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Can I get my crypto back? The UK evidence-and-reporting checklist after a scam

Can I get my crypto back? The UK evidence-and-reporting checklist after a scam

You may be able to report a crypto scam and give useful evidence to your bank, an exchange or the authorities. You should not assume that a report will reverse a blockchain transaction or return the funds. Act quickly, preserve the record and be suspicious of anyone who promises recovery for an upfront fee.

This is general information for UK readers, not legal, financial or banking advice.

The first response: stop, secure, record, report

1. Stop contact and do not send more money

Stop replying to the scammer. Do not pay a tax, release charge, verification fee, gas fee or other amount to unlock a withdrawal or recover an earlier payment. Do not click more links, install remote-access software or move funds because someone says they are from a regulator, exchange or police force.

The FCA warns that people who have already been scammed may be targeted again with an offer to recover their money after paying a fee. This is often called a recovery-room scam. A second contact is not evidence that the person knows where your money is.

Do not confront the scammer or publish their details as fact. Save the evidence instead.

2. Secure the accounts and devices you still control

If you gave away a password, change it from a device you trust. Change any other account that reused it. Turn on multi-factor authentication where it is available, and review active sessions, connected apps, withdrawal addresses and account recovery details.

If you installed software at the scammer’s request, disconnect the affected device from the internet if you can do so safely. Use another trusted device to contact your bank and relevant account providers. The NCSC’s guidance covers what to do after sharing personal information and how to report phishing messages, websites, adverts, calls and texts.

If a bank account, card or payment service was involved, contact the provider immediately using the number in its app, on a statement or on the card. Explain that you believe a fraud has occurred and ask what protective steps it recommends. Do not use a telephone number supplied by the suspected scammer.

Private keys and recovery phrases

Never give a private key, seed phrase or recovery phrase to a person claiming to help. Treat it as a secret that can control assets. Do not type it into a website, send it by email or put it in a chat. A genuine support account, regulator or reporting body should not need it.

If a private key or recovery phrase was exposed, assume that any assets controlled by it may be at risk. Do not improvise a transfer while taking instructions from an unknown person. Use the wallet’s documented security process from a clean device, or seek help from a trusted technical professional who does not ask for the secret. Do not share the secret with The Coin Expert or anyone contacting you through this article.

For the distinction between a public address, private key and recovery phrase, see What is a crypto wallet? Private key, public address and seed phrase explained.

3. Record what happened before messages disappear

Make a written timeline while the details are fresh. Include when contact began, what was promised, what you were asked to do, each payment and when you realised something was wrong.

Keep original files where possible. Take screenshots only as an additional copy, because a screenshot may not show the full address, URL or message history. Do not edit the originals before submitting them.

Collect:

  • names, usernames, phone numbers, email addresses and social-media profiles used by the scammer;
  • the full website addresses, email headers where available, adverts and message links;
  • wallet addresses, transaction IDs or hashes, networks used, asset names and amounts;
  • dates and times, including the time zone if known;
  • bank, card, payment-app or exchange records and reference numbers;
  • copies of invoices, QR codes, receipts, account screens and withdrawal messages;
  • details of passwords, recovery phrases or identity documents that may have been disclosed;
  • the names of services you contacted and the dates and reference numbers of your reports.

Do not send a private key or recovery phrase as evidence. Redact it from screenshots and documents. Keep a separate copy of the evidence somewhere the scammer cannot alter, and avoid opening suspicious files again.

4. Report through the right official routes

For England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report fraud and cyber crime through Report Fraud. Its reporting service is linked from the official Report Fraud website. Include the transaction details and the evidence you preserved. If you are in immediate danger or a crime is happening now, use the emergency route instead of waiting for an online report.

Report suspicious phishing emails, texts, websites, adverts and phone calls through the NCSC phishing scams guidance. The NCSC says reports can help it investigate and take down scam email addresses and websites. Follow the current instructions on the relevant NCSC page rather than forwarding a suspicious message to an unverified address.

If the scam involved a financial firm, investment promotion or someone claiming FCA authorisation, report it to the FCA. You can check a firm using the FCA’s Firm Checker, but use the address you type yourself and compare the contact details, not a link supplied by the firm. FCA registration does not mean that a loss will be reimbursed, or that FSCS or Financial Ombudsman protection applies.

If money left a bank account, card or payment service, report the fraud to that provider straight away. Give it the transaction reference, recipient details and the time you noticed the fraud. Keep its case number. The provider will explain its own process and any information it needs.

For background on common scam patterns, see Crypto scams and UK terms: rug pulls, phishing and fake support. You can also browse the Crypto explained for beginners section for related terms.

Can blockchain tracing get the crypto back?

A transaction ID or public address can help show what happened on a public blockchain. It does not identify a person by itself, and it does not give you control over funds at the destination. A visible transfer is evidence to preserve, not a promise of recovery.

Tracing can become difficult when funds move through several addresses, different networks, services or jurisdictions. Addresses can be controlled by an unknown person, a group or a service, and the person who received a payment may not be the person who contacted you. A tracing record may help an exchange, bank or investigator assess a report, but it cannot by itself reverse a completed transfer.

Do not send another payment to make the trail easier to follow. Do not give a stranger remote access to your wallet or device. Do not assume that a person who can name your transaction hash has authority to recover anything.

Recovery may depend on facts outside the blockchain record, including how the payment was made, whether a service still controls funds, what evidence is available and which organisations can act. Outcomes are uncertain. No responsible checklist can guarantee that crypto will be returned.

Printable checklist

Copy or print this list. Tick only actions you have actually completed.

  • [ ] I stopped replying and sent no further payment.
  • [ ] I did not pay a recovery, release, tax, verification or gas fee requested by an unknown contact.
  • [ ] I changed exposed or reused passwords from a trusted device.
  • [ ] I reviewed multi-factor authentication, active sessions and connected apps.
  • [ ] I contacted my bank, card, payment service or exchange through an official route.
  • [ ] I recorded the timeline, amounts, dates and services involved.
  • [ ] I saved original messages, emails, URLs, adverts, receipts and account records.
  • [ ] I recorded wallet addresses, transaction IDs, networks and asset amounts.
  • [ ] I kept private keys and recovery phrases out of every report and screenshot.
  • [ ] I reported the fraud through Report Fraud where that route applies.
  • [ ] I reported phishing messages, websites, adverts or calls through the NCSC guidance where relevant.
  • [ ] I reported an FCA-related financial promotion or firm where relevant.
  • [ ] I kept every report reference number.
  • [ ] I treated every later recovery approach as a possible second scam.

Sources

This article does not recommend a commercial recovery provider and does not promise recovery. It is not legal, financial or banking advice. Reporting routes and regulator guidance can change, so check the linked official pages before acting.

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