High riskBank & Payment

Fund Recovery Scam

In this scam, fraudsters target people who have already lost money, posing as recovery agents, lawyers, or authorities who can get the funds back for an upfront fee or your account details, then take more money.

Quick verdict

Risk level
High risk
Scam type
Advance-fee (re-victimisation)
Main red flag
Someone contacts you offering to recover money you lost, for an upfront fee.
What to do first
Do not pay. Legitimate recovery is not sold by cold contact for a fee.

What this scam usually looks like

In this scam, fraudsters target people who have already lost money, posing as recovery agents, lawyers, or authorities who can get the funds back for an upfront fee or your account details, then take more money.

Bank and payment scams weaponise your trust in your bank and your fear of losing money. They fake fraud alerts, blocked payments, or refunds, then steer you into moving money to a "safe account", sharing a one-time code, or approving a transfer, actions a genuine bank will never ask of you.

The single clearest warning sign to remember is this: Someone contacts you offering to recover money you lost, for an upfront fee. Do not pay. Legitimate recovery is not sold by cold contact for a fee.

Not sure this matches what you received? Compare it with the Crypto Recovery Scam or the Advance Fee Loan Scam, browse the Bank & Payment Scams guides, or paste the exact message into our free scam checker.

By the numbers

#1
copycat bank fraud alerts were the most-reported text scam in the US in 2022
Source: US Federal Trade Commission
£459.7M
lost to authorised push payment (APP) fraud in the UK in 2023
Source: UK Finance

Example message pattern

Example pattern, not a real report
Example pattern: 'We specialise in recovering funds lost to scams. Pay a small upfront fee and we guarantee to recover your money within days.'

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

Why this is a red flag: Someone contacts you offering to recover money you lost, for an upfront fee.

Red flags to watch for

  • Unsolicited contact offering to recover lost money
  • An upfront fee or 'tax' before any recovery
  • Guarantees of getting your money back
  • Requests for your banking or crypto details
  • Claims to be a lawyer, agency, or authority you cannot verify

What to do

  • Be sceptical of anyone promising to recover lost funds for a fee
  • Verify any agency or lawyer through official channels
  • Report the approach to your fraud authority
  • Seek help only through official, free reporting routes

If you already clicked or replied

  • If you paid, contact your bank or payment provider to dispute it
  • Do not share banking, crypto, or login details
  • Keep all messages as evidence
  • Report the re-victimisation to authorities

What not to do

  • Do not pay upfront to recover lost money
  • Do not share account or crypto details
  • Do not trust guarantees of recovery

Similar scams

High risk Crypto & Investment

Crypto Recovery Scam

This scam targets people who already lost money, promising to recover lost crypto or funds for an upfront fee. The recovery is never delivered, and the victim loses even more money to the second scammer.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Bank & Payment

Advance Fee Loan Scam

A lender guarantees approval for a loan regardless of your credit, then asks for an upfront 'insurance', 'processing', or 'first payment' fee before releasing the money. Once the fee is paid, the promised funds never arrive.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Bank & Payment

Money Transfer Service Scam

In this scam, you are pressured to send money through a cash wire-transfer service for a prize, emergency, purchase, or 'fee', because such transfers are fast, often anonymous, and very hard to reverse once collected.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team

Frequently asked questions

Can a service really recover my lost money?
Genuine recovery happens through banks, payment providers, and official authorities, not cold-contact firms charging upfront fees. Those usually take more from victims.
How did they know I was scammed?
Scammers share and sell lists of previous victims, then target them again with recovery offers, knowing they are motivated to get money back.
I paid a recovery fee. What now?
Dispute the payment with your bank or payment provider, stop all contact, keep evidence, and report it to your fraud authority.
Where can I get genuine help?
Contact your bank or payment provider and report to your official fraud authority; legitimate help does not require upfront fees.

Last reviewed June 2026 · Written & reviewed by the

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.