Fraud and Identity Theft Recovery Log

Who this is for

A record of a fraud or scam and everything done about it. The first steps are listed in order with a tick, a date and a reference, every call and letter goes in a contact log, and an evidence list says what you kept and where, so you can show what was reported and when.

Anyone who has lost money to a scam, had a card or account misused or found their details being used by someone else, and the relative or friend helping them sort it out.

What this helps you track

• What happened, when you noticed and how much went
• The urgent steps: bank told, cards stopped, passwords changed
• Each report made to the police, the platform or a fraud service
• Every organisation contacted, with names and reference numbers
• The evidence kept and where each piece is stored

How to use it

1. Write what happened, the dates and the amount lost while it is fresh, in your own words.
2. Work through the first steps as soon as you can, starting with your bank or card provider, and write the date and any reference against each.
3. Log every call, letter and email after that: who you dealt with, the reference, what was agreed and the next step with its date.
4. Keep screenshots, messages, statements and letters, and list each one with where it is kept.
5. Be wary of anyone who gets in touch offering to recover the money for a fee, and log that contact too.
6. Fill it in on paper or in the browser version, which saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Who should I contact first?

Your bank or card provider, as quickly as you can, on the number printed on your card or statement rather than one given by a caller or message. They can stop further payments and tell you what can be done about those already made.

How is this different from the identity theft recovery tracker?

This log covers one fraud or scam: what happened, the first steps and the evidence. The identity theft recovery tracker is built for longer cases where accounts are opened in your name, with freezes, alerts and disputed amounts totalled.

Should I write full card or account numbers here?

No. The last few digits are enough to say which account you mean. If the log is lost or seen by someone else, it should not give them anything they can use.

What evidence is worth keeping?

Anything that shows what happened: messages, emails, call logs, website addresses, screenshots of adverts or profiles, receipts, statements and letters. Keep originals where you can and note where each copy is stored.