The second hit often hurts more than the first. Someone has already lost money to a dubious broker. Then a helpful stranger appears on Telegram or WhatsApp — a “lawyer,” a “justice” project, a boutique with a European-sounding name — announcing that the funds have been found. All that remains is a special wallet, a state tax, a transfer through an exchange desk, another tax, a document fee. One detailed reader report described paying thousands of US dollars across that ladder (figures the victim put near $7,140) before refusing a further document charge when a new firm claimed money sat in a remote commercial bank.
Names and numbers in those chats rotate. What stays fixed is the script: unsolicited contact, dramatic “funds located” news, and a demand that you send more crypto or cash before anything returns. Legitimate counsel do not collect US state tax in a private wallet, and tax authorities do not unlock stolen crypto after you tip a stranger. Sites pushed as “safe recovery wallets” deserve the same distrust as the original broker when they appear only inside the scammer’s story.
If anyone contacts you about reclaiming broker or crypto losses, hang up the sales channel. Look up firms yourself on official registers, use numbers from their real websites, and prefer police and bank routes over chat apps. Never pay to release money you have not seen move into an account you control.
Start at Get help for reporting paths. Read Fake recovery before you answer another “we found your funds” message.
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.