Recovery Room Scam UK: A Second Scam After the First
The FCA, government, police, and law firms will never contact you through webmail to offer your money back.
What a recovery room scam looks like
This scam is a cold contact from someone claiming to be the FCA, a government body, the police, or a law firm, saying they can recover money you already lost to a previous scam — for an upfront fee. An example of the style: We've traced the funds from your original investment loss. A release fee is required before we can return your money. The FCA calls this pattern a 'recovery room scam'.
Why it's called a 'recovery room' scam and why it works
The FCA's name reflects how organised it's: fraudsters run a follow-up operation specifically targeting people already known to have lost money. Sometimes it's the same criminals behind the original scam contacting the victim again under a different name; sometimes your details have been sold on to a separate recovery-room operation. Wanting your money back understandably lowers your guard.
Signs a recovery offer is a recovery room scam
- You're contacted out of the blue by someone claiming to be the FCA, a government body, the police, or a law firm.
- You're asked to pay a fee described as a 'tax', 'solicitor fee', or administrative cost before your money can be released.
- The contact comes from a webmail address. The FCA says neither it, the government, law enforcement, nor law firms use webmail to contact you this way.
- There's pressure to act quickly and keep the contact confidential.
How the scam works step by step
First, you're contacted — often by phone, sometimes by email — by someone claiming to represent an official body, saying your lost money has been located. Second, you're told a fee is needed to release or process the funds. Third, if you pay, the money is gone and no genuine funds were recovered. Fourth, your details may be passed to another recovery-room operation, repeating the cycle.
How to check a recovery offer is genuine
The FCA, the government, the police, and law firms will never contact you via webmail about recovering money you lost to a scam.
- Use the FCA Firm Checker and Financial Services Register to check any firm's genuine, registered contact details.
- End contact immediately if you're asked to pay a fee or share bank details to 'release' recovered funds.
If you've already paid or shared details
End all contact immediately and don't pay any more money or provide any further banking details. Contact your bank if you've already shared card or account information.
How to report a recovery room scam (UK)
Report a suspected recovery room scam to the FCA on 0800 111 6768. If you've lost money, also report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 if you're in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 'recovery room' scam?
It's a follow-up scam targeting people who have already lost money to fraud, where fraudsters pose as the FCA, government, police, or a law firm offering to recover it for an upfront fee.
Would the FCA or police really contact me by email about recovering lost money?
The FCA says it, the government, law enforcement, and law firms don't use webmail to contact you this way. Treat any such contact as a scam regardless of how official it sounds.
I've already paid a 'release fee' to what I now think is a recovery room scam. What do I do?
End all contact immediately, don't pay any more money or share further banking details, and report it to the FCA and Report Fraud.
Why would I be targeted again after already losing money to a scam?
The same criminal group sometimes runs the follow-up scam themselves, or your details may have been sold on to a separate recovery-room operation. Either way, being contacted again isn't a coincidence.
How do I report a recovery room scam?
Report it to the FCA on 0800 111 6768, and to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 (Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland) if you've lost money.