Scams & fraud
Recovery scams — when someone offers to get your crypto back
Quick answer: 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.
If you lost money to a crypto scam, fraudsters may contact you again pretending to be lawyers, police or recovery agents.
Reviewed by Digital Assets Team
Not financial advice. This guide is general information only, fact-checked against UK government sources. It is not a personal recommendation. Cryptoassets are high-risk. You may lose all the money you invest.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Can anyone recover stolen crypto?+
Rarely. Blockchain transfers are usually irreversible. Report to police and your bank promptly.