How we work

A happy woman with long brown hair hugging a bearded man with short brown hair from behind while taking a selfie together using a smartphone.
A happy woman with long brown hair hugging a bearded man with short brown hair from behind while taking a selfie together using a smartphone.
Abstract image with a large white circle on the left side and a blue gradient background.
Abstract image with a large white circle on the left side and a blue gradient background.
A large white circle representing the moon in a blue sky.

The Cyber Helpline was founded to fill a gap in support for cybercrime victims, helping people affected by hacking, fraud, stalking, harassment, intimate image abuse, and other online harms. To do this, our model harnesses the skills of vetted, volunteer cybersecurity professionals, allowing us to support thousands of victims every month.

We provide this support through a free 24/7 self-help service and a confidential helpline for individuals and sole traders. It starts with an intelligent chatbot that gives you advice on your issue, and if you need more support, you're connected with a human cybersecurity expert who helps you understand, contain, and recover from the attack.

Speak to our chatbot

Phase 1 - Take action

Available Worldwide 24/7

  • A digital message screen asking, 'Please tell me what has happened?' with a response box containing 'My Facebook has been hacked. I am locked out of my account,' and a blue 'SEND' button below.

    Report what happened

    Start a chat with our chatbot and answer a few anonymous questions to help us better understand your situation.

  • A warning icon with an exclamation mark inside a triangle is shown on a smartphone screen. Text reads 'Hacked Social Media Account' and 'Your social media has been hacked.' There is a blue button labeled 'More Info...' below the text.

    We identify the threat

    Our intelligent chatbot will identify the type of threat you are experiencing based on your answers.

  • Text on a screen explaining that a hacked social media account is when someone gains access to your email account without permission, noting signs such as changed profile info, sent messages, new apps, suspicious logins, and friends not recognizing changes.

    Get your guide

    You will be sent in-depth guides and resources to help you understand and proactively manage threats. You’ll get everything you need to start recovering right now - at your own pace.

A blue circle with a blue i for information in the middle.

If you need more help, type "speak to agent" in the chat. Our volunteer helpline is currently available to UK and USA residents.

Access our helpline

Phase 2 - Speak to an expert

UK & USA only

  • Close-up of a person's hands holding a smartphone in a dark environment, with a notification icon for one new email or message visible on the screen.

    We will contact you

    We aim to get back to you within 3 working days. One of our trained cybersecurity experts will call or email you to work with you on your case personally.

  • A woman with long, dark hair and glasses is resting her head on her hand, looking at a tablet or phone on a desk. There is a purple padlock icon in the background.

    Increase security

    You will address any immediate threats to your safety and security with the help of our experts.

  • Close-up of a person's hand holding a smartphone, viewed at an angle, with a blurred background.

    Digital footprint assessment

    We will help you assess your digital footprint to see where the source of the threat is coming from.

  • Close-up of a person's hand typing on a laptop keyboard with a blurry computer screen in the background.

    Preserving evidence

    If required, we will guide you towards finding and preserving evidence to support your case.

  • A young woman with curly dark hair smiling and looking down at her phone, which she is holding with both hands. She is wearing a white shirt.

    Learn and prevent

    You will learn how to secure yourself online to prevent further attacks from happening.

Illustration of two hands holding a purple heart.

Case closed

We encourage you to seek emotional support and will always be here if you need us.

  • Investigations team

    For high-risk cases, our Investigations Team provide a deeper level of support. Trained in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques, they analyse your digital footprint to help you understand the threats against you and what steps to take to stay safe. If our Helpline team feels your case requires this level of support, they will escalate it to the Investigations Team on your behalf.

    Get help

  • Threat intelligence

    Threat Intelligence is the process of collecting data and analysing it to understand a cyber criminal's motives, how they might target individuals, and the common behaviours they display during an attack. Gathering this information helps us make informed decisions to identify threats before they occur, as well as responding to real-time attacks quicker. We publish our findings and pass on all of this knowledge - including our cybercrime data dashboard and our Citizens' Cyber Attack Framework - as well as practical skills that you can implement to help protect yourself and your loved ones online.

    Explore the data

The Cyber Helpline is a non-profit organisation. We rely on donations to keep the helpline running and support victims of cybercrime. Any donation, big or small, helps us reach more people when they need it most.

Support our cause

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Donate

Looking to make a donation to a worthwhile cause? Support victims of cybercrime and the cybersecurity community today.

Donate
Donate
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Sponsor

See how your company can help deliver vital long-term support for victims of cybercrime.

Learn more
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Fundraise

Take on a challenge, host an event — every pound helps us ensure no one has to face cybercrime alone.

Learn more