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-attributed address received it.

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. Be careful with advertised "recovery services": a guarantee of results, or an upfront "release" fee, is a common warning sign.

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 on public blockchains. Funds reached an address attributed to an exchange. Relevant account records may be obtainable through appropriate legal process. 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.
Asks for an upfront "release" fee, "tax" or "unlock" payment before anything is returned.
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, and often contact you first. Legitimate analysts charge a fixed or hourly fee agreed in advance, guarantee nothing about the outcome, and explain their method.

Do real investigators charge a percentage of recovered funds?

We charge flat fees agreed in advance, never a share of anything recovered. Be wary of anyone who asks for an upfront "release", "tax" or "unlock" fee.

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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.