How to recover stolen cryptocurrency
Learn why stolen crypto usually cannot be returned, which agencies to report a theft to, and how to spot a recovery scam before you pay a fee.
Vahe HakobyanEditor-in-chief
Updated Oct 5, 20262 min readFact-checked
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There is usually no way to recover stolen cryptocurrency. A crypto payment normally cannot be undone, and typically only the person you paid can send the funds back. Cryptocurrency is digital money that usually exists only in electronic form. What you can do is report what happened to the agencies that track these crimes, and stay alert for anyone who offers to fix it.
What reporting can and cannot do
Reporting a crypto theft is still worth the effort. Details you send to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, can help the FBI investigate crimes and sometimes freeze stolen funds. Even so, the government has no duty to help you recover money that is lost or stolen.
Steps to take after a crypto theft
- 1Call 911 if there is dangerIf you or another person is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police before anything else.
- 2File an IC3 reportFile a report with the IC3 to share what happened.
- 3Report the scam to the FTCIf you lost money to a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- 4Tell your state attorney generalReport the scam, or a recovery scam, to your state attorney general.
How to spot a recovery scam
A demand for payment in cryptocurrency, gift cards, cash, or wire transfers is a sign of a scammer. The IC3 does not partner with law firms or crypto services to recover lost funds or investigate cases. The IC3 also never contacts you directly to ask for information or money.
Frequently asked questions
No. Money in a cryptocurrency account is not insured by the government the way money in an FDIC-insured bank account is.
No. Crypto transfers cross borders and depend on whoever holds the private keys, the secret codes that control the funds.
Look up any organization or government agency that contacts you before you trust it.
