How can I tell a crypto recovery scam from a real investigator?

Recovery scams guarantee results, ask for upfront fees to 'release' or 'unlock' funds, charge a percentage of recovered funds, contact you first (often claiming to already know about your loss), and can't show a real methodology. Legitimate investigators charge a flat fee or hourly, guarantee nothing about the outcome, and explain exactly what they will and won't do.

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Is crypto recovery real? How to spot a recovery scam

Q: Is crypto recovery real?

Partial recovery is sometimes possible, but only through courts, exchange freezes, and law enforcement — never through a technical trick, and never guaranteed. The blockchain trace is what makes those channels possible by identifying where the money went and which exchange holds the scammer's identity.

Blockchain Fraud · Forensic Intelligence

Short answer

Yes, partial recovery is sometimes possible — but only through courts, exchange freezes, and law enforcement, never a technical trick, and never guaranteed. Most advertised "recovery services" are a second scam. The tell: anyone who guarantees results or charges a percentage of what they "recover."

After a crypto loss, the ads find you fast: "We recover stolen cryptocurrency. 100% success. Pay only when we recover your funds." Almost all of them are fraud — a recovery scam, a second con aimed at people already hurting. Understanding the difference is the difference between getting real help and being robbed twice.

What real recovery actually looks like

Recovery is not a hacker "reversing" a transaction — blockchains don't work that way, and no one can undo a confirmed transfer. Real recovery is slower and more mundane: a forensic trace follows the money to the exchange it cashed out on, that exchange holds the scammer's identity under its KYC rules, and a subpoena or law-enforcement request compels it. A stablecoin issuer like Tether can freeze specific addresses on a verified request. Every one of those paths runs through institutions, and every one depends on fast, credible documentation. None of them can be promised in advance.

The red flags of a recovery scam

Guarantees recovery or "100% success" — no honest firm can promise an outcome.
Charges a percentage of "recovered" funds — the single clearest tell.
Asks for upfront fees to "release," "unlock," or "clear" your funds.
Contacted you first, sometimes already claiming to know about your loss.
Can't explain the method — just "our experts" and "special access."

What legitimate forensic help looks like

Flat fee or hourly, agreed before any work — never a cut of recovery.
Guarantees nothing about the outcome, and says so plainly.
Explains exactly what it will deliver: a trace, an evidence package, filings.
Points you to law enforcement (IC3, exchanges) rather than replacing it.

Was the "recovery" offer itself a scam?

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Frequently asked

Is crypto recovery real?

Partial recovery is sometimes possible — through courts, exchange freezes, and law enforcement, never a technical trick and never guaranteed. The trace is what makes those channels possible.

How do I tell a recovery scam from a real investigator?

Recovery scams guarantee results, ask for upfront "release" fees, charge a percentage of recovery, and often contact you first. Legitimate investigators charge flat or hourly, guarantee nothing about the outcome, and explain their method.

Do real investigators charge a percentage of recovered funds?

No legitimate one does. A percentage-of-recovery fee is one of the clearest signals of a recovery scam.

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Blockchain Fraud is a service of UnyKorn LLC (Wyoming). Educational information and risk analysis, not legal advice. We do not guarantee the recovery of any funds. We charge a flat fee or retainer, never a percentage of recovered funds.