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Lost Crypto to a Scam? Here's What Actually Works

If you've lost cryptocurrency to a scam, this page will give you honest, actionable guidance — including the hard truth about recovery scams that target victims a second time.

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Critical Warning: Over 95% of companies claiming they can recover lost cryptocurrency are themselves scams. They target victims who are already vulnerable. Do NOT pay anyone upfront to recover your crypto.

The Hard Truth About Crypto Recovery

Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible by design. Once crypto leaves your wallet, recovering it requires either the scammer to voluntarily return it, or law enforcement to seize it — neither of which is common. Blockchain tracing can sometimes identify where funds went, but recovering them is a different matter entirely. This is a difficult reality to accept, but it's important to know upfront so you can protect yourself from being victimized a second time by a recovery scammer.

Legitimate Steps That Can Help

  1. File a Report with IC3 (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center)

    File at ic3.gov. This creates an official record. Large-scale fraud operations are sometimes disrupted through aggregated complaint data. Include transaction IDs, wallet addresses, and all communications.

  2. Report to the Exchange (If Applicable)

    If the crypto left through a regulated exchange, contact their fraud team immediately. Some exchanges can flag destination wallets and freeze associated accounts if reported quickly enough.

  3. Use Chainabuse to Report the Scam Address

    Report the scammer's wallet address at chainabuse.com. This helps warn other potential victims and contributes to the global fraud database used by exchanges and law enforcement.

  4. Consult a Licensed Blockchain Forensics Firm

    Companies like Chainalysis and CipherTrace provide legitimate blockchain tracing. They won't guarantee recovery, they charge significant fees, and they're typically only engaged for large losses. But they're legitimate — unlike 95%+ of "recovery" companies.

Red Flags of Recovery Scams

Watch out for these tactics used by recovery scammers who target crypto victims:

  • Guarantees of recovery — legitimate firms make no such promise
  • Requests for upfront payment before any work begins
  • Contact through social media after you posted about being scammed
  • Requests to send more crypto to "unlock" your funds
  • Fake testimonials and Google reviews with generic names

Prevent It From Happening Again

🔒 Secure Your Identity Going Forward

Crypto scammers often have your personal information. Aura monitors the dark web for your data, alerts you to new threats, and covers eligible losses up to $1M — so you're protected even after a loss.

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