The Scam That Scams Scam Victims (Because Why Stop at One?)

Imagine you’ve been scammed. Maybe you wired money to a fake investment firm, or perhaps a charming stranger convinced you they were a Nigerian prince in dire need of your assistance (as if modern royalty still communicates via email). You’re mad. You’re embarrassed. You’re kicking yourself for falling for it.

And then—just when you think you’ve learned your lesson—you get a call.

The voice on the other end is soothing. Official. They say they’re from a law firm, or a government agency, or a special task force dedicated to righting financial wrongs. They’ve heard about your situation, and they have good news: They can get your money back.

Oh, there’s just one small thing. There’s a processing fee. Or a legal expense. Or a “fully refundable” deposit to kickstart the investigation.

And just like that, you’ve been scammed again.

The Art of the Double Dip

This is called a recovery scam, and it’s a real chef’s kiss of deception. A scammer tricks you, then another scammer (or sometimes the same one wearing a new hat) swoops in and scams you again—this time using your desperation as leverage. It’s the con artist’s equivalent of stealing your wallet and then charging you a finder's fee to return it (empty, of course).

These scams come in all flavours:

• The Fake Law Firm: “We’ve been tracking this scammer and have a solid case! We just need a small retainer fee to begin proceedings.” Spoiler: They will not begin proceedings.

• The Government Imposter: “We’re from an official agency cracking down on fraud. There’s a mandatory fee to release your refund.” Spoiler: No, there is not.

• The Tech Support Loop: “That virus we put on your computer? We can totally remove it—for a price.” Spoiler: They put on another virus.

  
  

Why It Works (And Keeps Working)

You’d think after getting scammed once, people would be on high alert. But that’s the beauty of the recovery scam: It uses the victim’s skepticism against them. The con artist doesn’t need to convince you they’re a genius investor or a long-lost relative. They just have to convince you they’re on your side. And when you’re desperate to get your money back, that hope overrides logic.

Plus, there’s the ego factor. Nobody wants to admit they were conned. A recovery scam dangles the perfect emotional bait: “You’re not a fool! You were just momentarily deceived, but now you’re taking control!”

How to Spot (and Dodge) a Recovery Scam

1. Unsolicited Help Is Never Free – If someone magically appears with the perfect solution to your problem (for a fee), assume they’re lying.

2. Real Government Agencies Don’t Charge Upfront – They also don’t cold-call you out of the blue to return your stolen money. (They barely call you when you owe them money.)

3. If It Sounds Too Good To Be True… – You know the rest. It is.

   
   

Ultimately, the best way to avoid a recovery scam is to treat any unexpected offer of financial salvation with the same scepticism you’d give to a stranger on the street promising to double your money “real quick.” And if you do get scammed? Take a breath. Report it to the authorities. But whatever you do—don’t pay someone else to fix it.

Because the only thing worse than getting conned once is paying extra for the privilege.