The first 48 hours after you realise it was a scam
What to do first, what can wait, and why speed with your bank matters more than anything else.
Act now · International (US, UK, Canada, Australia examples)
Scam recovery guidance and practical answers
Source-backed guides to crypto scams, wallet safety, payment disputes and fraud reporting. Clear actions, official sources and honest recovery limits.
41 guides. AI-assisted education with official sources, not individual professional advice.
Preserving records: your quiet, most powerful tool
How to capture messages, transactions and timelines before they disappear — without re-living every moment.
Records · International
How your payment method shapes your options
Cards, bank transfers, crypto, gift cards and cash each travel differently. Here is what that means, honestly.
Options · International (US and UK examples)
Recovery scams: the second wave, and how to recognise it
People who have lost money are often targeted again by someone promising to get it back. Here are the signs.
Safety · International
Where to report, and what reporting can and cannot do
Reporting rarely brings money back on its own — but it matters, and it opens doors. A clear-eyed guide.
Reporting · US, UK, Canada, Australia
After the shame: why this is not your fault
Fraud is a crime engineered by professionals. Understanding how it works can ease the weight you are carrying.
Wellbeing · International (US, UK and Ireland helplines)
Can stolen cryptocurrency be recovered? What actually helps
Understand the difference between tracing, freezing and recovering crypto, and the practical steps worth taking after a theft.
Crypto recovery · International; local law and platform rules apply
Bitcoin scam recovery: what a transaction can tell you
How to document a Bitcoin loss, read transaction evidence carefully and avoid paying for impossible reversals.
Crypto recovery · International
USDT scam recovery: why the network matters
Record a Tether loss accurately, distinguish token transfers from fake balances and understand the limits of freezing requests.
Crypto recovery · International; network and issuer restrictions vary
How to report a crypto scam to an exchange
Prepare a concise exchange fraud report with the records support teams can use, without handing over wallet secrets.
Reporting · International; exchange policies differ
Blockchain tracing explained: evidence, not a recovery promise
What transaction analysis can show, where attribution becomes uncertain and how to evaluate a tracing report.
Crypto recovery · International
How to find a crypto transaction ID for a fraud report
Locate the right hash, network and receipt—and avoid confusing an exchange reference with an on-chain transfer.
Records · International
Wallet drained? What to do before you reconnect
Separate a malicious approval from a stolen recovery phrase and protect remaining assets without making the loss worse.
Wallet safety · International; wallet-specific instructions apply
How token approval revocation works—and what it cannot fix
Understand allowances, wallet disconnection and the checks to make before signing a revocation transaction.
Wallet safety · Networks and tokens using smart-contract allowances
Seed phrase compromised: why changing your password is not enough
What exposed recovery words mean, how to think about a clean replacement wallet and why rescue offers can be dangerous.
Wallet safety · International; wallet-specific instructions apply
Fake crypto exchange: signs your trading balance is invented
A professional dashboard and a successful small withdrawal do not prove an investment platform is genuine.
Scam recognition · International
Asked to pay tax before a crypto withdrawal? Check these warning signs
Distinguish real tax responsibilities from demands for a release deposit, clearance certificate or account-unlock payment.
Scam recognition · International; tax rules vary by residence and activity
Liquidity mining scams: when a promised yield becomes wallet access
How deceptive investment invitations use token approvals, fake returns and withdrawal charges to target crypto holders.
Scam recognition · International; smart-contract risks vary
Romance and crypto investment scams: what to do when trust was used
Recognise the relationship-to-investment pattern, preserve evidence safely and respond without blaming yourself.
Scam recognition · International
WhatsApp investment group scams: fake experts and staged profits
Check the group, the firm and the payment route before following a mentor, professor or trading assistant.
Scam recognition · International
AI trading bot scams: questions a guaranteed-return pitch cannot answer
AI branding does not remove investment risk. Check custody, withdrawals, permissions and independently verifiable business details.
Scam recognition · International
Forex broker will not let you withdraw: checks and next steps
Distinguish documented verification from moving withdrawal conditions, and build a useful complaint without sending more money.
Investment checks · International; FCA references apply to the UK
Clone investment firms: why a real registration number is not enough
Scammers copy genuine firms' details. Learn which contact information to compare and how to verify a financial approach.
Investment checks · UK examples; the identity-checking principle applies internationally
How to check an investment firm's authorisation properly
Verify the legal entity, exact contact details and relevant permissions—not just whether a company appears in a search result.
Investment checks · UK examples; use your own country's regulator where applicable
Bank transfer scam recovery: what to ask your bank now
Request a recall, explain how the payment happened and keep reimbursement questions separate from attempts to stop the funds.
Payment options · International; reimbursement rights differ by country
UK APP fraud reimbursement: scope, limits and how to claim
The £85,000 cap, the 7 October 2024 start date and why not every crypto or bank-transfer loss falls within the rules.
Payment options · United Kingdom; qualifying Faster Payments and CHAPS APP fraud
Card payment after a scam: chargeback questions to ask your issuer
Explain the merchant's role, preserve the promised service and avoid assuming every crypto purchase qualifies for a refund.
Payment options · International; issuer, network and local law determine rights
Payment app scam refund: report the app payment and the funding source
What to save, how to distinguish a purchase from a personal transfer and why linked-card protection is not automatic.
Payment options · International; app protections and local law vary
Gift card scam: contact the issuer before the balance is spent
Keep the card and receipt, report the code disclosure quickly and understand why a refund is possible in some cases but never assured.
Payment options · International; FTC guidance is US-focused
Crypto ATM scam: what to do after depositing cash
Save the kiosk receipt, wallet destination and instructions, then contact the operator without paying another so-called safety deposit.
Payment options · International; operator and local rules vary
How to report a crypto scam to the FBI's IC3
Prepare transaction details, save your complaint at submission and understand what an IC3 report can—and cannot—do.
Reporting · United States reporting channel; IC3 also accepts international complaints
Where to report an investment scam in the UK
Use Report Fraud, Police Scotland, your payment provider and the FCA for their different roles rather than waiting for one report to do everything.
Reporting · United Kingdom
How to build a fraud evidence timeline that institutions can use
Create a short chronology linked to original records, separate facts from assumptions and avoid counting the same loss twice.
Records · International
How to preserve scam messages before accounts disappear
Save context, exports, email headers and payment instructions without installing new software or exposing private information.
Records · International; recording laws vary
Gave a scammer remote access? Secure the device before banking again
Disconnect the session, use a clean device for urgent calls and credentials, and check the wider account compromise.
Account safety · International
Identity theft after a scam: respond to the information you exposed
A password, passport copy and bank account number create different risks. Build a focused response rather than changing everything blindly.
Account safety · International; IdentityTheft.gov and credit-freeze references are US-specific
How to assess a crypto recovery service before paying
Check identity, legal powers, deliverables and total costs—and recognise when free official reporting is the better first step.
Recovery safety · International; professional regulation varies
Upfront recovery fees: the warning signs of a second scam
Why recovery taxes, activation deposits and guaranteed-release charges deserve scrutiny after an initial fraud loss.
Recovery safety · International
How long does scam recovery take—and what should it cost?
Separate urgent payment action from complaint deadlines, investigations and paid professional work without relying on invented averages.
Recovery safety · International; UK examples are identified
Bank rejected your fraud claim? Build a focused complaint
Request the reason, challenge factual errors and preserve escalation deadlines instead of starting the same claim repeatedly.
Complaints · International; Financial Ombudsman guidance applies to the UK
How to support someone after an investment scam
Help with urgent calls, records and emotional strain without blame, pressure or taking over the person's financial decisions.
Wellbeing · International; emergency and support services are local