Earlier this year, I found myself in a situation I never thought I’d be in: needing to recover stolen cryptocurrency. A few months prior, I had fallen victim to a phishing scam that led to the theft of $7,500 worth of Ethereum from my wallet. I was devastated, and I thought that I would never see my money again. However, I came across an ad online for a crypto wallet recovery service called RecoverCryptoPro, which claimed to help people like me get their stolen funds back using specialized tools.

The website looked very professional, with a polished design, detailed information about their services, and a track record of successful recoveries. They even listed the types of cryptocurrencies they could help recover, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many others. Testimonials were prominently displayed, with users claiming they had recovered their funds within days. I felt hopeful—maybe, just maybe, I could get my Ethereum back.

I contacted the service and was promptly connected with a “recovery agent” who went by the name of “Mark.” He asked for details about the stolen crypto and promised that the service could trace the funds, recover them, and return them to my wallet for a fixed fee of 10% of the amount being recovered. Mark assured me that the payment was only necessary once the funds had been recovered.

I hesitated, but in my desperation, I paid the $750 fee upfront as requested. Over the next few weeks, I was sent false progress reports that kept assuring me that they were getting closer to locating the stolen funds. Then, without warning, communication stopped. The email address bounced back, and the website was taken down. It became clear that I had been scammed again.

I had just handed over my money to a non-existent service, and I also realized that they had collected my personal information in the process. I filed a complaint with the appropriate authorities, but it became apparent that the scam was well-executed—these kinds of fraudulent recovery services tend to be based in jurisdictions where they can easily disappear without facing any real consequences.

The lesson here is simple: never pay a recovery fee upfront for cryptocurrency recovery services, especially if you are dealing with someone you’ve only met online. Always research and check reviews before trusting anyone with your personal information.