Crypto Recovery Scams: Don’t Get Scammed Twice

After a crypto scam, the next message is often an offer to get the money back. It’s almost always a second scam.

What to know

1. Recovery scammers target people who’ve already lost money, often using information from the first scam.
2. Upfront fees, guaranteed recovery and ‘blockchain hackers’ are the clearest signs of fraud.
3. Scammers impersonate the FBI, the FTC, lawyers and real recovery firms.
4. Government agencies don’t charge to investigate or recover your money.

Losing money to a crypto scam is painful, and the urge to get it back is understandable. Recovery scammers exploit exactly that. The FBI and FTC have both warned about fake fund recovery services that target people who’ve already been defrauded.

Common approaches

• The “recovery company.” A website or social media account claims a high success rate getting crypto back, for an upfront fee.
• The “ethical hacker.” Someone offers to hack the scammers’ wallets or the blockchain to return your money.
• The impostor official. A caller says they’re with the FBI, the FTC, a court or a regulator, and that your funds have been located but release requires a fee.
• The fake lawyer. A “law firm” says it’s part of a class action or has a judgment, and needs payment to process your share.

Warning signs

Sign	Why it matters
They contacted you first	Legitimate agencies rarely cold-contact victims, and never for payment
A fee upfront, especially in crypto or gift cards	That’s the scam
A guarantee	No one can guarantee recovery of crypto
They know details of your loss	Information is often passed between scam groups
Pressure and secrecy	Same tactics as the original scam

Safety tip

Write down the rule now: no one gets paid to recover money until money has actually been recovered, and never in crypto. If you’re helping a family member, share that rule with them too.

Where to report, for free

1. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
2. The Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
3. Your state attorney general or financial regulator.
4. The exchange or platform you used to buy or send the crypto; they may flag the receiving addresses.
5. Local police, especially for large losses or if you were threatened.

Reporting won’t guarantee recovery, but law enforcement does sometimes seize stolen crypto and return it to victims, and reports help connect cases.

To understand how the original scam probably worked, see crypto investment scams and crypto ATM scams.

Common questions

Are there legitimate crypto tracing firms?

Yes. Some forensic firms trace funds for law enforcement, lawyers and companies, and some lawyers pursue civil claims. They don’t cold-call victims, guarantee results or ask for fees in crypto.

How did the scammer know I was a victim?

Victims’ contact details are often sold or reused by the same groups, and some recovery scammers advertise in search results and social media groups where victims look for help.

What if someone says they’re from the FBI?

Hang up and contact the FBI yourself through fbi.gov or your local field office. The FBI won’t ask you to pay a fee or send crypto.