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Recovery explained

How much does crypto recovery cost?

Prices vary because different kinds of help do very different work. Here's how each one charges, what you get for the money, and the payment requests that should stop you.

Updated

The short answer

Legitimate crypto recovery is paid as an hourly rate, a fixed fee, or a fee plus a percentage of what's recovered, always under a written agreement. Reporting to law enforcement is free. Anyone who wants payment in crypto, or a fee before you can “release” your money, is running a scam.

How each kind of help charges

  1. Reporting to law enforcement

    How they charge: Free.

    What you get: Always report, at ic3.gov and to your local police. Agencies receive far more reports than they can investigate, so cases move faster when someone has already traced the funds and built the evidence.

  2. Lawyers

    How they charge: Usually an hourly rate or a retainer paid up front. Some take a share of what's recovered.

    What you get: Legal advice and court action. Most need the funds traced first, so you may also pay for an investigation.

  3. Tracing-report firms

    How they charge: A fixed fee for a report.

    What you get: A report showing where your money went. Taking it to the exchanges, banks and agencies is left to you.

  4. Full-service recovery firms, like us

    How they charge: A fee that covers the whole case, often plus a small percentage of what's recovered.

    What you get: Getting your money back: tracing it, then pushing the institutions holding it to freeze and return it, with law enforcement involved where needed.

What affects the price

  • How much you lost, and over how many payments.
  • How many platforms, wallets and countries the money passed through.
  • How long ago it happened.
  • Where the money is now, and how willing the institutions holding it are to act.

That's why a legitimate firm looks at your case before quoting.

What we charge

Your case assessment is free and comes with a quote. If you go ahead, you pay one flat fee set for your case: half when you sign the agreement and half when recovery efforts begin. On top of that, 5% only of what's recovered, and nothing else to us. We take card, ACH and wire, never crypto, and your flat fee is covered by a 30-day refund guarantee. See how pricing works.

Payment requests that should stop you

  • Payment in crypto, gift cards or a wire to a private person or foreign account.
  • A "release fee", "tax" or "unlock fee" before you can receive recovered money.
  • A price quoted within minutes, before anyone has looked at your case.
  • A promise of guaranteed recovery.
  • "Free" help that turns into fee after fee once you've started.

How to choose a legitimate recovery firm · Fake recovery sites we've found

Common questions

How much does crypto recovery cost?
It depends on who you hire and how complex your case is. Lawyers usually charge hourly or a retainer, tracing firms charge a fixed fee for a report, and full-service recovery firms charge a fee that covers the whole case, often plus a percentage of what's recovered. Reporting to law enforcement is free.
Is there free crypto recovery?
Reporting to law enforcement is free, and you should always do it. Beyond that, be careful with "free" recovery offers: fake services often start free, then ask for fees, taxes or crypto payments before you can supposedly get your money back.
Do crypto recovery companies work on contingency?
Rarely, for scam cases. Tracing and recovering stolen funds takes hundreds of hours of work before any money comes back. Services that say they'll work only for a share of what's recovered often add fees later, or lack the experience to recover funds across borders. Percentage-only pricing is common for unlocking your own wallet, not for scams.
Why pay before the money is recovered?
Because the work happens first. Your funds have to be traced and the institutions holding them pressed to act before anything comes back. That's why a legitimate firm charges for the work under a written agreement, with clear refund terms, and takes payment by card, ACH or wire, never crypto.
What does Van Orton Recovery charge?
Your case assessment is free. If you go ahead, you pay one flat fee set for your case and quoted before you decide: half when you sign the agreement and half when recovery efforts begin. On top of that, 5% only of what's recovered. The flat fee is covered by a 30-day refund guarantee, and we take cases from $10,000 in losses.

Get your free case assessment and a quote for your case, usually within hours. No obligation.

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