Recovery scam
A secondary fraud targeting previous scam victims, promising to recover lost funds for an upfront fee — but taking the fee and disappearing.
Also known as: refund scam, funds-recovery fraud
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Recovery scams target people who have already lost money to fraud. Fraudsters — sometimes the same operators who ran the original scam — pose as law firms, government agencies, cryptocurrency recovery services, or fraud investigators. They claim to have located the victim's funds and can recover them for an upfront fee.
The victim, already emotionally and financially harmed, is vulnerable to the hope of recovery. After paying the 'recovery fee', new fees appear (taxes, insurance, release charges), or the operator simply disappears.
Recovery scam operators find victims through public fraud-reporting databases, social media posts about being scammed, or by directly following up with victims of the original scam. Genuine law enforcement agencies do not charge fees to recover funds; legitimate solicitors charge on agreed terms and are verifiable through official registers.
Examples
- A victim who lost £10,000 to an investment scam is contacted by a 'fraud recovery specialist' who says they can get the money back for a £500 upfront admin fee — they take the fee and disappear.