Lost money to a scam? Here is exactly what to do next.
Fraud First Aid is a free guide for victims of online investment, crypto and payment scams. Take the right first steps, avoid being targeted again, and report to the official agencies that can actually help.
We never ask for payment, your wallet keys or your seed phrase.
Lost money in the last day or two? Contact your bank, card issuer or crypto exchange right now, before anything else. Acting fast gives the best chance of stopping or freezing a transfer.
The first five steps
Work through these in order. They protect what you have left and make your official report as strong as possible.
- Step 1
Stop paying and cut contact
Send no more money and stop talking to the scammer. Anyone who now offers to recover your funds for a fee is almost always a second scam.
- Step 2
Secure your accounts
Change your passwords, turn on two-factor authentication, and move any remaining crypto out of a wallet that may be exposed.
- Step 3
Gather your evidence
Save transaction IDs, wallet addresses, amounts, dates, screenshots and every message. Keep this for your official report, never for strangers online.
- Step 4
Alert your bank or exchange
Contact your bank, card issuer or crypto exchange straight away. Acting within hours occasionally helps stop or freeze a transfer.
- Step 5
Report to the authorities
File an official report with the agency for your country and with your local police. Reports support investigations and warn other people.
Beware of fake recovery agents
After a scam, fraudsters often come back posing as recovery experts, hackers or officials who can get your money back for a fee. It is one of the most common second scams. Learn to recognise it before it costs you again.
- A promise or guarantee to get your money back, especially crypto.
- Any upfront fee, deposit, tax or 'release' payment before funds are returned.
- They contacted you first after you were scammed, often by WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram or email.
- They claim to be a hacker, a 'certified fund recovery agent', or to work with a government agency or exchange.
Report to an official agency
These are government and law-enforcement bodies. They never charge to take your report. Choose the one for your country.
FBI IC3
File a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, the main place to report online and crypto crime in the US.
Go to official siteFTC ReportFraud
Report fraud, scams and bad business practices to the US Federal Trade Commission.
Go to official siteAction Fraud
The UK national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Go to official siteCanadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Canada's central agency for collecting reports and intelligence on fraud and cybercrime.
Go to official siteScamwatch
Report scams to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and read current scam warnings.
Go to official siteeConsumer.gov
Report international and cross-border scams. Reports are shared with consumer protection agencies in more than 40 countries.
Go to official siteHonest answers
Can my stolen crypto be recovered?
Often it cannot. Most blockchain transactions are irreversible and there is no way to guarantee recovery. Reporting still matters: it supports investigations, can help with tax or insurance, and protects other people.
Does this site recover funds or charge any fee?
No. Fraud First Aid is a free information resource. We do not take cases, handle money, contact scammers, or ask for your wallet details, seed phrase or passwords.
Someone messaged me offering to recover my funds. Is it genuine?
Treat it as a scam, especially if they ask for any payment or for your seed phrase. Fraudsters often target people who were recently scammed with a fake recovery offer.
What should I have ready before I report?
Transaction IDs, wallet addresses, amounts, dates, screenshots and details of how you were contacted. Give this to the official agency or your bank, never to someone who contacted you out of the blue.
I already paid a 'recovery agent'. What should I do now?
Stop all contact and payments, report it to the agencies listed here and to your local police, and tell your bank. You have been targeted by a recovery scam, and it is not your fault.
You were targeted by criminals. It is not your fault.
Take the first steps, report it, and stay alert to anyone promising to recover your money. That is how you protect yourself and help the next person.
