What to do if I clicked

First assess what is being requested, which channel was used and what has already happened. Do not use the received link or imposed phone number as the verification channel.

Information checked : 2026-09-10

Priority / Safe channel / Action

  1. Priority - Limit the risk now

    Simple plan to stop the interaction, protect your accounts and return to official channels.

  2. Safe channel - Do not follow the channel you received

    6 useful official sources listed below.

  3. Action - Contact the right service

    I already took action

Transparency and Sources

Page checked
2026-09-10
Sources checked
2026-09-17
Content status
information published with visible sources and clear limits
Official sources cited
6
Editorial responsibility
StopArnaques

StopArnaques is an independent Belgian service. It is not a public authority and does not speak on behalf of the organisations cited.

Report a correction

How this scam presents itself

  • For the clicked-link situation, first check the requested action, the channel used and what may already have happened if you clicked, paid or shared a code.
  • Use an official channel for the clicked-link situation that you open yourself. A received link, QR code or phone number is not a reliable starting point.

Warning signs

  • The click has already happened
  • Data may have been entered
  • Panic is rising

How to check without taking a risk

  • Do not reply to the message and do not use the link, QR code or number it contains.
  • Open the official app or website yourself, then check whether the same request appears in your personal account.
  • If in doubt, contact the organisation using a number found on its official website, a reliable bill or your bank card.

What to do immediately

  • Close the page and do not enter anything else.
  • Change your login details if needed.
  • Call the bank or official service using the official number.

If you have already clicked or replied

  • Close the page and do not enter any more information. If you shared a password, change it through the official website and everywhere it is reused.
  • If banking data, a code or a confirmation was sent, call your bank immediately using its official number. Use Card Stop if a card is involved.
  • Keep the message and the address you saw for reporting, without forwarding them to other people as a clickable link.

Assess the real exposure

  • Distinguish between simply viewing a page, entering login details, downloading a file, installing an app, confirming a banking action and making a payment. These events do not have the same consequences.
  • Note the time, the account concerned and the exact action before changing access, so you do not forget a service that was affected.

Order of response

  • Start by stopping the action and contacting the bank if money or a card is involved. Then secure your main email account, followed by the accounts whose login details were entered.
  • Use a trusted device if the original device was remotely controlled or ran a suspicious file.

Monitoring in the following days

  • Check logins, changes to contact details, new beneficiaries and recovery messages on the exposed accounts. A second fraud can reuse the information from the first incident.
  • Be wary of people who promise to recover the money in exchange for new fees or who ask again for remote access.

What to do now

  • If you have not acted, do not click further and open the named service's official channel yourself.
  • If you clicked, close the page, enter nothing else and note what information was shown or requested.
  • If you shared a code, card, password or payment, contact your bank or the relevant official service immediately.
  • Keep the message, time, link used and any useful screenshots. Share them only with an official reporting channel or a trusted helper.

Limits of this page

  • This page does not prove that a message is safe and does not replace your bank, the police, Safeonweb, a platform or a public service.
  • A scam may be new, very well written or described with too little context. Use the result as decision support, not as absolute certainty.
  • Before taking a final action, checking through the official channel matters more than the appearance of the received message.

Check through an official channel

  • Type the service address yourself or open the official app. Do not use a phone number, link or QR code from the suspicious message to verify the situation.
  • When money, card details, a code or account access are involved, the safety action comes first. The analysis can then help organise the evidence.

How to read the result

  • A low number of signals does not mean that everything is safe. It only means that this page or analysis did not find decisive evidence with the information available.
  • Focus on the requested action: paying, sharing a code, installing an app, approving a bank action or leaving an official platform. That action matters more than a logo, sender name or polished wording.
  • If the situation feels urgent, step away from the received message first. Then check calmly through a channel you already trusted before the message arrived.

Belgian reading of this situation

  • For the clicked-link situation, focus on the relevant Belgian next step: open the official channel yourself, contact the bank, use Safeonweb or preserve evidence.
  • The right decision for the clicked-link situation depends on what has already happened. Reading a message is not the same as clicking, paying, sharing a code or granting remote access.

Frequently asked questions

What should I check first after clicking?

Close the page and do not enter anything else. Then compare the request with your official account and test the text or link in the StopArnaques detector.

Which signs should make me stop?

Stop the interaction if you observe, among other things: the click has already happened, data may have been entered, panic is rising. A familiar visual identity never makes up for an unusual request.

Does the detector replace the official check?

No. The detector helps you understand the risk and the signs observed. For a banking, administrative or account-related action, always confirm with the official service through an independent channel.

Useful official sources

Test another suspicious message

I already took action

I already took action

Prepare my next steps

I already took action