Read this before paying anyone
Recovery scams target people who are already hurting.
A second scam often starts with a message, call, or social-media advert claiming that your lost funds have been found. Slow down. Verify. No legitimate service can guarantee recovery.
Red flags to take seriously
- Guaranteed recovery or a guaranteed timeline.
- A request for your crypto seed phrase, private key, bank password, card PIN, or one-time codes.
- A request to install remote-access software.
- Payment by gift card, cash, or an unexplained personal account.
- Pressure to pay a "release fee", "tax", or "clearance fee" before funds are returned.
- Threats, secrecy, or refusal to provide written terms.
- A company that contacted you unexpectedly after your original loss.
- Testimonials or screenshots that cannot be independently verified.
What a legitimate process looks like
Written scope before payment. You should know what service you are paying for and what it does and does not include.
Traceable payments and receipts. Fee instructions should be clear, documented, and consistent with the invoice.
Respect for your data. Sensitive documents should be uploaded through a protected channel, not sent over social media.
No custody of recovered funds. A support service should not ask you to route recovered money through its own account.
Still unsure whether an offer is genuine?
Ask us before you pay anyone. We would rather answer a question than see you lose more.
Ask a safety question