What to do after a cryptocurrency scam

Stop all contact and further payments

Do not send another payment for a refund, release fee, tax, investigation, account unlock, or recovery service. Do not confront the scammer or warn them which reports you plan to make. Block contact after preserving the information you need.

If the original purchase or transfer is still pending, contact the purchase provider, exchange, wallet service, bank, card issuer, or ATM operator immediately through its official support channel. Tell it that the transaction is connected to fraud and ask whether it can stop or flag the order. Do not expect a confirmed network transfer to be reversible.

Preserve the transaction record

Save copies of:

• wallet addresses and transaction references or hashes;
• the exact currency, network, amount, date, and time;
• purchase-provider order numbers and receipts;
• phone numbers, email addresses, usernames, websites, and QR codes;
• messages, invoices, screenshots, and payment instructions;
• the name of each bank, card issuer, wallet, exchange, ATM, or purchase provider involved.

Keep original messages where possible. A screenshot is useful, but the original email or message can contain additional information.

Secure accounts and devices

If you shared a password, change it from a device you trust and do not reuse the old password elsewhere. Sign out unknown sessions and enable multi-factor authentication. Secure the email account first because it may be used to reset other accounts.

If you installed remote-access software, disconnect the device from the internet, remove the software, run current security scans, and seek trusted technical help before using it for financial accounts again.

If you disclosed a wallet recovery phrase or private key, treat that wallet as compromised. Use the wallet's official instructions on a trusted device to create a new wallet and move any remaining cryptocurrency when it is safe to do so. Never reuse the exposed recovery information.

Report promptly

Report to the purchase provider or exchange used for the transaction and to the official fraud-reporting or police service in your country. Include the transaction hash, receiving address, amount, network, timestamps, and contact details used by the scammer.

In the United States, reports can be made to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. The FBI encourages reporting even when no money was lost.

Expect recovery scams

Scammers monitor public complaints and contact people who already lost money. They may impersonate a government office, lawyer, blockchain investigator, or recovery company and promise to retrieve funds for an upfront fee.

Do not pay a person who contacts you with a recovery offer. Do not give them wallet access, identity documents, bank details, or more cryptocurrency. Recovery is not guaranteed.

Official references

The FBI lists the information needed for a cryptocurrency complaint, including transaction hashes and wallet addresses. The FTC explains how to report cryptocurrency payments and ask the sending company whether a reversal is possible, while separately warning about upfront-fee recovery scams.