You have lost crypto to a scam, and you are in the United States. The next few days matter more than the next few weeks.
Information, not advice
This page is information, not legal advice about your matter. A retainer begins only when a lawyer confirms it.
Start here
Report it today, and keep everything
Transaction IDs, wallet addresses, every message, and the exchange you sent from. Report to the FBI's IC3 and to the exchange that received the funds on the same day. Anyone promising to recover your money for an upfront fee is running a second scam.
What to work through, in order
Reporting, and what each channel actually does
The FBI’s IC3 creates the federal record, the receiving exchange may freeze on early contact, and state attorneys general accept consumer complaints. Speed matters more than which channel comes first.
Tracing and the realistic odds
Civil forfeiture and private action both exist, and federal seizures have returned funds in some cases. Recovery still depends on the funds reaching a custodian a US court can reach.
Costs, and whether it is worth pursuing
Each side generally bears its own costs, so the question is whether contingency arrangements are available and whether the defendant can be reached at all.
Recovery scams
Anyone who contacts you promising to recover your funds for an upfront fee is running a second scam against the same victim. No legitimate firm guarantees recovery, and no legitimate firm asks for payment in crypto to start.
Next steps
What happens if you go ahead
Scoping call
Written scope and fixed-fee quote
Engagement, once a lawyer confirms
Who would handle it
Offices
New York
450 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York NY 10022
San Francisco
28 Geary Street, Suite 625 #133, San Francisco CA 94108