A little clarity
can make a difference.
Practical starting points for understanding cryptocurrency loss and protecting your next decision.
Keep the evidence.
Read the guide ↓Tracing and recovery.
Read the guide ↓Recovery-scam warning signs.
Read the guide ↓What to preserve after crypto fraud.
A useful account of an incident starts with records you can refer back to. Keep original copies where possible and organise a timeline without changing the source material.
- Transaction hashes, public wallet addresses and the relevant blockchain network.
- Dates, amounts and asset names from transaction records.
- Relevant emails, messages, usernames and the website addresses involved.
- Payment receipts, exchange records and any reports already submitted.
Store these securely. Public wallet addresses can reveal financial activity, so share detailed records only with an appropriate recipient. Do not publish your seed phrase, private key or wallet access codes.
You do not need to hire a private service to report suspected fraud. Use official channels directly and retain your report reference.
Official information: FBI IC3 cryptocurrency guidance.
Tracing and recovery: the difference.
An investigation may help explain a sequence of transactions. That information can be useful, but a report is not the same as funds being returned.
Public blockchain records may reveal asset movement. Attribution can remain uncertain, and identifying a possible destination does not ensure that assets are still available there.
Private companies cannot issue seizure orders. Any lawful restraint or return of funds may depend on a custodian, competent authorities, legal processes and the facts of the case.
Before commissioning work, ask what question the report will answer, what evidence supports the method, what the limitations are and what you will receive for the fee.
A useful distinction: pay attention to the agreed investigative work and deliverables. Treat a promise of a guaranteed financial outcome as a warning sign.
Official information: FBI warning about cryptocurrency recovery claims.
Recognising recovery scams.
People who have already lost money may be targeted again by someone offering a refund or recovery. Both the FTC and FBI have published warnings about these approaches.
- An unsolicited message claiming your funds have already been located.
- A guarantee of recovery or an asserted government connection.
- A demand for a tax, release fee or deposit to unlock a supposed refund.
- A request for your seed phrase, private key or wallet password.
- Pressure to act before you can check the company or written terms.
Pause, verify the contact independently and keep a copy of the message. Do not send additional money or wallet credentials on the strength of an unverified recovery claim.
In the United States, report suspected online fraud through FBI IC3 and consumer scams through ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Elsewhere, use the relevant local reporting authority.
Sources: FTC: Refund and Recovery Scams and FBI recovery-service warning. These links provide independent guidance and do not imply endorsement of CERECA.