Recovery Scams
Fraudsters who target people who were already scammed, charging upfront fees to 'recover' lost money.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
What this scam is
A recovery scam (or 'refund scam') targets people who have already lost money. The scammer claims to be a recovery agent, lawyer, regulator or even law enforcement who can get the funds back — for an upfront fee.
Victim lists are bought and sold, so being scammed once makes you a target for this second wave.
How it works
You are contacted out of the blue by someone who knows you were scammed. They sound official and sympathetic, claim to have located your funds, and ask for an upfront 'release fee', 'tax', or 'court cost'. Sometimes they impersonate the original platform offering a refund. No money is ever returned.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited contact from someone who already knows you were scammed
- Guaranteed recovery of your funds
- Any upfront fee, tax or deposit to release money
- Claims to be a regulator, lawyer or police officer — but contacts you privately
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
This is the [agency] recovery unit. We have frozen [amount] of your stolen funds. Pay a release fee of [amount] to [wallet/account].
Payment methods used
- Cryptocurrency
- Bank transfer
- Gift cards
Who is usually targeted
- Previous scam victims
- People who posted publicly about being scammed
What to do immediately
- Do not pay anything — no legitimate recovery requires an upfront fee
- Verify any agency by contacting it through its official website
- Block the contact and report them
- Warn others in any victim support group
Evidence to preserve
- The contact's details and messages
- Any documents they sent
- Payment demands
Where to report it
- Action Fraud (UK) — UK national fraud & cybercrime reporting centre
- FTC ReportFraud (US) — US Federal Trade Commission fraud reports
- FBI IC3 (US) — US Internet Crime Complaint Center
- Scamwatch (Australia) — Australian competition & consumer reporting
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Frequently asked questions
How do recovery scammers know I was scammed?
Scammers trade 'sucker lists' of previous victims, and they monitor public complaints on forums and social media. If you posted about being scammed, expect recovery scam attempts.
Is any recovery service legitimate?
Genuine help comes from your bank, official fraud reporting services, and regulated legal professionals you approach yourself — none of whom guarantee recovery or demand crypto/gift-card fees upfront.