In short
After a scam, people are often targeted again by fake lawyers, hackers or agencies promising to recover lost money for a fee. Here's how to recognise them.
Top warning signs: They contacted you first; Upfront fees; Guarantees of recovery.
First thing to do: Only work with your bank, the police, your financial regulator and well-known, regulated law firms that you find yourself.
How the scam works
Scammers share lists of past victims. Recovery scammers pose as lawyers, “ethical hackers”, regulators or even police, sometimes with official-looking badges and case numbers. They take upfront fees and then vanish, or ask for more.
Red flags to look for
- They contacted you first. Especially if they know about your loss.
- Upfront fees. Genuine help from police or regulators is free.
- Guarantees of recovery. No one can honestly guarantee this.
- “Hackers” who can reverse crypto transactions. This isn't possible.
What to do if you get one
- Only work with your bank, the police, your financial regulator and well-known, regulated law firms that you find yourself.
- Don't pay upfront recovery fees.
If you already paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- Report the recovery scam to the police too, as a separate crime.
- Tell your bank so it can watch your account.
More help: what to do after a scam, and where to report it in your country.
How to protect yourself next time
Watch for anyone using your identity
If you shared ID documents, card details or a Social Security number, monitoring can alert you when someone opens credit or accounts in your name.
Free: In the US, a credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion is free and blocks most new-credit fraud. Elsewhere, ask your bank and your credit reference agency about fraud alerts.
- Aura Partner link US identity theft protection with credit monitoring and fraud insurance.
Use a password manager
It only fills in your password on the real website, so a look-alike login page gets nothing. It also makes a different password for every account, so one leak doesn't open the rest.
Free: Bitwarden has a free plan, and even the password manager built into your phone or browser beats reusing one password everywhere.
- NordPass Partner link Password manager with a free plan and a family plan for up to six people.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Is it ever worth using a recovery company?
Be very cautious. Start with your bank and the police. If you consider a law firm, check that it's regulated in your country and never pay based on promises.
Have you had this one?
Tell other people what the message said and how it reached you. It helps someone recognise it before they tap.
No stories yet. Yours could be the one that warns someone.
Official sources and further reading
We check our guides against advice from government agencies and consumer protection bodies.
- Refund and Recovery Scams (US Federal Trade Commission)
- Money recovery scams (Scamwatch, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
- Recovery pitch (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre)
