Recovery Scam
A scam that targets people who have already been scammed — fake 'recovery agents' promise to retrieve your lost money for an upfront fee, then take more money and disappear.
What Is This Scam?
A scam that targets people who have already been scammed — fake 'recovery agents' promise to retrieve your lost money for an upfront fee, then take more money and disappear.
How This Scam Usually Works
- •After you've been scammed, someone contacts you claiming they can recover your funds.
- •They may say they're 'hackers', 'lawyers', or linked to an official agency.
- •They ask for an upfront fee, a 'commission', or a 'percentage'.
- •Once paid, they ask for more, or vanish.
- •You've now been scammed twice.
Common Warning Signs
- •'We can recover your money'
- •Upfront fee required
- •Found via victim lists
- •Claims of hacking skills
What Scammers Commonly Say
- “'We can recover your lost money — we've helped many victims.'
- “'Pay a small upfront fee and we'll retrieve your funds.'
- “'I'm a hacker / lawyer with access to the scammer's accounts.'
- “'We work with the government / your bank.'
Before You Act
Pause and check these before sending money, sharing details, or clicking anything.
- •Know that no legitimate service guarantees fund recovery for an upfront fee.
- •Be suspicious of anyone who contacts you first offering to recover lost money.
- •Never share credentials or seed phrases with a 'recovery agent'.
- •Use only your bank or official cybercrime portals for recovery attempts.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- ?Did they contact me first, or did I find them?
- ?Are they asking for an upfront fee or commission?
- ?Are they claiming 'hacking' skills or government connections?
- ?Did they promise guaranteed recovery?
What You Should NOT Do
- ✕Do not pay any upfront fee to recover money — this is almost always a scam.
- ✕Do not share your account details, OTPs, or seed phrase with a 'recovery agent'.
- ✕Do not believe claims of guaranteed recovery or 'hacking' skills.
- ✕Do not trust 'agents' who find you on social media or messaging apps.
What You Should Do Immediately
- •Stop communicating and send no money.
- •If you paid, contact your bank to dispute the payment.
- •Save all messages and the 'agent's' contact details.
- •Report the recovery scam to your country's fraud authority.
- •Use only official channels (your bank, official cybercrime portal) for any recovery attempt.
What Evidence You Should Preserve
- •The 'agent's' contact details and account
- •Messages and promises made
- •Payment instructions and any fees paid
- •Claims about who they are or work with
- •How they found you
Never upload passwords, OTPs, PINs, CVVs, seed phrases, or full banking credentials.
Payment / Account Protection Steps
- •Dispute any fee you paid with your bank.
- •Never share credentials or seed phrases with a 'recovery agent'.
- •Use only your bank or official cybercrime portals for recovery attempts.
Reporting Options
Report recovery scammers to your country's fraud authority and dispute any fee you paid with your bank. Include the 'agent's' contact details, messages, and payment records.
View Country Reporting GuideRecovery Considerations
Money lost to a recovery scam is very hard to recover. The safest approach is to never pay an upfront fee and to use only official channels. GoCheckAI does not guarantee recovery and is not a recovery agent.
High Risk of Recovery Scam
Scam victims are often targeted again by fake “recovery agents.”
- Anyone claiming “We can recover your money for a small upfront fee” is almost certainly a scammer.
- Recovery is never guaranteed. No legitimate service charges an upfront fee to retrieve stolen funds.
- Scammers buy victim lists — expect fake “hackers”, “officials”, and “lawyers” to contact you.
How GoCheckAI Can Help
GoCheckAI helps you recognize recovery-scam language, avoid losing money twice, and use only official channels for your country.
GoCheckAI does not guarantee recovery, does not act as a recovery agent, and will never ask you to pay someone to recover funds.
Related Scam Types
Frequently Asked Questions
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