India, Oct. 21 -- There is usually a moment when the entire story falls apart. The investment platform no longer allows withdrawals. The person claiming to be a police officer ends the call. A transaction alert appears for a payment that was never intended. Or someone realises that the "bank executive" they trusted was never from the bank at all!

Panic is a natural response, so is embarrassment. But neither should be allowed to consume the minutes that follow.

Cyber fraud can happen to anyone, including people who are otherwise careful with money and technology. Once it does, the priority is no longer to work out how the scammer was so convincing. It is to contain the damage, report the transaction and secure anything else that may have...