the passwords for your bank, your main email and the accounts used to receive codes.
- Keep everything: call log, texts, notifications, emails, screenshots, IBAN, transaction references, proof of your police report or report.
Never confirm a transaction “to cancel it”
A real bank adviser does not ask for your authentication codes, your password or your full card number. Galyct Perso will never ask for your codes either.
How does the fake adviser scam work?
The fraudster poses as your bank, its fraud department or a security provider. They may display a number that looks like the bank’s, know some of your details and create a sense of urgency. Understanding the mechanism already helps defuse it.
1. Gaining your trust
The pitch often starts with a believable alert: a suspicious transaction, a compromised card, an attempted transfer, a blocked account or a pending payment.
2. Pressure to act
You are pushed to act fast: approve a notification, hand over a code, add a payee or confirm a transaction presented as a “cancellation”.
3. Exploitation
The transactions may target your bank card, current account, a mobile wallet, an instant loan, a crypto account or an access reset.
The mistakes that weaken your file
Without realising it, people sometimes erase exactly what would have proved the fraud. Here is what you had better avoid.
Don’t
- Delete the texts or the call log.
- Contact the fraudster’s number again.
- Send your screenshots without hiding unnecessary data.
- Wait several days before reporting the fraud.
Top priority
If money has just gone out, the emergency is a banking one before it is a technical one: block your card, dispute, ask the fraud department to call you back, then keep the evidence. The order matters: stop the bleeding before documenting everything.
What to gather for a solid file
A usable file must make it possible to reconstruct the timeline. The aim is not to write a novel, but to establish who contacted you, when, on what pretext, what actions were requested and what transactions were carried out.
The documents to keep
- Call log with number, date, time and duration.
- Texts, messages, emails, bank notifications and security alerts.
- Screenshots of the disputed transactions, statements, payees added, IBANs or references.
- History of password changes, unknown sign-ins or devices.
- Proof of the card block, Perceval receipt or police report, exchanges with the bank.
A model timeline to write
- Time of the first call or message.
- Who the caller claimed to be.
- Information they already had.
- Instructions you were given.
- Transactions approved or noticed.
- Actions taken after the discovery.
This timeline is used for the bank claim, the police report, mediation and, if needed, the intervention report.
Bank, police report, mediation: in what order?
The right order avoids sending an incomplete file. We separate the banking emergency, keeping the evidence and the appeal if a refund is refused.
- Bank. Report the disputed transactions to the fraud department immediately. Ask for written confirmation of your dispute and of the measures taken.
- Card block. Block cards, mobile payments and exposed access. Check payees, limits, scheduled transfers and direct debit mandates.
- Report. Depending on the case, use Perceval for card fraud, and THESEE or a standard police report for wider fraud.
- Claim. Send a clear request: facts, amount, disputed transactions, absence of genuine consent, documents and receipts.
- Mediation. If you are refused or the answer is inadequate, structure the file for the banking ombudsman or a legal adviser.
What to word carefully
In a claim, the key point is often to distinguish a transaction you genuinely authorised from one you approved because you were deceived. A useful reminder: the time limit for disputing an unauthorised transaction can be up to 13 months from the date of debit when the provider is located in the EEA (Art. L133-24 of the French Monetary and Financial Code), provided you report it without delay; this limit is shorter in other cases.
The file must stay factual: circumstances of the call, pressure you were under, confusion created, no intention of paying the fraudster, reporting times and measures taken.
Avoid excessive wording. A sober sentence such as “I dispute these transactions, which I did not intend to authorise for the benefit of the final payee, and which were carried out as part of a fraudulent scheme” is generally stronger than an emotional account.
When support helps
- Large amounts, or a refusal from the bank already received.
- Remote access or screen sharing was involved.
- Email account, bank or phone possibly compromised.
- Need for a technical timeline or an independent report.
Frequently asked questions after a fake adviser
Can the bank refuse a refund because a code was entered?
It can argue this, but the file should not stop at that point alone. You need to document the circumstances: manipulation, pressure, information held by the fraudster, no real intention of sending them money, and how quickly you reported it.
Should I file a police report before asking for a refund?
The dispute with the bank must be made without delay. A police report or a report strengthens the file, but the priority is first to alert the bank, block your card and ask for written confirmation.
Should I delete the fraudster’s messages?
No. Messages, calls and notifications help establish the timeline. Take screenshots and save the originals.
Can Galyct Perso contact the bank for me?
Our support mainly consists of structuring the file, clarifying the facts, preparing letters and producing a report if needed. Official exchanges are generally carried out by the victim or their duly authorised representative.
Official resources to consult
These links complement the guide. They don’t replace an analysis of your situation, but they give the official framework for the formal steps.
Légifrance
Article L.133-18 of the French Monetary and Financial Code on the refund of unauthorised transactions (in French).
View →You don’t need to understand everything before you act
The free pre-diagnosis assesses the situation, identifies the useful evidence and shows whether you need a technical intervention, a report or simply some support. We check, secure, document and advise, but we promise no refund, no recovery of funds and no identification of the culprit: commitments, not promises. And we will never ask for your codes. Your data stays in France.
Guides & situations to read
Depending on your case, these pages set out the steps to follow and your rights.
The 6 immediate reflexes
The right steps common to almost every incident.
Open the guide →Dispute a bank transaction
Unauthorised transaction: your rights, the time limits and your options.
Open the guide →All situations
Bank fraud, fake support, hacked account, blackmail: find yours.
See the situations →Not sure? Start with the free diagnosis.
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