# I clicked a phishing link. What do I do now?

> Clicked a phishing link? What to do right now, step by step: whether you typed a password, card number or code, or installed something.

Canonical: https://www.phishclean.com/help/clicked-a-phishing-link
Last updated: 2026-10-09

Last reviewed: 9 October 2026

Don't panic. Clicking alone rarely does damage. What matters is whether you typed anything or opened anything. Pick what happened and work through the checklist. The first 30 minutes matter most.

**Money already left your account?** Call your bank now on the number printed on your card or in its official app, never a number from the message. In India, also call **1930** straight away. Fast reports are the ones where money gets frozen.

What happened? Pick everything that applies.

Showing every step. Pick what happened to see only the ones you need. Your ticks stay on this device only.

## Right now

first 30 minutes

## Today

within 24 hours

## This week

next 7 days

## Where to report it

- **Lost money?** Call **1930**, the National Cyber Crime Helpline, or file at [cybercrime.gov.in](https://cybercrime.gov.in/). Call within hours: that is when banks can still freeze the money.
- **Tell your bank within 3 working days.** Under RBI rules, if the fraud was not caused by your own negligence, reporting an unauthorised electronic transaction within three working days means zero liability. If you shared an OTP or PIN, you carry the loss until you report it, so report at once.
- **Only received the SMS, call or WhatsApp?** Report it on [Chakshu](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/) on the Sanchar Saathi portal. That route is for the message itself; for lost money use 1930.

More detail on India's common scams (e-challan, KYC, electricity bill, parcel, UPI refund): [India guide →](https://www.phishclean.com/help/clicked-a-phishing-link-india)

**Keep evidence.** Screenshot the message, the page address, and any payment confirmation before deleting anything. Banks and police will ask for the time, amount and transaction ID.

Was it your **work** email, and has it started sending messages to clients? Follow [what to do when your business email is hacked](https://www.phishclean.com/blog/business-email-hacked-what-to-do) instead: it covers inbox rules, sessions and telling clients.

## How to stop it happening again

- **Never follow a link to log in or pay.** Open the app or type the address yourself. Real banks, tax departments and couriers don't ask for card details, PINs or OTPs by SMS.
- **An OTP is a signature.** Anyone asking you to read one out is asking you to approve a payment.
- **Use a password manager.** It won't fill your password on a lookalike site, which catches fakes your eyes miss.
- **Get a warning before you type.** [PhishClean](https://www.phishclean.com/) checks every page you open for lookalike domains, forms that send your password elsewhere, and fake bill and KYC pages. It runs entirely on your device.

If fake virus warnings keep appearing afterwards, see [how to remove fake virus popups](https://www.phishclean.com/blog/how-to-remove-fake-virus-popup).

## Not sure about a link?

Paste it into our free checker before you open it.

[Check a link](https://www.phishclean.com/check-link)