How To Avoid Recovery Scammers
After a scam you may be targeted again by fake 'recovery' agents. Learn how to spot and avoid them.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
First 10 minutes
- Treat any unsolicited 'we can recover your money' contact as a scam
- Do not pay any upfront fee, tax, or deposit
First 24 hours
- Block and report recovery-scam contacts
- Only work with your bank and official fraud services
- Be cautious about posting publicly that you were scammed
Contact your bank or payment provider
- Verify any 'refund' claim directly with your bank via official channels
Evidence to preserve
- Save the recovery scammer's messages and details
- Report them to your fraud service
Secure your accounts and devices
- Keep account security tight; expect further phishing attempts
Report it
- Report to your national fraud/cybercrime service
- Report to the platform, bank, or provider involved
- Keep any reference numbers you're given
Being scammed once unfortunately makes you a target for recovery scams. Fraudsters buy and trade lists of victims, and monitor public complaints, then pose as recovery agents, lawyers, regulators, or even police who can get your money back — for a fee.
The rule is simple: legitimate recovery never requires an upfront fee, and genuine help comes from your bank and official fraud services. Anyone who contacts you privately, guarantees recovery, or asks for payment first is scamming you again.
Frequently asked questions
How do recovery scammers find me?
They buy 'sucker lists' of previous victims and watch public forums and social media. If you've posted that you were scammed, expect recovery-scam attempts.