Recovery scams
Recovery scams target people who were already scammed, offering to trace and recover lost funds for an upfront fee. Genuine recovery is handled by banks, authorities, or courts - never by cold outreach demanding payment.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15.
How these scams usually work
Recovery scams deliberately target people who have already lost money, sometimes using contact lists traded among scammers. The approach comes out of the blue, a message, call, or social post from a 'recovery agent', 'cyber unit', or 'fund recovery service' that promises to trace and return your funds. To proceed, you are asked for an upfront fee, a 'release' charge, or your account details, and the supposed recovery never happens. Some are run by the very people behind the original scam. Genuine recovery is handled by banks, payment providers, and authorities, never by cold outreach demanding payment.
What the scammers want
- A new upfront fee
- More personal and banking details
Common red flags
What to do
- Don't pay upfront recovery fees.
- Report the original scam officially.
- Block the 'agent'.
What not to do
- Do not pay to 'recover' funds.
- Do not share more details.
- Do not trust unsolicited recovery offers.
Common scam messages in this category
Top scam types
Related trend reports
- Scam Trends in 2025: AI-Assisted Fraud, Government Imposters and Digital Arrests
- Scam Trends in 2026: AI-Driven, Emotion-Engineered and Multi-Channel Fraud
If you were affected
See our recovery guides and report through official channels via the reporting directory. Be wary of anyone offering to recover lost money for an upfront fee.
Official sources checked
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre - Fraudsters impersonating the CAFC - High reliability
- Google - November 2025 fraud and scams advisory - High reliability
- AARP - Biggest scams to watch for in 2026 - Medium reliability
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Check a messageFrequently asked questions
Can someone recover my lost money for a fee?
Be very wary. Cold offers with upfront fees are almost always recovery scams. Report the original loss through official channels instead.
I was already scammed and someone offered to recover my money - is this safe?
Treat it as a second scam, especially if they contacted you first and ask for any fee. Report the original loss through official channels instead.
How is genuine fund recovery handled?
Through your bank or payment provider's disputes process, the platform involved, and law-enforcement or court channels, not through paid cold offers.