# Recovery scams — when someone offers to get your crypto back

Legitimate authorities do not charge upfront fees to recover crypto. Anyone cold-calling offering to retrieve lost bitcoin for a fee is almost certainly scamming you again.

## Key facts
- Report original fraud to Action Fraud.
- Never pay 'release fees' or 'tax fees' to recover funds.
- Recovery scammers target victims' lists.
- Real police will not ask for crypto payment.

## How recovery scams work

You are told your funds were traced and you must pay a fee, tax or insurance to release them. The fee is the scam — the original crypto is gone.

## Visual explanation
Pause. Verify. Protect your next step.
01. Pause: Stop and question demands for another payment or a secret.
02. Verify: Check the firm and contact details independently.
03. Preserve evidence: Keep messages and transaction details; follow the reporting guide.
Do not use contact details supplied by a suspected scammer to verify their story. A demand for an upfront recovery fee is another warning sign.

## FAQs
### Can anyone recover stolen crypto?

Rarely. Blockchain transfers are usually irreversible. Report to police and your bank promptly.

## Sources

- [FCA — Crypto investment scams](https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/crypto-investment-scams)
- [Action Fraud](https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/)

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— Digital Assets UK (https://digital-assets.co.uk/scams/recovery-scams/), reviewed 2026-06-23. Source: https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/crypto-investment-scams