Recovery Workflow
Eight phases in sequence. Click each number to mark a phase complete. Phase 4 expands to show every filing step.
If you're not certain what happened to you, take the quiz first. It identifies your specific situation based on FBI and FTC-documented patterns and tells you which agencies have jurisdiction. Then review the Scam Types page to understand the full operation you were targeted by — knowing the name and mechanics helps you use the right language in every filing.
Collect and preserve everything before the platform disappears — sites can go offline without warning. You need screenshots of every page, all recruitment conversations, the platform's source code, blockchain transaction records, and domain research. The Gather Evidence tab walks you through each type step by step with exact instructions for every device and app.
Fill in your case information once — name, location, platform name, wallet address, IC3 number, and how you were recruited. Pre-written letters for the FBI, FTC, CA DFPI, your bank, and Cash App auto-populate from that single form. Edit each one directly before copying. Having these ready before you start filing saves significant time and ensures consistent detail across every submission.
File in this order — each submission strengthens the next. Your IC3 number from filing 4A goes into every subsequent claim. Have your completed letters from Phase 3 and your evidence folder ready before you begin.
The Checklist tab has a printable record sheet with fields for every complaint reference number (IC3, FTC, CFTC, DFPI, SEC, bank claim, etc.) plus a full action checklist. Print it or save it as a PDF. Keep it with your evidence folder. You will reference these numbers whenever a follow-up is needed.
Congressional pressure has driven every major enforcement action against these operations. The Demand Action tab generates personalized letters to the Senate Banking Committee, House Financial Services Committee, your state's federal senators, and key agencies. Volume matters — 500 constituent letters create urgency that individual complaints do not.
Every share protects a potential victim. The Share tab has pre-written messages for five different contexts — including a version designed for group chats where you don't want to announce you were scammed. Share links for X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, email, and SMS are ready to go. You can also share just the link directly.
What worked? What didn't? Which agencies responded? Your experience directly improves this toolkit for the next victim. The Feedback tab has a short form — outcomes, broken links, missing steps, and what you'd change. Every submission helps.
Build Your Reports
Fill in your information once. All letters update automatically. Edit any letter directly before copying.
Your Information
Gathering Your Evidence
Before you file with any agency, you need a complete evidence package. This guide tells you exactly what to collect, how to save it, and why each item matters to investigators.
What to capture on every screenshot: Make sure the browser address bar (showing the URL) is visible at the top of every screenshot. On mobile, include the carrier/time bar. On desktop, capture the full browser window.
Capture these screens:
- Account balance / dashboard — shows your total funds and "profits"
- Trading interface — especially CALL/PUT buttons, countdown timers, and fake price charts
- Deposit history — every deposit transaction the platform shows
- Withdrawal page / rejection screen — including any "fee required" or "account frozen" message
- Account/profile page — your account number, user ID, email on file
- Any pop-up messages — "your account needs verification," "withdrawal requires tax payment," etc.
- Windows: Win + Shift + S (select area) or Print Screen key
- Mac: Cmd + Shift + 4 (select area) or Cmd + Shift + 3 (full screen)
- iPhone: Side button + Volume Up simultaneously
- Android: Power + Volume Down simultaneously
Save screenshots to a dated folder: "SCAM EVIDENCE — [Platform Name] — [Date]". Back up to Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox immediately.
The person who recruited you is part of the criminal operation. Every message they sent is evidence. Investigators use these to map the network.
What to save:
- The complete conversation — scroll to the very beginning
- Any photos or profile images they shared (right-click → Save Image As on desktop)
- Any voice messages or videos they sent (if the app allows download)
- The date of first contact and the date they introduced the platform
- Their username, phone number, or profile link
- WhatsApp: Open chat → tap contact name → Export Chat (includes media option). This creates a .txt file with timestamps. Do this AND screenshot the conversation.
- Telegram: Screenshot each page. Telegram does not offer full chat export to most users.
- Instagram / Facebook DM: Your Activity → Messages → Download Your Information (takes 24–48 hrs but gives full archive)
- Text/SMS: Screenshot with carrier name and time visible. iPhones: Settings → Messages → Keep Messages → Forever ensures they aren't auto-deleted.
Original files contain EXIF metadata (device ID, exact timestamps) that is court-admissible. A screenshot of a screenshot strips this data. Use AirDrop, Google Drive share, or email to transfer original files.
Scam platforms block right-click → "Save Page As" on purpose. Use this browser technique instead. It takes under 2 minutes and produces technical evidence that law enforcement and attorneys can use to prove the platform has no real trading infrastructure.
- Open the platform page in Chrome or Firefox on a desktop or laptop
- Press F12 (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Option + I (Mac) — the Developer Tools panel opens
- Click the Console tab at the top of the DevTools panel
- Click in the console and type this exactly:
copy(document.documentElement.outerHTML) - Press Enter — the entire page source is now in your clipboard
- Open Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac) → Paste → Save as
platform-deposit-page.txt - Repeat for the trading page and wallet page
- Paste it into Claude.ai and ask: "Analyze this for evidence that it's a fake trading platform — look for missing trading infrastructure, simulated charts, and no real blockchain connectivity."
- Attach the .txt files to your IC3, CFTC, and DFPI filings as supporting evidence
- Send to your attorney if you retain one
Every cryptocurrency transaction is permanently recorded on a public blockchain. These records cannot be altered or deleted and are the most reliable evidence of where your funds went.
- Go to blockchair.com (works for Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT/TRC20, and most major chains)
- Paste the wallet address you sent funds to in the search bar
- Screenshot the wallet page showing all incoming transactions
- Click the download CSV button to get the full transaction history as a spreadsheet
- Do the same for your own sending wallet address
What your TX hash is: When you sent cryptocurrency from an exchange (Coinbase, Kraken, etc.), the exchange shows a "transaction ID" or "TX hash" in your transaction history. It looks like: 0x4a7b3c... — a long string of letters and numbers. Copy this and include it in every filing. It is the forensic fingerprint of your transaction.
Scam platforms frequently change domain names to evade detection. Document their identity before they disappear or rebrand.
- WHOIS lookup: Go to whois.domaintools.com and enter the platform's domain. Screenshot the registration date, registrar, and name server information. Note: most scam platforms register domains less than 6 months before operating.
- Archive the site: Go to web.archive.org and enter the platform URL — this may show previous versions or confirm when it launched.
- Google the platform name plus "scam," "fraud," or "review" and screenshot any results that show others have been victimized.
- Search Chainabuse: Go to chainabuse.com and search the wallet address — if others have reported it, screenshot those reports as corroborating evidence.
Also document every recruitment domain — these are separate from the trading platform domain. Recruitment domains (like the ones used to bring you to the platform) are additional evidence of the network's infrastructure.
Before you start filing, organize everything so you can attach the right evidence to each report.
SCAM EVIDENCE — [Platform] — [Date]/
01_platform_screenshots/
02_recruitment_conversations/
03_source_code/
04_blockchain_records/
05_domain_research/
06_complaint_confirmations/
Back up this folder to at least two cloud services (Google Drive + iCloud, or Dropbox + OneDrive). Do not keep evidence only on your phone — scammers sometimes escalate contact and accounts have been locked or deleted by victims under stress.
Demand Action from Elected Officials
Select the officials you want to contact. Your letter will auto-generate.
Recovery Checklist
Download and print this checklist. Keep this document with all your complaint numbers.
Know the Scam Types
Tap a tile to learn more. Identifying your scam type helps you file with the right agencies and use the correct language.
These categories overlap. Pig butchering almost always involves romance fraud elements. Use the quiz tab if you're not sure what happened to you.
Share Your Feedback & Results
Your experience directly improves this toolkit for the next victim.
Was It a Scam?
Answer these questions honestly. Your answers will generate a determination based on FBI, FTC, and INTERPOL-documented patterns.