Scam type
Recovery Scams
Second-wave fraud that targets people who have already lost money by promising to retrieve it.
Warning signs
- • Unsolicited contact offering recovery
- • Payment demanded before any result
- • Requests for seed phrases, private keys or wallet access
- • Claims of guaranteed recovery
Tactics used
- • Impersonating law enforcement, regulators or well-known firms
- • Fake review pages and testimonials
- • Pressure framed as a closing window of opportunity
If it happened to you
- • Never pay an upfront fee for recovery and never share wallet credentials.
- • Report the approach so the identifiers can be indexed.
- • Be cautious of unsolicited recovery offers — ScamGuard Pro does not guarantee recovery of lost funds.
What this scam is
Recovery scams approach existing victims, often through comments, direct messages or referrals, claiming to be hackers, agents, lawyers or blockchain specialists able to recover lost funds for an upfront fee.
How it typically unfolds
- The offer arrives unsolicited, frequently soon after a public post about a loss.
- Confidence is built with fabricated screenshots or 'partial recovery' evidence.
- An upfront fee, gas fee, or 'court cost' is demanded.
- Once paid, either contact ends or further fees are requested.
Documenting the incident
Before you block anyone, export the conversation and capture profile links, websites, wallet addresses and every payment reference. Then submit a report so the identifiers can be matched against other cases.
ScamGuard Pro provides scam reporting, information and recovery-support services. Recovery outcomes depend on the circumstances of each case and cannot be guaranteed. Anyone promising guaranteed recovery is running a second scam.