What is a Recovery Scam?
A recovery scam, also known as a recovery room scam, involves scammers targeting individuals who have already fallen victim to a previous scam. These scammers contact victims, often posing as government officials, law enforcement agents, or representatives from financial institutions, claiming they can help recover lost funds for an upfront fee. In reality, the scammers disappear once the fee is paid, leaving the victim without any recovered money and with an additional financial loss.
How Can we Tell that Claim-Refund.com is a Scam
Cybertrace was alerted to this website by a member of the public which led us to conduct an investigation if the website is fraudulent or not. To identify claim-refund as a scam, we employed several verification methods. These included a reverse image search of their alleged team members, verification of domain ownership, investigation of their claimed partnerships, and examination of their licences and registrations.
Reverse Image Search
We conducted a reverse image search on their alleged team members, and all of the members are just stock photos of people used for commercial purposes. This means the members are fraudulent or made up. This is a big red flag that indicates ‘Claim-refund’ is a scam.
Partners
We researched their claimed partnerships with other companies. While these companies are real, we couldn’t find any articles, documents, or papers that acknowledge ‘Claim-Refund’ as a partner in any recovery room. This lack of evidence suggests their claims of partnerships with reputable companies may be fraudulent. Further raising concerns, we even had a person come forward stating Claim-Refund claims a partnership with our company, which is completely untrue.
Unlicensed and Unregistered
Licences and registration are a must when money is involved. At Cybertrace, we proudly display our independently verifiable licences and accreditations. However, businesses like ‘Claim-Refund’, a known recovery scam website, lack legitimate credentials. Their secretive nature makes accountability nearly impossible. It’s also worth noting that when it comes to services like this, going with a company that has licences and registrations will give you peace of mind.
How does Claim-Refund.com’s Recovery Scam Work?
Just like any other recovery scam website, they follow a predictable pattern: targeting victims, making false promises, collecting upfront fees, delivering no recovery, and then vanishing without a trace.
Targeting Victim
Claim-Refund often targets individuals who have previously been victims of financial fraud or scams. When someone falls victim to a scam, their personal information may be leaked or sold on the dark web. Claim-Refund may obtain this leaked data and use it to target victims further, making their scam appear more legitimate by referencing details from the previous scam. It’s crucial for individuals to question why Claim-Refund has access to so much of their personal information, especially if it was obtained through a previous scam.
False Promises
The scam begins with Claim-Refund making false promises to victims, claiming that they can recover the lost funds on their behalf. They often use persuasive language and false guarantees to convince victims that they can help.
No Recovery
After receiving payment, Claim-Refund typically fails to deliver on their promises of recovering the lost funds. Victims are left empty-handed, with no chance of reclaiming the money they’ve paid.
Disappearance
While confronting Claim-Refund may lead them to disappearing without a trace, making them difficult to track down and hold accountable, there are still some efforts that can be made. They might employ a range of tactics to evade responsibility, such as ignoring inquiries, legal demands, or simply ceasing all communication.
Signs of a Recovery Scam
You might have trouble looking for signs because your emotions are running high after just being scammed. However, it’s always important to proceed with caution when attempting to recover your money, especially online. Recovery scam websites can be difficult to distinguish from legitimate recovery service websites. Here are some signs to look for: advance fees, untraceable payment methods, lack of reviews or references, and high-pressure tactics.
Untraceable Payment Methods
Be wary of recovery services that only accept payments through methods like wire transfers or cryptocurrency. These methods are difficult to track and recover funds if something goes wrong. Legitimate businesses typically offer a variety of secure payment options, such as credit cards or secure online payment platforms.
Professional Appearance but Poor Verification
The website may look professional and convincing, but key details such as contact information, company registration, or authorization by relevant regulatory bodies are missing or cannot be verified independently
Lack of Transparency
Legitimate businesses are transparent about their processes and credentials. If the recovery service is vague or evasive when asked for details, it’s a warning sign.
Lack of reviews or references
Research the recovery service online and look for reviews or references from other customers. Be critical of the reviews,if they seem unusually positive with nothing but praise and no mention of drawbacks or are poorly written, it could be a sign of fakes. A lack of information is also a red flag.
High-Pressure Tactics
The website or its representatives use aggressive or high-pressure sales tactics to get you to act quickly and pay fees immediately
How to Keep Safe from a Recovery Scam
To stay safe from recovery scams, individuals should stay informed, research thoroughly, protect their personal information, and use secure payment methods. Additionally, using CyberTrace’s ScamID tool can provide valuable insights into a website’s reputation.
Stay Informed
Keep yourself updated on the latest scam techniques through trusted sources like government websites, consumer protection agencies, and cybersecurity firms like Cybertrace, which conducts cyber investigations and spreads awareness about the latest scams.
Use Cybertace’s Website Checker
If you’re unsure about a website, use Cybertrace’s website checker tool. Simply input the website’s link, and our tool will assess if it’s a high-risk website or not.
Research Thoroughly
Investigate the recovery service provider. Look for comprehensive contact information, an established online presence, and genuine customer reviews.
Protect Personal Information
Keep your sensitive data safe. Do not share personal or financial details with unknown people, and always verify claims from supposed officials through independent channels.
Use Secure Payment Method
Always use secure payment methods for any transactions. Avoid methods that do not offer protection or recourse in case of fraud.
Contact Us
Been scammed by claim-refund? Get even and take back what’s yours. Cybertrace’s team of discreet, experienced investigators are experts in revealing online fraud. We track down stolen crypto, analyse scam websites, and fight for justice. Don’t let these criminals win twice. Contact Cybertrace today to recover your assets and make them regret messing with you.
Claimrefund.com is promised me to recover my wallet They tell me they have my wallet and want me to buy $ 2000.00 bitcoin at ATM machine to connect to my wallet Please Am I scammed again I need help
Hi Ulitzka,
Our team have reached out via email.
Really don’t know Really.
Hi David,
Our team have reached out via email.
Verás me estafaron con Virgobanc y atraves de abogados vip y ecb ac e intentado recuperar 1530 euros pagando un 7 por ciento y ya no se nada estos so también estafadores
Hi Evaristo,
Our team has reached out via email.