Scam recovery scam: "we can get your money back"
People who already lost money are targeted again by "fund recovery" firms, fake lawyers, or hackers who promise to get the money back for an upfront fee.
How this scam works
Scammers buy and share lists of past victims. The recovery fee is lost too, and the promised money never comes.
Common versions of the message
- A firm that knows how much you lost
- A promise to return all of it
- An upfront fee, often in crypto
What the message looks like
Text from Asset Recovery Team
We are a licensed fund recovery firm and we have located the $12,000 you lost to the crypto scam. We can return 100% of your money within 72 hours. Pay the $900 recovery fee in Bitcoin to start the process.
Fictional example based on common, publicly reported scam patterns.
The red flags
- 1
They know too much: “we have located the $12,000 you lost”
Scammers share lists of past victims
Knowing your loss shows they are connected to the scam or a victim list, not that they are official.
- 2
Big promise: “return 100% of your money”
Nobody can promise to get it all back
No one can promise to recover all of your money.
- 3
Upfront crypto fee: “Pay the $900 recovery fee in Bitcoin”
Real help from police or the FTC is free
Real help from police, the FBI, or the FTC is free.
What to do
- Do not pay anyone to recover money.
- Report the original scam at ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Talk to your bank about what can be disputed.
If you already replied, clicked, or paid
- If you paid a recovery fee, report it at ic3.gov as a new scam.
- Stop all contact with the firm.
- Do not share ID documents or remote access.
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