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What digital-asset protection, investigation, and recovery mean
These terms describe different problems and different possible responses. A convincing investment scam may persuade someone to send funds voluntarily; unauthorized wallet access may let someone move funds without permission. In either case, a transaction can be difficult to reverse. The FBI attributes the recovery challenge in part to cryptocurrency’s decentralized nature, transaction speed, and cross-border transfers.
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- Protection means reducing the risk of losing control of wallet keys, disclosing a backup, or authorizing a fraudulent transfer.
- Investigation can include examining blockchain transactions and other evidence to identify fund flows or connect addresses with a fraud network.
- Recovery means actually getting control of assets back. It may require an exchange’s action, legal process, or law-enforcement work; tracing alone does not accomplish it.
The figures below describe reported complaints and losses, not a forecast of any individual’s chance of recovery.
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Reported scale of cryptocurrency-related fraud
| Period and measure | Reported figure | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 to 2023 investment fraud | $2.57 billion in reported losses in 2022 and $3.96 billion in 2023; a 53% increase | The FBI’s comparison of reported cryptocurrency investment-fraud losses. The report presents rounded figures in different places. |
| 2023 cryptocurrency-related fraud | More than $5.6 billion | Losses reported to the FBI across cryptocurrency-related fraud. Investment scams accounted for $3.9 billion, almost 71% of that total. |
| 2025 cryptocurrency-related complaints | 181,565 complaints reporting more than $11 billion in losses | FBI IC3 complaint-reported losses; they are not a claim that every loss was independently confirmed. |
The 2023 figures are from the FBI’s 2024 reporting; the 2025 complaint figures are from FBI IC3’s 2026 reporting. Separately, the FBI says its IC3 Recovery Asset Team has helped freeze more than $1 billion in cybercrime funds across cases. That is a broad cybercrime aggregate, not a cryptocurrency-specific recovery rate or promise.
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What should I do after a crypto scam?
- Stop sending money. Do not pay a supposed withdrawal charge, tax, verification fee, or recovery fee to the person or service involved in the suspected fraud.
- Save evidence before closing accounts or deleting messages. Keep communications, emails, texts, call logs, screenshots, websites, usernames, phone numbers, social profiles, and details of the platform or exchange. Record how the contact began and write a timeline while events are fresh.
- Collect transaction details. Note each asset type and amount, the date and time, the sending and receiving wallet addresses, and the transaction ID or hash. Keep exchange records or receipts if funds passed through an exchange.
- Report promptly to the FBI’s IC3 or a local FBI field office. Use the official FBI reporting channel and field-office contact information. The FBI says people should report even if they do not have transaction information.
Prompt reporting can support investigative and intelligence work and may help recovery efforts; it does not ensure that funds will be frozen or returned. The FBI’s victim guidance also says it will not ask victims for money, move communications to private messaging apps, or request bank-account details or personal identifying information in the described victim-contact context. Do not trust a caller merely because they know details of your loss; verify any claimed government contact through independently obtained official contact details.
What information should I give the FBI?
Give a clear, factual account and include the transaction information you have. The FBI’s guidance calls for cryptocurrency addresses, asset type and amount, transaction date and time, and transaction hash. Add the surrounding evidence so investigators can understand how the transaction happened.
- Wallet addresses and transaction hashes for each relevant transfer
- Asset type, quantity, and date and time of each transfer
- Exchange, wallet, investment platform, or website names and account details relevant to the incident
- Phone numbers, email addresses, usernames, messaging services, and social accounts used by the people involved
- Messages, payment instructions, account statements, screenshots, and a timeline of events
Preserve original records where possible and avoid altering screenshots or transaction details. If you lack a hash or wallet address, report with the information available rather than delaying solely to obtain it.
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Can investigators trace cryptocurrency, and does tracing recover it?
Blockchain analysis can help investigators follow transaction flows and associate addresses with victims or suspected fraud networks. In an investigation by the FBI and U.S. Secret Service, blockchain analysis and other techniques helped connect seized cryptocurrency with theft and laundering affecting fraud victims. That case illustrates an investigative use, not a guaranteed consumer recovery method.
A tracing report identifies or analyzes movement of funds; it is not a seizure order and does not itself compel a transfer back to a victim. The FBI’s IC3 has stated: “Private sector recovery companies cannot issue seizure orders to recover cryptocurrency.” An exchange may freeze an account under its own internal process or in response to legal process. Whether that happens depends on the circumstances and the relevant exchange or authorities. Civil litigation may be an option, but outcomes are not assured.
How to recognize recovery fraud
People who have already lost money may be targeted again by someone claiming to trace, retrieve, or release it. The FBI warns that fraudulent recovery firms may charge an upfront fee, stop communicating, or supply incomplete or inaccurate tracing before demanding additional money. Treat the following as serious warning signs:
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- Unsolicited contact claiming to represent a recovery firm, government agency, lawyer, or investigator
- An advance fee in exchange for a promised larger recovery or guaranteed result
- A claim that recovered funds are already waiting but require taxes, a donation, retainer, or other payment first
- Requests to move the conversation to a private messaging app or to disclose wallet backups, passwords, bank details, or identity information
- Pressure to act immediately or pay through an unusual method
The CFTC describes recovery fraud as advance-fee fraud: a victim is asked to pay upfront for a larger promised return. Verify government or professional contact using details you find independently, not contact information supplied by the person who approached you. Do not send more money or sensitive information to an unverified recovery contact.
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How to protect a self-custody wallet and its backup
A hot wallet is connected to an internet-enabled device and can be convenient for frequent transactions. A hardware wallet is designed to keep private keys offline. In either case, the cryptocurrency itself remains on the blockchain; a wallet stores or manages the keys used to control it. A hardware wallet is one option for people who choose self-custody, not a universal requirement or a general fraud-prevention system.
For self-custody, the backup is as important as the device. It can restore access if the device is lost or damaged, but anyone who obtains the backup may be able to access the wallet. Trezor’s educational guidance cautions that anyone with access to a private key can send funds from the addresses it controls.
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Keep the backup private and recoverable
- Store the backup separately from the wallet device in a place you can access when needed.
- Do not enter the backup into an ordinary computer or phone, or share it with a person claiming to provide support or recovery.
- Consider physical resilience as well as secrecy. A metal backup plate may help protect against fire or flood, but it does not protect against theft or disclosure.
- Follow the wallet maker’s current instructions for device setup, firmware, supported assets, and recovery. Product compatibility and specifications can change.
A hardware wallet does not stop someone from tricking you into authorizing a transaction, revealing a backup, or sending cryptocurrency to a scammer. It reduces some kinds of private-key exposure; it does not eliminate the need to verify what you are approving and who is asking.
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- Key exposure: understand where keys are kept and how they could be exposed during use.
- Convenience and transaction frequency: consider whether the setup suits how often you transact.
- Supported assets and networks: confirm support for the specific assets and networks you use.
- Backup and recovery: understand how recovery works and whether you can store the backup securely over time.
- Device and firmware practices: follow current manufacturer guidance and verify device instructions before use.
- Your ability to maintain the backup: self-custody places ongoing responsibility on you; a backup that is lost or exposed can create a different risk from relying on a third party.
Manufacturer guidance can explain how a product is intended to work, but it is not an independent product ranking or test. No wallet choice guarantees protection from fraud or recovery after a loss.
What recovery can and cannot be promised
There is no established recovery probability for an individual victim in the available U.S.-focused evidence. The FBI’s freeze figure covers cybercrime broadly, and it should not be read as a likely outcome for a particular cryptocurrency complaint. A report, tracing service, or private company may contribute information, but only actors with relevant authority or control—such as an exchange acting under its process or legal process—can take steps that affect an account or funds. For legal options, consult a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction; this article is not legal advice.
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