Recovery scams: when someone says they can get your lost money back

Lost money to a scam, and now someone offers to get it back if you pay a fee first? It’s a second scam. Real agencies never charge you to get your money back.

The FTC calls these refund and recovery scams, and says they are “the worst of the worst” because they go after people who were already hurt. The caller may say they are with the FTC, the FBI, a law firm, or a consumer group. It’s a lie to get more of your money.

Check a suspicious message I already lost money

The one rule to remember

Never pay up front to get your money back, and never give your bank number to get a refund. Anyone who asks is a scammer.

What a recovery scam sounds like

These are examples written in the style the FTC and FBI describe. Names and amounts change. Do not reply to messages like these.

“This is Agent Daniel Reed with the Federal Trade Commission. We recovered $8,400 from the company that scammed you. To release it, pay the $350 processing fee today.”
“Our records show you lost money to a crypto investment site. Our fund recovery team can get it back. Pay a small retainer and we start right away.”
“FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: your complaint was approved. Send your bank account number so we can deposit your refund.”
“To verify I am a real FTC employee, here is a photo of my badge and ID card.”

8 red flags

They contacted you out of the blue
The FTC says these scammers buy lists of people who already lost money. They may even know what scam you fell for and how much you paid.
They ask you to pay first
They call it a retainer fee, a processing fee, an administrative charge, a tax, or a shipping fee. The FTC says anyone who asks for money up front to get you a refund is a scammer.
They say they are from the FTC, the FBI, or another agency
The FTC does not have "agents," and a real FTC employee won’t text you or reach out on WhatsApp. The FBI says its IC3 complaint center never asks for payment to recover money.
They send a photo of a badge or ID card
The FTC warned in June 2026 that scammers text fake ID and badge photos to "verify" who they are. A real FTC employee won’t do that.
They want your bank, debit card or Social Security number
They say it is so they can deposit your refund. Real agencies don’t ask for these to help you get money back, and the scammer can use them to take more money or steal your identity.
They promise or guarantee you will get your money back
The FTC says real agencies and honest organizations never guarantee a refund. A promise like that is a warning sign.
They want gift cards, crypto, a wire transfer or a payment app
The FTC says only scammers insist on these ways to pay, because the money is hard to get back.
They tell you to move your money to keep it safe
The FTC says nobody who works there will ever tell you to move your money to protect it, or to cash out your savings or retirement account.

How the scam works

You lose money to a first scam, such as a fake prize, a fake investment, or a tech support scam.
Your name ends up on a list. The FTC says scammers buy and trade lists of people who paid, with names, phone numbers, and how much was lost.
A “helper” reaches out by phone, text, email, letter, or social media. They may pretend to be the company that cheated you, offering refunds.
They build trust with official-sounding titles, badge numbers, or a photo of an ID card.
They ask you to pay or share account numbers, and the money is gone again.

What real agencies never do

The FTC never charges a fee to get your money back, and it won’t text you a photo of an employee ID.
The FBI’s IC3 complaint center never asks for payment to recover money, and never sends you to a company that charges for recovery.
No real agency tells you to move your money to keep it safe, or to cash out savings or retirement.
No real agency guarantees you’ll get your money back.

What to do if someone offers to recover your money

Hang up or don’t reply. You don’t owe them a conversation.
Don’t pay anything and don’t share bank, card, or Social Security numbers.
Check on your own. Look up the agency’s phone number yourself. Don’t call a number they gave you or the number on caller ID.
Search their name with words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review.”
Tell someone you trust, such as family or a staff person at your senior center.
Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general. If the caller claimed to be the FBI, also report it at ic3.gov.

Already paid a “recovery” company?

Call your bank or card company right away, using the number on your card, and ask them to stop or reverse the payment. If you paid with a gift card, call the company that sold the card. Then follow the steps in I got scammed. What do I do? If you are 60 or older, the free National Elder Fraud Hotline is 1-833-372-8311.

Free tools to practice and check

Scam Text and Email Checker: paste a message that offers to recover your money and see the warning.
Phone Number Checker: see whether a number is pretending to be a government agency.
Scam or Real? quiz: practice spotting scams, with a printable version for groups.
I got scammed. What do I do?: real steps to try to get money back, and free hotlines.

Get one simple safety tip a day

Free, plain-language tips to avoid scams. Unsubscribe anytime.

Questions people ask

What is a recovery scam?

It is a second scam aimed at people who already lost money. Someone says they can get your money back, then asks you to pay a fee or share your bank details first. If you pay, you lose more money. The FTC calls these refund and recovery scams.

Does the FTC have agents who recover lost money?

No. The FTC does not have "agents," it won’t text you or message you on WhatsApp, and it won’t ask you to pay or share financial information to get a refund. When the FTC does return money from a case, it never charges a fee to get it.

Is ReportFraud.ftc.gov legit?

Yes. ReportFraud.ftc.gov is the FTC’s real website for reporting scams. Type the address yourself rather than clicking a link in a message. Reporting is free, and nobody from the FTC will call to ask you for money after you report.

What are the red flags of a recovery scam?

They contact you first, ask for money up front, claim to be the FTC, FBI or a law firm, send a photo of a badge, ask for your bank or Social Security number, promise you will get your money back, or want gift cards, crypto or a wire transfer.

I lost money in a crypto scam. Can a fund recovery company get it back?

Be very careful. Many crypto "fund recovery" services are scams themselves. The FBI says it never refers people to a company that charges to recover money. Report the loss at ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and call your bank right away.

The caller knew exactly how much I lost. Doesn’t that mean they are real?

No. The FTC says scammers buy, sell and trade lists of people who were scammed, with details like how much they paid. Knowing your story is a trick to earn your trust.

I already paid a recovery company. What now?

Act fast. Call your bank or card company using the number on your card and ask them to stop or reverse the payment. If you paid with a gift card, call the company that sold it. Then report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general. Our "I got scammed" guide has the full steps.

Where can I get real, free help?

If you are 60 or older, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311. AARP’s free Fraud Watch Network Helpline is 1-877-908-3360. Both are free, and neither will ask you to pay to get your money back.

Sources

Last updated: October 17, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice.