If someone contacts you without being asked and offers to recover money you lost, and wants a fee first, do not pay. The United States Federal Trade Commission describes this as a scam aimed at people who have already lost money.
Last reviewed 2 October 2026. The Federal Trade Commission’s guidance was last updated on 13 August 2026. It is a United States agency, and the signs below apply in any country.
The warning signs
- They contact you without being asked, offering to recover money for a fee.
- They say they are from a government agency, a charity or a law firm.
- They ask for a payment first and call it a retainer, a processing fee or an administrative fee.
- They ask for personal details such as an identity number or your bank details.
- They want payment in cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, a wire transfer or a payment app.
- They offer to deposit a refund cheque for more than you lost.
What to do instead
- Never pay up front for help getting money back.
- Do not give personal or bank details to someone who contacted you.
- Find the organisation yourself, and phone it on a number from its own official website that you type in.
- Avoid the payment methods scammers prefer: gift cards, cryptocurrency and wire transfers.
If you have already lost money
This is not your fault. Well-made scams catch careful people, and being contacted again is part of how this one works. Phone your bank first, on the number printed on your card, and ask whether any payment can be reversed. Then report it: in the United States at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or in your own country through official help, country by country.
Before You Pay writes the messages to your bank and to the company when money is being taken that you did not agree to.
Source
The Federal Trade Commission: refund and recovery scams.
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