Some centralised exchanges tell fraud victims they will freeze a suspected scammer account for about forty-eight hours. The catch arrives in the next sentence: a formal law-enforcement request must land inside that window, or the hold lifts. Victims who call local police the same day often hear that nobody will draft an international letter for a crypto chat overnight.
That gap is structural. Platforms protect themselves with tight timers; police systems move slower. The freeze can still be worth requesting immediately — capture transaction IDs, account URLs and chat exports first — but do not bet the recovery on a two-day miracle. Parallel steps matter more: report through your bank or card issuer if fiat left, file with police for a record, and use national cyber routes listed on help pages.
Anyone offering to “speed up” the police letter for a crypto fee is selling a second scam. Real officers do not invoice you in USDT to email an exchange.
If this sounds familiar, start at Get help. If someone is already selling a paid “fix”, read Fake recovery before you send another fee.
This article is for general information only. It is not legal or financial advice. Details change. If you have lost money, contact your bank or card issuer and use the routes on the help pages.