What are the warning signs of Recovery & Refund Scam?

Unsolicited contact about money you already lost. Any upfront fee, "tax," "bond," or deposit required before recovery. Guarantees that your funds can be recovered (no one can guarantee this). Claims to be from the FTC, FBI, or a court "assigned to your case". Requests for more crypto, gift cards, or wire transfers.

How do I protect myself from Recovery & Refund Scam?

Treat any unsolicited recovery offer as a scam by default. Government agencies never charge a fee to help recover funds. No legitimate service can guarantee getting scammed money back.

What should I do if I'm a victim of Recovery & Refund Scam?

Do not pay any fee — stop contact immediately. Report the recovery attempt to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

● HIGH RISK

Recovery & Refund Scam

Scammers target people who have already been defrauded, posing as recovery agents, lawyers, or government officials who promise — for a fee — to get the lost money back.

Losses: Victims are often re-defrauded for thousands more (FBI IC3)

Targets: Prior scam victims, especially seniors and crypto-investment victims

Updated: 2026-06-11

Also known as: Refund Recovery Scam · Fund Recovery Scam · Crypto Recovery Scam · Reload Scam · Double-Dip Scam

How It Works

This is one of the cruelest scams: it deliberately targets people who have already lost money. Scammers buy or compile "sucker lists" of known victims and approach them offering to recover the stolen funds. **Common scenarios:** 1. **Fake recovery company**: "We specialize in recovering money lost to crypto fraud. We've already located your funds — we just need an upfront fee to release them." 2. **Impersonating authorities**: Posing as the FTC, FBI, a court, or a law firm "assigned to your case," requesting fees, taxes, or "bonds" before releasing recovered money. 3. **The original scammer returns**: Sometimes the very people who scammed you come back under a new identity offering to "help." 4. **Crypto tracing scam**: Fake blockchain-tracing "experts" on social media promise to track and reclaim stolen crypto for a deposit. **The tell:** Real law enforcement and legitimate firms never demand upfront fees, taxes, or crypto to return your money. Anyone guaranteeing recovery for a fee is running a second scam.

How Scammers Make Contact

Phone callsEmailsSocial media DMsOnline adsText messages

Warning Signs & Red Flags

Unsolicited contact about money you already lost
Any upfront fee, "tax," "bond," or deposit required before recovery
Guarantees that your funds can be recovered (no one can guarantee this)
Claims to be from the FTC, FBI, or a court "assigned to your case"
Requests for more crypto, gift cards, or wire transfers
Pressure to act fast before the "recovery window" closes

Real-World Example

"After I lost $18,000 to a fake crypto platform, a man messaged me on Telegram saying he was a blockchain investigator who could trace and recover it. He showed me a 'dashboard' with my funds located. He just needed a $2,500 'release fee.' I paid it. Then he needed a 'tax.' That's when I realized I was being scammed a second time by the same kind of people."
— FBI IC3 Cryptocurrency Recovery Advisory

How to Protect Yourself

Treat any unsolicited recovery offer as a scam by default
Government agencies never charge a fee to help recover funds
No legitimate service can guarantee getting scammed money back
Never pay upfront to recover a previous loss
Verify any "agency" by calling its official number from a .gov site
Be especially skeptical of crypto-recovery offers on social media

What To Do If You're a Victim

1Do not pay any fee — stop contact immediately
2Report the recovery attempt to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
3Report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov
4If you paid, contact your bank or payment provider right away
5Warn others — recovery scammers share victim lists
6Keep records of all communications in case of investigation

Report This Scam

FTC Report Fraud FBI IC3 Identity Theft

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Recovery & Refund Scam?

Scammers target people who have already been defrauded, posing as recovery agents, lawyers, or government officials who promise — for a fee — to get the lost money back. This is one of the cruelest scams: it deliberately targets people who have already lost money. Scammers buy or compile "sucker lists" of known victims and approach them offering to recover the stolen funds. **Common scenarios:** 1. **Fake recovery company**: "We specialize in recovering money lost ...

How common is this type of scam?

Recovery & Refund Scam is classified as a high risk threat. Reported losses: Victims are often re-defrauded for thousands more (FBI IC3). This primarily targets Prior scam victims, especially seniors and crypto-investment victims.

Can I get my money back?

Recovery depends on how you paid. Credit card payments may be reversed through chargebacks. Wire transfers and cryptocurrency are rarely recoverable. Report immediately to your bank and file complaints with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and FBI IC3 at ic3.gov.

How do I report this?

Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For internet crimes, file with FBI IC3 at ic3.gov. For identity theft, visit identitytheft.gov. Also contact your local police and your bank.

Sources & References

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