Losing money to a scam is painful enough. Then a message arrives from someone who says they can get it all back — a “recovery agent,” a law firm, even a government-sounding office — if you just pay a small fee first. It is a second scam targeting the wounds of the first. Our GetMyPassword team explains how to recognize a recovery scam and avoid being hit twice.
How the scam works
Recovery scams deliberately target people who have already been scammed. The contact claims to be a recovery specialist, investigator, lawyer or official who can trace and return your lost funds — for an upfront fee, a “tax,” or a “release payment.” Scammers often work from lists of previous victims, sometimes sold among fraudsters, and may even pose as the original scammer’s “refund department.” Once you pay the fee, the money and the helper vanish.
Red flags to watch for
- An upfront fee to “release,” “tax” or “process” your recovered money.
- They contacted you out of the blue, claiming to know about your earlier loss.
- Guarantees of full recovery — real investigations never promise a sure result.
- Pressure and secrecy, plus requests for more personal or banking details.
- Official-sounding names and documents that fall apart when you verify them.
Why victims get targeted again
The cruel logic of a recovery scam is that hope lowers your guard. After a loss, the promise of getting everything back is powerful, and scammers know it. They also know your details may already be circulating, so a message that references your real loss feels legitimate. But the test is simple and unchanging: anyone who asks you to pay money in order to receive money is running a scam. Legitimate recovery never requires a fee paid to a stranger who contacted you first.
You should never have to pay to get your own money back. The moment a “recovery” asks for a fee, it is the same trap wearing a rescuer’s coat.
What to do instead
If you have lost money, report it to your bank or card provider and the official fraud reporting channels in your country — those are the real routes, and they do not charge upfront fees. Ignore unsolicited “recovery” offers, never pay to be paid, and do not share more personal details with them. Since scammers reuse leaked data, tighten your accounts too: a unique password from our password generator on each one and two-factor authentication, so a past loss does not open the door to new ones.
Frequently asked questions
What is a recovery scam?
It is a follow-up scam that targets people who were already scammed, offering to recover their lost money for an upfront fee. Scammers work from lists of previous victims, take the fee, and disappear.
How do I know a recovery offer is fake?
The clearest sign is being asked to pay a fee, tax or release payment to receive your money. Add unsolicited contact, guarantees of full recovery, and pressure for more details, and it is a scam. You never pay money to get money back.
What should I actually do to recover lost money?
Report the loss to your bank or card provider and to your country’s official fraud reporting channels, which do not charge upfront fees. Ignore unsolicited recovery offers and avoid sharing further personal details with them.