Warning: Fake “Crypto Recovery” Agents Are Targeting Victims

If you’ve recently lost money to a crypto scam, you are in a vulnerable position. Unfortunately, a second wave of scammers is waiting to exploit that vulnerability. They call themselves
“Crypto Recovery Agents,” “Cyber Intelligence Experts,” or “Ethical Hackers.”

The hard truth: Anyone claiming they can “force a refund” from the blockchain is lying to you.

How the “Recovery” Scam Works

1. The Lure: You post about your loss on social media (Reddit, Twitter/X) or comment on a YouTube video.
2. The Hook: A bot or fake profile replies: “I lost $50k too, but @CyberRecoverWizard on Instagram got it back for me!”
3. The Setup: You contact them. They look professional. They ask for your transaction ID (TXID) to “scan” the blockchain.
4. The Lie: They show you a fake screenshot or dashboard saying, “We found your funds! They are frozen on an exchange.”
5. The Fee: To release the funds, they demand an “upfront fee,” “tax,” or “software cost.” If you pay, they disappear.

Red Flags of a Recovery Scam

• Communication on Social Media: Legitimate cybersecurity firms do not conduct business via Instagram DMs, Telegram, or WhatsApp.
• Upfront Fees: Real investigators charge retainers via contracts, not random wallet transfers.
• Guarantees: No one can guarantee the return of crypto. It is technically impossible to reverse a Bitcoin or Ethereum transaction without the private keys of the receiving wallet.
• Generic Emails: They use @gmail.com or @protonmail.com instead of a corporate domain.

What Can You Actually Do?

1. Report to Authorities: File a report with the FBI IC3 (if in the US) or your local cybercrime unit. This creates a paper trail.
2. Trace the Funds: You can use tools like Etherscan to watch where your funds move. If they hit a centralized exchange (like Binance or Coinbase), law enforcement might be able to issue a freeze order.
3. Accept the Loss: This is the hardest part. But paying a recovery scammer will only double your loss.

BitRemit Safety Tip: Never share your account details with anyone claiming they need it to “deposit recovered funds.” That is always a scam.