Baskin Logic Crypto Academy

Scam library

Crypto recovery scams

By Joshua Baskin, founder · Reviewed · Sources

How it works

Victims are targeted a second time. Messages, ads or comments claim a hacker, lawyer or government unit can trace and return your crypto. They ask for an upfront fee, a “gas fee” or your wallet keys. The FBI has warned about criminals posing as law firms and agencies to do exactly this.

Red flags

  • They contact you first after you posted about a loss.
  • They guarantee recovery.
  • They want payment up front, often in crypto.
  • They claim to be a government agency that charges fees.

What to do

Do not pay. Real law enforcement does not charge you to investigate. Report the original scam and the recovery contact.

In the US, report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Elsewhere, report to your national police cyber unit and the platform involved. Keep screenshots, wallet addresses and transaction IDs.

Practise it

Train your eye in the Scam Spotter swipe game and the Wallet Security Escape Room.

Lesson game · earn XP

Check yourself: 3 quick questions

Perfect score = combo bonus. Each question returns in your spaced-repetition review.

Keep learning

Common questions

Can anyone really recover stolen crypto?

Sometimes law enforcement seizes funds, but they do not charge victims fees, and nobody can guarantee it.

Is a blockchain tracing firm a scam?

Not always, but anyone who contacts you first and asks for a fee up front is a red flag.

Sources

  1. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
  2. FTC: What to know about cryptocurrency and scams
  3. FTC: Refund and recovery scams

Sources checked October 23, 2026. Rules change; check the official source before acting.

Education only. Not investment, tax or legal advice. We do not pick coins.