The script is short and sticky. After a broker loss, a stranger introduces themselves as counsel for a firm with a serious-sounding name — reader reports have used labels such as “Format” and countless lookalikes. They claim a wallet or foreign account already holds a balance in your name, plus compensation, if you only pay to open the account, legalise a document, or cover a transit charge. The maths is flattering: pay a few thousand, unlock tens of thousands. The payment rail is usually crypto or a card transfer to someone you will never meet.
That is advance-fee theatre, not litigation. Real counsel who take on fraud cases explain jurisdiction, retainers and evidence in writing you can verify against a bar register. They do not invent a pre-funded USDT balance that appears only after you pay a stranger. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other agencies have warned about fictitious law firms that impersonate government partners while chasing crypto victims for more money. There are no “authorised partner” boutique firms that unlock World Bank or regulator compensation by WhatsApp.
Before any payment, search the firm and the lawyer on the official professional register for the country they claim. Call the number on that register, not the one in the chat. Ask for a verifiable case filing — not a PDF with a logo. If the story needs secrecy, gift cards, or a “trusted person’s card”, you already have the answer.
Stop the chat, keep the evidence, and report through official channels rather than hiring the next voice that promises a full refund for one more fee.
Start at Get help for reporting routes. Read Fake recovery before you pay anyone selling a guaranteed clawback.
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.