If you lost crypto to a scam, expect the second wave within weeks. "Recovery" scammers scrape victim lists, public complaints, and forum posts, then DM you offering to claw your funds back.
How the pitch sounds
- "We have a contact inside the exchange."
- "Our forensic team traced your wallet."
- "We only charge a small recovery fee up front."
Why it works
You are emotional. You want a fix. The "agent" sounds technical, sends a fake dashboard with your wallet address on it, and shows a number going up. The number is fiction.
What is actually possible
- Law enforcement can sometimes freeze funds at an exchange — but only through legal process, never via DM.
- Chain-analysis firms work with institutions, not individuals, and never cold-message victims.
- No private "recovery agent" can reverse a confirmed on-chain transaction. The chain does not work that way.
What to do instead
1. Report to your local police and to IC3 (US) or Action Fraud (UK).
2. Report to the exchange the funds moved to — many freeze on credible reports.
3. File a report at scamers.org so the wallet shows up for the next victim's search.