This site is for educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes financial advice.

Emergency Response

Post-Scam Response Center

If you think you have been scammed, act quickly. Time matters. Follow these steps in order — they are prioritized by urgency.

Beginner
10 min readUpdated April 2026Block Clarity Hub Editorial Team

Immediate Steps

Step 1: Revoke Token Approvals
Do this NOW

If you connected your wallet to a suspicious site or signed any approvals, revoke them immediately. Approvals let smart contracts spend your tokens — a drainer can empty your wallet if approvals remain active.

  • Go to revoke.cash and connect your wallet
  • Review all active approvals
  • Revoke any suspicious or unnecessary approvals
  • Prioritize revoking unlimited approvals
Open Revoke.cash
Step 2: Secure Your Wallet & Devices
Within minutes

If your seed phrase or private key was compromised, that wallet is permanently unsafe. You need to create a new wallet and transfer remaining assets.

  • If seed phrase was shared: create a new wallet immediately
  • Transfer remaining assets to the new wallet
  • Change passwords on all crypto exchanges
  • Enable 2FA on all accounts (use an authenticator app, not SMS)
  • Scan your device for malware if you downloaded anything
  • Remove any browser extensions you don't recognize
Step 3: Contact Your Exchange
Within hours

If funds were sent to an exchange address, the exchange may be able to freeze the receiving account. Time is critical — the sooner you report, the higher the chance of recovery.

  • Contact the exchange's support immediately via their official app/site
  • Provide the transaction hash (TXID) and receiving address
  • File a formal fraud report through their process
  • Request that the receiving account be frozen for investigation
Step 4: Preserve All Evidence
Before anything changes

Evidence disappears quickly. Scammers delete accounts, messages vanish, and websites go offline. Capture everything now.

  • Screenshot all conversations (DMs, emails, chat messages)
  • Save transaction hashes and wallet addresses involved
  • Record the scam website URL and take full-page screenshots
  • Save social media profiles of the scammer (they will be deleted)
  • Export your wallet transaction history
  • Note exact dates, times, and amounts
  • Save any contracts, promises, or marketing materials

Report the Scam

Reporting helps law enforcement track scam operations and may help recover funds. File reports with every relevant authority.

IC3 (FBI Internet Crime)

United States

FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center — primary US reporting channel

FTC Report Fraud

United States

Federal Trade Commission — report scams and unfair business practices

Action Fraud

United Kingdom

UK's national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre

Chainabuse

Global

Community-driven platform for reporting malicious crypto addresses

Europol Tipline

European Union

EU law enforcement reporting for serious organized crime

Local Police

Your jurisdiction

File a report with local law enforcement — you may need this for insurance or legal claims

WARNING: Avoid Recovery Scams

After being scammed, you are a prime target for recovery scam operators. They prey on victims who are desperate to get their funds back.

  • Anyone who contacts you claiming they can recover your stolen crypto is almost certainly running a second scam
  • Legitimate recovery does not require upfront payments
  • No one can 'hack back' stolen cryptocurrency — this is not technically possible
  • Recovery scam operators monitor social media for victims who have posted about being scammed
  • Do not respond to DMs, emails, or comments from 'recovery experts' or 'ethical hackers'
  • Government agencies do not charge fees to investigate crimes
Emotional Reset

Being scammed is a traumatic experience. It is normal to feel angry, ashamed, or anxious. These feelings are valid, and they do not reflect on your intelligence — scams are designed by professionals to exploit trust.

  • Do not make impulsive decisions while emotional — pause before acting
  • Talk to someone you trust about what happened
  • Remember: even experienced investors fall victim to sophisticated scams
  • Focus on securing what you still have rather than chasing what is lost
  • Use this experience to build stronger security habits going forward

Related Resources

This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For legal matters, consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.