AI-assisted source summary. Read the scope and exceptions, then follow the original documents below.
Applies to
Crypto wallet and recovery scams · FBI public alerts
Time context
Documented scam patterns from 2022 and 2023
Sources checked
A legitimate network fee exists, but it does not validate a stranger's recovery demand. The alerts describe patterns, not a diagnosis of every wallet problem.
An approval can expose more than the entry fee
The FBI's liquidity-mining alert describes fake certificates that induce wallet approvals, followed by unauthorized withdrawals. Victims may then be told to deposit more to recover the missing money. A convincing balance dashboard does not establish that withdrawals are possible.
A separate FBI alert describes recovery businesses charging upfront, disappearing or demanding more fees. Private firms cannot issue cryptocurrency seizure orders. Claims of police connections and guaranteed recovery should therefore be checked through independently obtained official contacts.
The FBI advises reporting transaction details and recovery-service communications, and says law enforcement does not charge victims to investigate crimes. Do not send another payment to an unknown 'recovery expert' or share wallet recovery secrets. Reporting does not guarantee reimbursement.
Original documents used for this summary. Multiple links from one publisher are not independent corroboration. Policies can change after the check date.
AI-assisted research, writing and translation by No Secrets, using the linked public documents. This is a source summary, not firsthand reporting or an independently audited investigation. No affiliate links are used in this article.
The date above records this research pass, not the date of every underlying event. The English and Chinese versions are AI-assisted summaries; the linked original controls if they differ.