Understand the first contact
Record how the interaction began, what was offered and which website or account was involved. Collect a short chronology instead of trying to interpret every detail at once.
Identify the warning patterns
Examine pressure to act, unexpected fees, unverifiable identities and changing explanations. Compare these signals with actual records, rather than treating a familiar scam pattern as proof by itself.
Define the questions that remain
Set out the facts available, the information still missing and the areas suitable for further review. An initial assessment can also be useful when you are unsure whether fraud occurred.