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How to Avoid Crypto Recovery Scams

Recognize fake hackers, lawyers, exchanges, and recovery agents who target victims with advance-fee and wallet-access scams.

By: FlowTrace Research DeskLast reviewed: 2026-08-127 min read

Pause whenever recovery requires an advance fee

Recovery scammers tell victims that funds have been located but require tax, gas, margin, authorization, or legal fees first. Seeing a balance on a public blockchain does not give the claimant control of it or the ability to return it.

Verify claimed professional identities independently

Impostors may pose as blockchain analysts, exchange support, law enforcement, lawyers, or hackers. Websites, charts, and PDF reports can all be fabricated. Find contact details independently from an institution's official site, not from a link in the claimant's message.

  • A guaranteed recovery or fixed success date
  • Payment to a personal account or a new wallet
  • Requests for seed phrases, private keys, remote access, or unknown contract signatures
  • Refusal to provide verifiable company or licensing details

Share only information necessary for tracing

A TxID and public wallet address can be used for research. A seed phrase, private key, password, one-time code, or remote-control permission is not required for tracing. If any were shared, move assets you still control to a newly secured wallet and contact the relevant service.