You deposited crypto to what appeared to be a legitimate exchange or OTC broker — professional-looking website, customer support, even a mobile app. But when you tried to withdraw, the platform demanded fees, went unresponsive, or disappeared entirely. The exchange was fake, but the blockchain transactions are real — and traceable. We follow the money through the blockchain, identify where it landed, and pursue recovery through legal channels. Many fake exchange operators eventually move funds to legitimate exchanges where they can be frozen.
The fake exchange playbook: Scammers create professional-looking exchange websites — sometimes clones of real exchanges (Binance, Coinbase, Kraken) with slightly different URLs, sometimes entirely fabricated platforms with original branding. They may have functional-looking order books, charts, and even customer support. Some go as far as creating mobile apps distributed outside official app stores.
How you end up there: Social media ads promising exclusive trading features, search engine ads for popular exchange names, recommendations from online "friends" or "investment advisors" (often part of pig butchering operations), or Telegram/Discord groups promoting "the next big exchange."
The withdrawal trap: The fake exchange lets you deposit freely and may even show "profits" growing. When you try to withdraw, they deploy escalating demands: "withdrawal fees," "tax clearance deposits," "insurance premiums," "anti-money laundering bonds." Each payment goes directly to the scammers. The exchange never intended to let you withdraw.
OTC broker scams: Similar pattern but through a personal "broker" — someone who offers to buy/sell crypto at favorable rates, escrow services that don't actually escrow, or P2P traders who disappear after receiving payment.
Recovery approach: (1) Trace your deposits on-chain — every transaction is recorded, even to a fake platform. (2) Follow the funds through the scammers' wallet network. (3) Identify when funds hit legitimate exchanges (where they can be frozen). (4) OSINT investigation on the fake platform — domain registration, hosting providers, social media footprints. (5) Legal action — court orders to freeze funds, compel exchange disclosure of scammer identity, and recover assets.
Fake exchange scams are designed to extract maximum funds before the victim realizes the platform is fraudulent. Immediate steps: (1) Stop sending any funds to the platform — no 'fees,' 'taxes,' or 'verification payments.' These are all part of the scam. (2) Document everything — the platform URL, registration details, chat logs, transaction records, and wallet addresses you sent funds to. (3) Contact us — we trace the stolen funds through blockchain analytics. If funds reached a legitimate exchange, we can request freezing. (4) File a police report and report to financial regulators. (5) Check if the exchange is listed on any scam-warning databases (CoinMarketCap's unverified list, BitcoinAbuse, Chainabuse). (6) Report the website to hosting providers and domain registrars for takedown. (7) Beware of recovery scams — anyone offering to recover your funds for an upfront fee is almost certainly a secondary scammer. A legitimate recovery process involves legal proceedings, not guaranteed upfront-fee recovery.
Not necessarily. Many fake exchanges stay online for months or years — they continue accepting new deposits while refusing withdrawals. An operational website doesn't indicate legitimacy. Red flags: no verifiable regulatory registration, withdrawal demands for "fees" you didn't agree to at deposit, support that responds only with fee demands, no presence on major crypto data sites (CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap).
NO. This is the scam within the scam. Legitimate exchanges deduct withdrawal fees from the withdrawal amount — they never require separate upfront payments. "Withdrawal fees," "tax clearance," "insurance deposits," and "AML bonds" are all tactics to extract more money. Every payment goes to the scammers. Do not send any more funds. Contact us instead.
Yes — every crypto transaction is recorded on the blockchain permanently. Even though the exchange is fake, your deposit went to a real blockchain address controlled by the scammers. We trace where they moved the funds — through their wallet network to legitimate exchanges where they cash out. When funds reach a real exchange, they can be frozen through compliance requests and court orders.
What if your real exchange account was also frozen? Fake exchange victims who sent funds from a real exchange may find that account flagged. Our crypto account unlock practice can restore access to your legitimate funds. Before engaging any recovery service, read our recovery scam warning — fake recovery services target scam victims.
If your exchange account was frozen after the fraud, we unfreeze it in parallel with the recovery.
Unusual fraud scenarios — inherited wallets with stolen funds, shared accounts, cross-jurisdictional theft.
After losing crypto, fake 'recovery services' target victims. Read this before paying anyone.
Search known scam addresses, fake exchanges, and phishing domains. Check before you send.
Tracing, legal options, timelines, and what to expect when recovering stolen crypto.
Send us the fake exchange URL, your deposit transaction IDs, and the amount lost. We respond within 6 hours.