People being scammed often hide it. Watch for sudden secrecy about money, frequent transfers to unfamiliar accounts, a new online 'friend', job, or investment they cannot fully explain, and unusual urgency or anxiety around their phone. Older relatives and people new to mobile money are targeted most. A gentle question early can prevent a large loss later.
Scams work by isolating and embarrassing the victim. If you shame someone, they will stop telling you what is happening, and the scam continues. Stay calm and make it clear that anyone can be scammed, because these are professional operations designed to deceive. Focus the conversation on what to do next, not on what they should have noticed earlier.
Help them break contact with the scammer and resist follow-up pressure. Sit with them while they call their financial institution to freeze accounts and attempt a trace. Help them change passwords, turn on two-step verification, and gather the evidence: numbers, accounts, screenshots, receipts. Then report the scam together, here and to the police if money was lost. Keep checking in afterwards, because victims are often re-targeted.
Use the report form if you saw a suspicious number, account, link, or handle.
Run a safety check before you send money, share a code, or trust a message.