If you already lost money to a scam, the next risky message may sound like help. The Federal Trade Commission warned on August 3, 2026, that refund and recovery scams often target people who have already paid a scammer and are looking for a way to get their money back.
The short answer: do not pay an upfront fee, do not hand over account numbers, and do not trust an unexpected caller, texter, email, letter, or social media message that promises to recover money for you. Legitimate government agencies and consumer organizations do not demand payment or financial information in exchange for a refund.
The painful part is that recovery scammers are not guessing blindly. The FTC says scammers can buy and trade lists of prior victims, including contact details, the type of scam, and the amount paid. That lets the second scammer sound specific enough to feel credible.
Do This First
Stop the conversation. If someone contacts you unexpectedly and says they can recover lost money, pause before replying. Do not click links, send documents, give remote access, or explain your case in detail. A real helper does not need you to keep talking in the moment.
Refuse any upfront payment. The label does not matter. A retainer, processing fee, administrative charge, tax, shipping fee, wallet-unlock fee, or required deposit is a warning sign. The FTC's rule is simple: anyone who asks you to pay first for a refund or recovery is a scammer.
Protect account information. Do not provide a Social Security number, bank account, debit card, credit card, crypto wallet, payment-app handle, or online banking login so someone can supposedly deposit a refund. That information can be used to steal more money or commit identity theft.
Call institutions yourself. If the message names a bank, government agency, law firm, exchange, consumer group, or company, look up the official phone number independently. Do not use the number in the message, the number on caller ID, or a link from the person who contacted you.
Check These Details
A recovery pitch often borrows the language of authority. The person may claim to work for the FTC, another government agency, a nonprofit, a law firm, a bank, or the company that supposedly owes you money. The FTC separately warned in June that real FTC employees will not text a photo of an employee ID or badge to prove who they are, and they will not ask you to pay, move money, or share financial information to recover losses.
Payment method is another tell. Scammers favor payment methods that are fast and hard to reverse, including gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, payment apps, cash, prepaid debit cards, or even precious metals. The Social Security Administration gives similar advice for government-impostor scams: pressure, secrecy, and payment through hard-to-trace methods are red flags.
Be careful with refund checks, too. The FTC says some recovery scammers send a check for more than the supposed refund, then ask you to return the difference. A bank may initially make funds available before discovering that the check is fake. If you send money back, you can be responsible for the loss.
Also watch for urgency that makes you feel there is only one chance to act. A scammer may say your name can be moved to the top of a reimbursement list, that paperwork must be filed immediately, or that money is already being held for you. Real recovery steps may be time-sensitive, but they do not require paying a stranger who contacted you out of nowhere.
Common Mistakes
The first mistake is searching online and trusting the first recovery company that appears. Scammers can buy ads, create polished websites, copy official language, and use fake reviews. Search the organization's name with terms such as complaint, scam, or review, then check with your state attorney general or a trusted consumer agency before giving any information.
The second mistake is letting shame keep the decision private. Scammers benefit when victims feel embarrassed and isolated. Before paying anyone, talk to a trusted family member, friend, banker, attorney, or consumer-protection office. A calm second opinion can break the pressure cycle.
The third mistake is confusing reporting with guaranteed recovery. Reporting fraud matters because it helps agencies see patterns and warn others, but a report does not mean someone should charge you for special access to a refund. Use official reporting channels such as ReportFraud.ftc.gov for general fraud reports and IdentityTheft.gov if personal information was stolen.
When to Get Help
If you recently paid a scammer, act quickly with the company that handled the payment. Contact your bank, card issuer, wire-transfer company, payment app, gift card issuer, or crypto platform through its official channel and ask whether a transaction can be stopped or reversed. The sooner you act, the more options you may have.
If the scam involved a Social Security number, account login, government benefit, credit account, or identity document, move from refund thinking to identity-protection steps. Change passwords, secure affected accounts, consider a fraud alert with the major credit bureaus, and use IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
Most important, treat any new promise of guaranteed recovery as a claim that must be proven before you respond. The safest helper will not rush you, demand secrecy, ask for unusual payment, or require sensitive account information before explaining who they are and what official process they are using.
