Victim data is gold. Within hours of a successful scam, your name, phone number, and the amount you lost are sold on dark-web forums. Recovery scammers then call you posing as:
- A "blockchain forensics firm" who can trace the funds.
- A "law firm specialising in crypto recovery".
- An employee of the platform you lost money to, apologising and offering a refund.
- A police officer from a country you've never been to.
- Even a fake regulator (FCA, SEC, ASIC) demanding "release fees" to send your money back.
How the recovery scam works
- They establish credibility with real details only the original scammer would know.
- They show a fake "tracing report" with your transaction IDs.
- They quote a small upfront fee — typically 5-15% of the lost amount.
- The fee disappears. New fees appear: "tax", "AML clearance", "smart-contract unlock".
- When you stop paying, they vanish — and sell your data to the next ring.
How to spot it
- They contacted you. Real recovery (when it happens) starts with you contacting your bank or the police.
- They ask for crypto. Real agencies invoice fiat through official channels.
- They guarantee recovery. No-one can guarantee it.
- They use urgency. "Funds being moved tomorrow, pay now."
If you're being targeted by a recovery scam, report it at /report and add the recovery firm's name, phone, and wallet to the GACS public blacklist. That single report often stops dozens of follow-on victims.