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A complete checklist of evidence to gather after a cryptocurrency scam
The clock starts ticking the moment you realize you've been scammed. How quickly you act and the quality of the evidence you gather can significantly impact your chances of tracing and potentially recovering stolen funds .
The FBI specifically recommends that victims preserve transaction information such as wallet addresses, amounts, dates/times, and transaction IDs/hashes these are the most important details you can provide when reporting crypto fraud .
This guide provides a comprehensive, downloadable-style checklist of everything you need to document. Gather what you can, as quickly as you can, and store it securely.
The Essential Evidence Checklist
The first 72 hours are critical. Funds can be moved rapidly across wallets and exchanges, and every hour of delay reduces the window for a potential freeze .
Transaction Details (The FBI's Top Priority)
Information Why It Matters
Wallet addresses All sending and receiving addresses involved in the scam .
Transaction hashes (TXIDs) Unique identifiers for each transaction on the blockchain. These are the forensic anchors for tracing .
Cryptocurrency involved Which coins or tokens were sent (BTC, ETH, USDT, etc.) .
Amount lost The exact amount of each transaction, in both crypto and approximate USD value .
Date and time of transactions Precise timestamps for every transfer .
Exchange used to send funds Which platform you used to make the transfer (e.g., Coinbase, Binance, Kraken) .
Pro Tip: Open a plain text file and paste every transaction hash, target address, date/time, chain (Ethereum, Tron, BSC, Solana, etc.), and amount into it. This file is the foundation of your entire case .
Scammer and Platform Information
Information Why It Matters
Full name used with the scammer Any name the scammer gave you.
Scam website URL The full domain name of the fake platform .
Scammer's name/username Any usernames or profile names used .
Email addresses All email addresses used by the scammer .
Phone numbers Any phone numbers provided .
Telegram/WhatsApp usernames Messaging app handles are critical for identification .
Where/how you first encountered the scammer Social media, dating app, unsolicited message? This helps identify criminal networks .
Any 2FA or OTP information Any one-time passcodes or authentication details that were used .
🟢 Communications and Screenshots
Information Why It Matters
Emails All emails from the scammer, including headers .
Chat history Full chat logs from WhatsApp, Telegram, or other messaging platforms . Most platforms support exporting the complete history.
Fake investment dashboard screenshots Screenshots of the scam platform's interface, showing your "balance," "trading history," and any "withdrawal pending" or tax notifications .
Scammer profile screenshots Photos, usernames, and any associated social accounts .
Any documents sent Fake exchange KYC forms, fake customer service records, fake court documents, or tax notifications .
Important: Do not edit, crop, or modify any screenshots. Save them in a folder with a timestamped name .
🟡 Payment and Banking Information
Information Why It Matters
Bank/card/payment method How you initially sent fiat currency to purchase crypto, if applicable .
Wire transfer or ACH details If any funds left your bank account via traditional means, you may have a 24-72 hour window to request a reversal with your bank's fraud department .
How to Avoid Recovery Scams
This is critical. After you've been scammed, you are now a primary target for secondary "recovery room" scams—fraudsters who claim they can get your money back . They will contact you via email, Telegram, WhatsApp, or even phone calls, often impersonating lawyers, law enforcement, or legitimate recovery firms .
Warning Signs of a Recovery Scam
Unsolicited contact: You are approached by someone you didn't reach out to first .
Guarantees of success: They promise 100% recovery or have a "magic hack" to retrieve your funds. No legitimate firm can guarantee recovery .
Upfront fees: They demand large fees before reviewing your case or doing any work. Legitimate firms offer a free initial assessment .
Requests for private information: They ask for your wallet private keys, seed phrases, or exchange login credentials. Never share these with anyone .
Impersonation: They pretend to be from official organizations like the FBI or the FCA, or use the names of real lawyers and law firms .
Artificial urgency: They pressure you to act immediately or make a payment right away .
Unprofessional communication: They use messaging apps or unofficial email addresses rather than professional, verifiable channels .
How to Verify Legitimate Help
Independently verify: If someone claims to represent a law firm or company, visit the official website and use the contact details there to confirm do not trust contact details provided in a suspicious message .
Look for transparency: A legitimate service will provide honest, realistic assessments and explain their process clearly, with no seed phrase requests .
Check for free consultation: A trustworthy firm will evaluate your evidence for free before discussing costs.
When and How to Seek Professional Help
If you have gathered your evidence and want a professional assessment, consider a firm with proven experience and a transparent approach. Cryptera Chain Signals is a leader in this field, with 28 years of digital investigation experience and a 5 rating from over 2,400 verified reviews .
What they offer:
Free consultation to assess your evidence (TXIDs, screenshots, etc.) .
Intelligence-driven tracing to follow funds across multiple chains and exchanges .
Coordination with exchanges and law enforcement to pursue freezes or returns .
Success-based pricing no unrealistic upfront demands .
No seed phrase or key requests your security is protected .
Cryptera Chain Signals provides honest assessments not false guarantees. They will tell you what is realistically possible based on the information you have and where your funds went.
If you have already lost cryptocurrency, speak with a professional recovery team to determine what information may be available for an initial case assessment.
Visit: Cryptera Chain Signals – Advanced Crypto Fund Recovery & Forensics or email: [email protected]
The clock starts ticking the moment you realize you've been scammed. How quickly you act and the quality of the evidence you gather can significantly impact your chances of tracing and potentially recovering stolen funds .
The FBI specifically recommends that victims preserve transaction information such as wallet addresses, amounts, dates/times, and transaction IDs/hashes these are the most important details you can provide when reporting crypto fraud .
This guide provides a comprehensive, downloadable-style checklist of everything you need to document. Gather what you can, as quickly as you can, and store it securely.
The Essential Evidence Checklist
The first 72 hours are critical. Funds can be moved rapidly across wallets and exchanges, and every hour of delay reduces the window for a potential freeze .
Transaction Details (The FBI's Top Priority)Information Why It Matters
Wallet addresses All sending and receiving addresses involved in the scam .
Transaction hashes (TXIDs) Unique identifiers for each transaction on the blockchain. These are the forensic anchors for tracing .
Cryptocurrency involved Which coins or tokens were sent (BTC, ETH, USDT, etc.) .
Amount lost The exact amount of each transaction, in both crypto and approximate USD value .
Date and time of transactions Precise timestamps for every transfer .
Exchange used to send funds Which platform you used to make the transfer (e.g., Coinbase, Binance, Kraken) .
Pro Tip: Open a plain text file and paste every transaction hash, target address, date/time, chain (Ethereum, Tron, BSC, Solana, etc.), and amount into it. This file is the foundation of your entire case .
Scammer and Platform InformationInformation Why It Matters
Full name used with the scammer Any name the scammer gave you.
Scam website URL The full domain name of the fake platform .
Scammer's name/username Any usernames or profile names used .
Email addresses All email addresses used by the scammer .
Phone numbers Any phone numbers provided .
Telegram/WhatsApp usernames Messaging app handles are critical for identification .
Where/how you first encountered the scammer Social media, dating app, unsolicited message? This helps identify criminal networks .
Any 2FA or OTP information Any one-time passcodes or authentication details that were used .
🟢 Communications and Screenshots
Information Why It Matters
Emails All emails from the scammer, including headers .
Chat history Full chat logs from WhatsApp, Telegram, or other messaging platforms . Most platforms support exporting the complete history.
Fake investment dashboard screenshots Screenshots of the scam platform's interface, showing your "balance," "trading history," and any "withdrawal pending" or tax notifications .
Scammer profile screenshots Photos, usernames, and any associated social accounts .
Any documents sent Fake exchange KYC forms, fake customer service records, fake court documents, or tax notifications .
Important: Do not edit, crop, or modify any screenshots. Save them in a folder with a timestamped name .
🟡 Payment and Banking Information
Information Why It Matters
Bank/card/payment method How you initially sent fiat currency to purchase crypto, if applicable .
Wire transfer or ACH details If any funds left your bank account via traditional means, you may have a 24-72 hour window to request a reversal with your bank's fraud department .
How to Avoid Recovery ScamsThis is critical. After you've been scammed, you are now a primary target for secondary "recovery room" scams—fraudsters who claim they can get your money back . They will contact you via email, Telegram, WhatsApp, or even phone calls, often impersonating lawyers, law enforcement, or legitimate recovery firms .
Warning Signs of a Recovery Scam
Unsolicited contact: You are approached by someone you didn't reach out to first .
Guarantees of success: They promise 100% recovery or have a "magic hack" to retrieve your funds. No legitimate firm can guarantee recovery .
Upfront fees: They demand large fees before reviewing your case or doing any work. Legitimate firms offer a free initial assessment .
Requests for private information: They ask for your wallet private keys, seed phrases, or exchange login credentials. Never share these with anyone .
Impersonation: They pretend to be from official organizations like the FBI or the FCA, or use the names of real lawyers and law firms .
Artificial urgency: They pressure you to act immediately or make a payment right away .
Unprofessional communication: They use messaging apps or unofficial email addresses rather than professional, verifiable channels .
How to Verify Legitimate Help
Independently verify: If someone claims to represent a law firm or company, visit the official website and use the contact details there to confirm do not trust contact details provided in a suspicious message .
Look for transparency: A legitimate service will provide honest, realistic assessments and explain their process clearly, with no seed phrase requests .
Check for free consultation: A trustworthy firm will evaluate your evidence for free before discussing costs.
When and How to Seek Professional Help
If you have gathered your evidence and want a professional assessment, consider a firm with proven experience and a transparent approach. Cryptera Chain Signals is a leader in this field, with 28 years of digital investigation experience and a 5 rating from over 2,400 verified reviews .
What they offer:
Free consultation to assess your evidence (TXIDs, screenshots, etc.) .
Intelligence-driven tracing to follow funds across multiple chains and exchanges .
Coordination with exchanges and law enforcement to pursue freezes or returns .
Success-based pricing no unrealistic upfront demands .
No seed phrase or key requests your security is protected .
Cryptera Chain Signals provides honest assessments not false guarantees. They will tell you what is realistically possible based on the information you have and where your funds went.
If you have already lost cryptocurrency, speak with a professional recovery team to determine what information may be available for an initial case assessment.
Visit: Cryptera Chain Signals – Advanced Crypto Fund Recovery & Forensics or email: [email protected]