What Are Crypto and Investment Scams?
Crypto and investment scams are fraudulent schemes that trick you into sending money to a platform or scheme that does not exist, is not regulated, or was never going to generate the returns it promised. The fraudster’s goal is simple: to take your money and disappear.
These scams have become the dominant form of investment fraud in the UK. While the number of reports decreased 7% in 2024, total financial losses increased by 13% — indicating fewer but larger scams were in operation. UK Finance data showed a 55% jump in crypto-related scam losses, and the Home Office has now identified cryptocurrency scams as a growing threat in its 2026-2029 fraud strategy.
Most victims are not careless. They are targeted deliberately, often on platforms they already use and trust, by fraudsters who have invested significant time in appearing legitimate.
How Compensation Adviser Reviews Crypto and Investment Scam Claims
We carry out a free initial case review to assess whether your payment falls within APP fraud rules or another recovery route.
We identify whether your transfers to a trading platform or investment scheme involved fraud indicators your bank could have acted on.
We review the platform, the payment method, and the evidence available to determine the strongest complaint route.
We prepare and submit your complaint to your bank, setting out clearly where their fraud monitoring obligations may not have been met.
If your bank refuses, we escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service and manage the full process on your behalf.
FCA regulated, no upfront fees — 15% + VAT success fee only if your claim is successful.
Getting Started Takes Minutes
Can You Recover Money Lost to a Crypto or Investment Scam?
The recovery route depends on how you paid. If you made bank transfers to fund what you believed was a legitimate investment, those payments are likely to fall within Authorised Push Payment fraud rules.
Since October 2024, new reimbursement rules mean UK banks may be required to reimburse victims in certain circumstances. Banks are also expected to apply fraud monitoring to detect unusual payment patterns — repeated transfers to new accounts associated with investment platforms are a known and documented fraud indicator.
Where payments were made by credit card and exceeded £100, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act may make your card provider jointly liable. Where cryptocurrency was purchased through a UK bank transfer, a bank-level claim may still be available, even where the underlying crypto is harder to trace. A free review will establish which routes apply to your specific situation.
