I tapped the link but did not type anything. Is my phone infected?

Almost certainly not. On an up-to-date iPhone or Android phone, opening a web page cannot install anything by itself. The danger was the form on the page. Delete the text, watch for follow-up messages, and if the phone starts behaving oddly, have it checked.

The bank says the payment already went through. Can I get it back?

Often, yes, if you call quickly. Card payments can be disputed as fraud, and many banks reverse small charges on the spot. E-transfers are harder, so call the moment you realise. Keep the text and any confirmation emails as evidence.

How long should I keep an eye on my accounts?

Check your card and bank statements weekly for a couple of months, and keep the fraud alert on your credit file for as long as the credit bureaus allow. If anything you do not recognise appears, call the bank the same day.

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I clicked a link in a scam text, or paid the fee. What should I do now?

Take a breath. Most of the damage from a scam link happens in the hours after, not the seconds before, and there is a short list of things that stop it. Here it is, in order.

Quick Answer

Call the number on the back of your card first and ask them to block or reverse the payment. Then change the password on anything you typed into, and on your email. Then report it. Seven steps, in order, below.

If you would rather have someone calm sit with you and go through this, that is exactly what our scam recovery visit is for. Give us a call.

Do these in order

Call the number on the back of your card

Ask them to block the card and reverse or stop the payment. Why first: the sooner the bank knows, the better the odds of stopping the charge, and a blocked card cannot be used again by whoever has the number now.

Change the password on any account you entered, and on your email

Start with your email, then the account the link pretended to be. Why: a scammer with your email password can reset every other password you have, so email is the one that matters most.

Turn on two-step verification

In the settings of your email, banking and any account you changed, turn on two-step or two-factor verification. Why: once it is on, a stolen password alone no longer opens the account.

Forward the text to 7726

It spells SPAM on the keypad, it is free, and it goes to your carrier, not the scammer. Why: carriers use the forwarded messages to block the sender for everyone. How to forward on iPhone and Android.

Not sure what you entered?

We can check your phone or computer for anything left behind, lock down the accounts, and change the passwords with you. Usually the same day in Durham Region.

Ask Us What To Do

Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

Call 1-888-495-8501 or report online at antifraudcentre.ca. Why: every report adds to the national picture that gets scam sites and numbers shut down, and a report number helps if you need to dispute a charge later.

Ask Equifax and TransUnion to place a fraud alert

Call each one and ask for a fraud alert on your file. Why: it makes it harder for anyone to open new credit in your name with the details you entered.

Report to Durham Regional Police if you lost money or gave out personal information

Call 905-579-1520 or report online. Why: banks often ask for a police file number before refunding, and local reports help police see which scams are hitting Durham right now.

If you only tapped the link and closed the page

Tapping a link on its own rarely infects a phone. What the scammers wanted was the form on the other side, and if you closed it without typing anything, they got nothing from you. Two things still worth doing: delete the text so you cannot tap it again by accident, and expect more. Once a number responds, it gets sold on, so watch for follow-up texts and calls over the next few weeks claiming to be your bank, a courier, or a government office. Treat every one of them as a scam.

What to watch for afterwards

A call from "your bank" about the payment you just made. Hang up and call the number on your card instead.
A text or email asking you to "verify" the details you entered. You already know where that leads.
A one-time code arriving when you did not ask for one. Someone is trying to sign in. Change that password again.
Small unexplained charges on the card. Scammers test a card with a dollar or two before using it properly.

If something feels off in the weeks after, our online safety visit goes through every account with you and leaves things locked down.

Get help today

We secure your accounts, check your devices and sit with you until it is sorted. Scam recovery visits are available across Durham Region, often the same day.

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FAQ

Common questions after tapping a scam link

I tapped the link but did not type anything. Is my phone infected?: Almost certainly not. On an up-to-date iPhone or Android phone, opening a web page cannot install anything by itself. The danger was the form on the page. Delete the text, watch for follow-up messages, and if the phone starts behaving oddly, have it checked.
The bank says the payment already went through. Can I get it back?: Often, yes, if you call quickly. Card payments can be disputed as fraud, and many banks reverse small charges on the spot. E-transfers are harder, so call the moment you realise. Keep the text and any confirmation emails as evidence.
How long should I keep an eye on my accounts?: Check your card and bank statements weekly for a couple of months, and keep the fraud alert on your credit file for as long as the credit bureaus allow. If anything you do not recognise appears, call the bank the same day.