Fraud Recovery · Phishing & Social Engineering
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Lost crypto to
phishing?

Someone stole your crypto through a phishing attack — fake exchange website, fake support agent on Telegram, malicious email link, or a dApp that drained your wallet through a malicious approval. Phishing is the most common crypto theft method, but it's also one of the most recoverable because the attacker usually moves funds to centralized exchanges where they can be frozen. We trace the funds, request emergency freezing, and pursue recovery through legal channels.

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Phishing & Social Engineering

How Phishing & Social Engineering works and what we do

How crypto phishing works: Attackers create fake versions of exchange login pages, send emails impersonating exchange support, or create Telegram/Discord bots that mimic official customer service. They collect your login credentials, 2FA codes, or seed phrases, then drain your account. In DeFi phishing, malicious smart contracts request unlimited token approvals, allowing the attacker to drain your wallet.

Why phishing is recoverable: Phishers need to cash out — they eventually move stolen crypto to centralized exchanges where they can convert to fiat. When funds hit a centralized exchange, we can request emergency freezing through compliance channels and pursue recovery through court orders (Norwich Pharmacal orders to identify the account holder, freezing orders to secure the funds).

Evidence preservation is critical: Screenshot everything NOW. The phishing website (it may disappear), all emails, Telegram messages (the scammer can delete the chat), transaction IDs, and the malicious contract address if DeFi-related. If the scammer contacted you via Telegram, screenshot the conversation IMMEDIATELY — they can delete it from both sides.

How it works

How phishing attacks work in crypto

  • Fake exchange websites: Attackers create convincing replicas of exchange login pages (Binance, Coinbase, Kraken) with slightly different URLs (binance-us.com, coinbase-login.net). Users enter credentials, which are captured and used to access the real account.
  • Email phishing: Emails appearing to come from the exchange (support@binance-secure.com, no-reply@coinbase-verify.com) ask you to verify your account, reset your password, or confirm a transaction. Links lead to fake login pages.
  • Fake support agents: Attackers pose as exchange support staff on Telegram, Discord, Reddit, and Twitter. They offer to 'help' with account issues and convince victims to share credentials, 2FA codes, or seed phrases.
  • Clipboard hijacking: Malware that replaces crypto addresses in your clipboard — you copy your exchange deposit address, but when you paste, a different address appears. Funds go to the attacker.
  • Google Ads phishing: Attackers buy Google Ads for exchange-related search terms. The top result looks like the real exchange but is a phishing site. Users click the ad instead of the organic result.
Immediate response

What to do immediately after a phishing attack

If you've been phished, time is critical. Within the first 2 hours, there is a realistic chance of freezing the stolen funds before they reach a mixer or are converted to privacy coins. Immediate steps: (1) Change your exchange password and disable all active sessions. (2) Disable and re-enable 2FA — the attacker may have your 2FA secret. (3) Contact the exchange's compliance team with transaction details (TX hashes, addresses, amounts, timestamps). (4) Contact us — we can send emergency freeze requests to exchanges where the stolen funds may be headed. (5) File a police report — law enforcement engagement creates a legal basis for exchanges to freeze funds. (6) Document everything — screenshots of the phishing site, emails, messages, and transaction records. After 24 hours, the chances of recovery decrease significantly as funds move through mixers or cross-chain bridges.

Platform recovery

Phishing recovery by platform

If you sent funds through a specific exchange, we can trace the transaction and pursue freezing. Recovery strategies differ by platform — each exchange has its own compliance team, legal jurisdiction, and cooperation protocols. Select the platform you used:

Binance
Largest exchange · fast compliance team · strong freezing track record
Bitfinex
BVI-registered · BSA compliance · subpoena-responsive
Bybit
Dubai-headquartered · derivatives-focused · SoF checks
Changelly
Swap service · non-custodial · partner exchange tracing
Coinbase
US-regulated · FinCEN registered · strong LE cooperation
Crypto.com
MAS-regulated · FCA-registered · card program
FixedFloat
Lightning swap · non-custodial · cooperation possible
Gate.io
Cayman Islands · expanding AML program · chain analysis
Kraken
Swiss-regulated (CBI) · rigorous CDD · established compliance
KuCoin
DOJ-settled · 3-tier risk system · improved compliance
MEXC
Seychelles-based · growing compliance team · tracing cooperation
OKX
VARA-licensed · MAS-regulated · MiCA-compliant
FAQ

Phishing & Social Engineering recovery FAQ

Can crypto stolen through phishing be recovered?

Yes — phishing is one of the most recoverable forms of crypto theft. Attackers must eventually move funds to centralized exchanges to cash out. When funds reach an exchange, we request emergency freezing and pursue recovery through court orders. The key factor is speed — the faster we act, the higher the chance of catching funds before they're withdrawn to fiat.

I clicked a link and my wallet was drained — what should I do right now?

Immediately: (1) Revoke all token approvals for the compromised wallet (use revoke.cash or similar). (2) Move remaining assets to a new wallet with a fresh seed phrase. (3) Screenshot everything — the malicious link, any messages, transaction history. (4) Do NOT interact with the attacker further. (5) Contact us — we begin tracing within hours.

How quickly should I act?

Immediately. The first 24-72 hours are critical for crypto recovery. Funds can be traced and frozen on exchanges during this window. After 72 hours, funds may pass through mixers, be converted to privacy coins, or be withdrawn to cash — making recovery significantly harder. Contact us now — we provide initial assessment within 6 hours.

Can stolen crypto from a phishing attack be recovered?

Recovery is possible but time-sensitive. If the stolen funds are moved to a centralized exchange (Binance, Kraken, Coinbase), we can send emergency freeze requests within hours of the theft. If funds pass through mixers or cross-chain bridges, tracing becomes harder but not impossible — we use Chainalysis and similar tools to follow the trail. The first 2 hours are critical — after 24 hours, recovery chances decrease significantly. Contact us immediately with transaction hashes and addresses.

How can I tell if a crypto website is a phishing site?

Check the URL carefully — phishing sites use slight variations (binance-us.com, coinbase-login.net, kraken-support.com). Look for HTTPS but don't rely on it — phishing sites can have SSL certificates. Verify the domain against the exchange's official social media or documentation. Use a password manager — it won't auto-fill credentials on fake domains. Enable hardware 2FA (YubiKey) — even if credentials are stolen, the attacker can't log in without the physical key.

What if your own account was also frozen? Phishing victims often discover that their exchange account has been frozen as a secondary measure — the platform detected unauthorized access and locked everything. Our crypto account unlock practice works in parallel with fraud recovery to restore access to your legitimate funds while we trace the stolen assets. If your situation involves unusual circumstances — shared accounts, inherited wallets, or cross-jurisdictional theft — our complex cases practice handles scenarios that other firms decline.

Related resources

Related resources

Crypto account unlock

If your exchange account was frozen after the fraud, we unfreeze it in parallel with the recovery.

Complex cases practice

Unusual fraud scenarios — inherited wallets with stolen funds, shared accounts, cross-jurisdictional theft.

Recovery scam warning

After losing crypto, fake 'recovery services' target victims. Read this before paying anyone.

Scam database

Search known scam addresses, fake exchanges, and phishing domains. Check before you send.

Crypto scam recovery guide

Tracing, legal options, timelines, and what to expect when recovering stolen crypto.

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Phishing & Social Engineering?
Every hour counts.

Describe what happened. Include transaction IDs, wallet addresses, and any communication with the scammer. We respond within 6 hours.

Swiss lawyersBlockchain forensicsCourt orders