Recovery Scams: When 'We'll Get Your Money Back' Is a Trap

If you’ve already lost money to a scam, you may soon hear from someone who says they can get it back. The FTC calls these recovery scams “the worst of the worst”: scams aimed at people who have already been scammed. The promise is always the same. You just have to pay first.

This guide explains how recovery scams work and where to find real help. If you’ve just been scammed, start with our first-hour checklist after a scam.

What is a recovery scam?

A recovery scam is a second scam that targets people who already lost money. Someone says they can recover your money, or the prize or product you never got, but only if you pay a fee or share your financial information first. If you pay, you lose more.

The losses are large. In its 2025 annual report, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) recorded 10,516 recovery scam complaints with about $1.4 billion in losses. People 60 and older reported about $540 million of that, more than any other age group. The FBI notes that these figures may also include losses from the earlier scams.

Why are past scam victims targeted?

Because scammers share their lists. The FTC explains that scammers buy, sell and trade “sucker lists” with the names, addresses and phone numbers of people who’ve been scammed, the kind of scam that tricked them and how much they paid. People who were scammed once are seen as good targets for a second try.

That’s why a recovery caller may know surprising details about what happened to you. The FTC says scammers use that information to make their story sound believable, even if you didn’t know you’d been scammed.

What do fake recovery offers look like?

The FTC says recovery scammers may claim to be with:

• A government agency, such as the FTC, FBI or IC3.
• A law firm or “asset recovery” company.
• A consumer advocacy group or nonprofit.
• The company that took your money, now “offering refunds.”

They may say they’re holding money for you, offer to file paperwork with agencies for you, or promise to put your name at the top of a reimbursement list. Then comes the catch: a “retainer fee,” “processing fee,” “administrative charge” or “tax,” or a request for your bank account number so they can deposit your refund.

Fake FBI accounts on social media. In July 2026, the FBI warned that criminals are impersonating FBI staff who handle IC3 complaints. Some victims are contacted on Facebook Messenger or Telegram by a fake “agent” who sends a link to “update” their IC3 report. Others see AI-generated videos of an FBI leader promoting a fake IC3 website that collects personal information. Almost all complainants said the scammers claimed to have recovered, or offered to recover, their lost money.

EXAMPLE — SCAM

Today 9:05 AM●●● ▮

From: IC3 Asset Recovery Unit <recovery@ic3-claims.example.com>

Subject: Case #IC3-58214: Recovered funds ready for release

Dear Complainant,

Our investigators have recovered $38,450.00 connected to your fraud report. To release these funds to your account, a one-time compliance fee of $1,250.00 must be paid within 72 hours.

Reply with your bank account and routing numbers to begin the transfer.

Federal Recovery Division

How do you tell real help from a recovery scam?

The FTC gives a simple test:

• Did someone contact you and ask for an upfront fee? That’s a scammer.
• Did someone say they’re from a government agency or nonprofit and need payment or personal information? That’s a scammer. Government agencies and legitimate organizations never ask for money to help you get a refund, never ask for your financial account numbers, and won’t guarantee you’ll get your money back.
• Are they insisting on cash, gift cards, crypto, wire transfers or a payment app? Only scammers insist on those.

The FBI adds that IC3 never contacts people directly, has no social media presence and does not investigate crimes or recover money through platforms like Facebook or Telegram. To reach the real site, type www.ic3.gov into your browser’s address bar instead of using a search engine or sponsored result.

Where can you get legitimate help?

• Your bank or payment company. If you just paid a scammer, they may be able to stop or reverse the transaction. Act fast.
• The FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and the FBI at www.ic3.gov. Reports help investigators, but these agencies won’t contact you to charge a fee.
• Your state attorney general. Find yours on our where to report a scam page.
• The National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) for people 60 and older.

Recovery scams often follow investment and crypto scams, Bitcoin ATM scams and timeshare resale scams. If you’ve lost money once, assume that any unexpected offer to help is the scammers coming back.