Money recovery scams | Scamwatch

Scammers contact people that have already been scammed and had money stolen and offer to help them get their money back.

They pose as trustworthy parties like government agencies, lawyers, members of law enforcement, or charities claiming they can help you recover stolen money for a fee. They may contact you by email, phone, message, or social media.

Scammers also set up money recovery websites and place ads claiming they can recover stolen monies. Scam victims may come across these websites as they are searching for help online.

You won’t recover any stolen money and the scammers will just steal more money from you.

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Warning signs it might be a scam

You're a victim of a previous scam and are contacted by someone saying they can help you recover your stolen money.
You're approached by other 'victims' telling you about a service which helped them get their money back.
You're told they can get your money for a fee, a percentage of the stolen funds, or a tax payment. They might tell you they can track down stolen cryptocurrency.
You're asked for more money to continue to fund the 'investigation'.
You will be asked for your personal information.
You may be asked for access to your devices remotely.
You see a website or advertisement promising to recover funds including cryptocurrency.

Steps you can take to protect yourself

Never accept offers from anyone who says they can get your money back.
Never give strangers your personal details or remote access to your devices, even if they say they are from a legitimate organisation.
Work with your financial institution to try and recover your money, and report to the police any offers by third parties to recover your stolen money.

Think you've been scammed?

Find out more about what to do if you've been scammed

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