USA Guides
Get help with
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Hacked accounts
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Online harassment and cyberstalking
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Digital fraud and scams
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Data leaks and breaches
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Malware and extortion
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Reporting and preserving evidence
Step-by-step guides to help you recover from a wide range of cyber attacks, online threats and harm.
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Find your guide
Choose the guide that best describes your situation. If you've already spoken to our chatbot, you will have been directed here.
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Follow the steps
Work through the guide at your own pace. Some steps take some technical knowledge - If you need help following the guides get in touch. (Make this box a button linking to the get help page)
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Stay protected
Use our guides at any time to learn how to prevent the same issue happening in the future. If you ever need more support, get in touch.
Hacked accounts
A hacked account is when somebody gains unauthorised access to one of your online accounts or devices without your permission — including email, social media, banking, virtual currency, gaming, and shopping accounts, as well as your home WiFi network.
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Hacked account
You suspect one of your online accounts has been accessed without your permission.
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Hacked email account
Someone has accessed your email account, such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo etc., without your authorization.
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Hacked social media account
Someone has accessed one of your social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc., without your authorization.
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Hacked online bank account
Someone has accessed your online bank account without your authorization.
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Hacked virtual currency account
Someone has accessed your virtual currency wallet online without your permission.
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Hacked online gaming account
Someone has accessed your online gaming account, such as Steam, Xbox and PlayStation Network, without your permission.
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Hacked online shopping account
A site you use online for shopping has been accessed online, such as Amazon and eBay, without your authorization.
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Hacked home wifi network
Someone has accessed your home wireless network without your permission.
Online threats, harassment, stalking, and abuse
These online harms involve behaviour where someone uses the internet or digital devices to intimidate, threaten, humiliate, monitor, or control another person. It can happen through public platforms like social media, or more privately through messages, tracking, or unauthorised access to someone's accounts and devices. It can come from a stranger or someone the victim knows, and can be a one-off incident or an ongoing pattern of abuse.
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Online harassment and bullying
You're being bullied, harassed, or targeted online through abusive messages, comments, trolling, or repeated unwanted contact.
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Cyberstalking
An individual is stalking you online and making severe threats to your personal safety.
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Outing
Someone has shared personal information about you online without your consent. This could be sharing a secret, personal details or sensitive images.
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Fake profiles
Fake profiles are being created to bully or harass you online. This also covers what to do when someone has created a fake profile impersonating you to cause you distress.
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Unauthorised account access (fraping)
Someone has accessed your social media account and has posted messages that cause you emotional distress or reputation damage.
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Online grooming
You - or someone you know - is a minor and being groomed online.
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Inappropriate content
You have seen inappropriate content such as hate speech, offensive content or adult content aimed at children or vulnerable users. This guide also cover social medial ‘challenges’ that aim to cause harm to individuals.
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Intimate image abuse (revenge porn)
Someone has shared, or is threatening to share, sexually explicit images or videos of you without your permission.
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Digital surveillance
You think someone is listening to your conversations, watching you or tracking your location without permission.
Digital fraud & scams
Digital fraud and scams happen when someone uses calls, texts, emails, fake websites, or online relationships to deceive you into giving away money, personal information, or access to your accounts.
If this has happened to you, you're not alone, and it's not your fault — scammers are often highly skilled at what they do, and we will help you take the steps to contain the situation and recover.
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Recovering money from cyber scams
You have lost money in an online scam or cybercrime.
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Crypto scams
You have been scammed through Cryptocurrency.
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Card fraud
Transactions have been made using your bank cards which you did not authorize.
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Identity theft
Someone has used your personal information without your permission to impersonate you for financial or personal gain.
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Online auction fraud
Someone has tricked you when buying on an online auction site such as eBay or Amazon.
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Romance fraud (catfishing)
Someone has built a romantic relationship with you online using a fake identity (catfishing), in order to gain your trust and manipulate you into sending them money or personal information.
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Recruitment scams (job fraud)
You have been scammed while applying for a job home or abroad.
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Loan scams
You have been scammed taking out a loan.
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Investment scams
You have been scammed while making an investment.
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Mobile identity theft (SIM swapping)
Someone has taken control of your mobile number without your permission — allowing them to intercept your calls, texts, and security codes.
Data leaks and breaches
Personal information can end up at risk or exposed in several ways, through a lost or stolen device, information shared by mistake, inaccurate details published about you online, or a company's data being breached by hackers.
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Lost device
You have lost a device and are trying to find it or limit the damage of lost information.
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Accidental information share
You have accidentally shared sensitive or confidential information online.
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Online reporting issue
A website has published fake or inaccurate information about you.
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Data breach
A company, app, online account or service you use has been hacked and your data has been impacted.
Malware and extortion
Malware is malicious software criminals use to steal information, spy on you, or damage your device — including ransomware, which locks your screen or encrypts your files until you pay to unlock them. A device can also become compromised or hacked without your knowledge, giving criminals ongoing access to your information. Criminals also use other forms of extortion and blackmail, such as threatening to share private content or intimate images unless you pay.
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Malicious software
One of your devices has been infected with malicious software.
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Encrypting ransomware
You can use your device and see your files, but they have been encrypted and the file extensions changed.
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Screen-locking ransomware
A ransom note appears as soon as you turn on your device and you can't use the device in any other way.
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Content for ransom
Someone has gained access to sensitive information about you and is trying to get you to pay (or do something) to stop them sharing it.
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Sextortion (extortion or blackmail using intimate images)
Someone threatens to share intimate images or videos of you unless you pay money or meet their demands.
Reporting and preserving evidence
Guide: how to preserve digital evidence and report cybercrime
Use this when you have been a victim of cybercrime and need to save and protect digital evidence before reporting it to the authorities.
Disclaimer: We do our best to make sure the information in this guide is accurate and up to date. However, things can change quickly, especially in the online world, so we cannot guarantee that all content will always be current or complete. The guidance provided is for general information only and should not be taken as professional advice. The Cyber Helpline is not responsible for any loss, damage, or inconvenience that may result from using this guide or relying on its content, as far as the law allows. Nothing in this disclaimer limits our responsibility where it would be unlawful to do so, including for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud.
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Based in the UK?
If you are located in the United Kingdom, we have specific guides tailored to your region
Scam emails, calls or texts
This is when cyber criminals contact you directly by email, phone, or text (known as social engineering) to trick you into doing something that compromises your security or safety — such as clicking a malicious link (phishing), answering a scam phone call (vishing), or replying to a fraudulent text message (smishing).
Scam emails (phishing)
You have received an email you think may be a scam. This guide helps you spot scams and also deal with the results of you clicking or downloading content.
Scam calls (vishing)
You have received a phone call you think may be a scam. This guide helps you spot scams and also support you if you followed the instructions by the scammer provided over the phone.
Scam texts (smishing)
You have received an text message you think may be a scam. This guide helps you spot scams and also deal with the results of you clicking or downloading content.