Self-help / Guide
DIY Recovery: first steps after a loss
Practical, low-risk actions you can take yourself. This is not a guarantee of recovery; it is a guide to preserving options and avoiding further harm.
Important: Ledger Trace provides analytical services only. We do not recover funds, freeze accounts, or reverse transactions. This guide explains what you can do before or alongside professional analysis.
- 01
Stop engaging the scammer
Do not send additional funds, pay 'release fees,' or provide remote access. Further payments almost never lead to recovery.
- 02
Preserve evidence immediately
Screenshot transaction hashes, wallet addresses, platform names, usernames, emails, and chat histories. Save URLs and timestamps.
- 03
Report to law enforcement
File a report with your local police or national cyber-crime unit. Provide transaction hashes and a factual timeline.
- 04
Contact the platform or exchange
If funds moved through an exchange, notify its compliance team with the transaction hash. They may flag the account if legal process follows.
- 05
Watch for recovery scams
Anyone promising guaranteed recovery, asking for a seed phrase, or requesting an upfront 'release fee' is likely a second scam.
When to consider professional tracing
If the chain of transactions is complex, spans multiple networks, or you need a documented evidence package for counsel or law enforcement, a forensic analyst can help map the flow and identify potential service touchpoints. A legitimate firm will quote a flat fee, never ask for your seed phrase, and clearly state what it cannot do.