A company called 'Reclaim Asset Solutions' wants 'verification costs' - another scam or actually real?

Oh George, this is a classic move, I'm really sorry to say. Pretty much *any* company that contacts you out of the blue, claiming they've found your scammed funds and asking for an upfront fee to release them, is a scam. This 'verification cost' is just a fancy name for an advance fee – they'll take your £850 and then just disappear, or come up with another 'fee' for something else. Real recovery agencies or law enforcement don't operate like this. They wouldn't ask for money from you to recover funds they've supposedly already located. You've already done the right thing by reporting to the police and the FCA. Keep an eye on the official FCA warnings list (or ASIC if you were in Australia, FTC if USA) because these fake recovery firms often get listed there eventually. Do not pay them a penny.

Oh honey, my heart goes out to you. That feeling of hope when you think you might get your money back, and then that crushing doubt... it's just awful. It's so hard to trust anyone after you've been ripped off once. Your partner is right to be suspicious. It's really, really common for the same scammers, or groups related to them, to target victims again, knowing they're desperate. Please, please don't pay them. If they really had your money, they could just deduct their fee from the recovered amount. Them asking for money upfront is a massive red flag. Stay strong and don't let them trick you again.

Yeah, this is a definite no-go. I've seen this exact scenario play out countless times. 'Verification cost,' 'release fee,' 'tax fee,' 'admin fee' – it's all the same trick. They dangle the carrot of your lost money right in front of you, just out of reach, and then try to get you to pay more to grab it. The 'detailed email' and 'tracking info' are just smoke and mirrors to make it look legit. Think about it: if they actually had your funds, why couldn't they just take their £850 from the £12k they supposedly found? They can't, because there's no £12k. It's a second scam, pure and simple. Don't fall for it again.

Ugh, this brings back bad memories. I went through something similar after my forex scam. Got contacted by a company called Claims Justice, also with a very convincing email saying they'd traced my funds. They wanted an 'investigation fee' of €500. I actually paid it, because I was so desperate and embarrassed about the first scam. Guess what? Never heard from them again. Lesson learned the hard way. George, don't be me. It's 100% a follow-up scam. They prey on the hope and desperation of victims. It's absolutely disgusting. Block their emails and numbers.

Right, so let me get this straight. You lost money, reported it, and now some randos email you saying they have your money but you gotta pay them first? Does that sound like a trustworthy operation to you, mate? I didn't think so. That's a classic advance-fee scam layered on top of your original scam. Any legitimate entity, like a court or a regulator, wouldn't demand payment to *release* funds they've recovered. They'd either return it directly or deduct any legitimate fees from the amount, not ask for cash upfront. Your partner's spot on. It's a scam.

George, it's critical to understand the modus operandi of these 'recovery' scams. They specifically target individuals like yourself who have already suffered a financial loss, because they know you're vulnerable and eager for a resolution. The 'detailed email' and 'tracking info' are fabricated to build credibility. The request for a 'verification cost' or any other upfront payment (e.g., 'tax', 'legal fees', 'transfer fees') is the defining characteristic of a recovery scam. Legitimate financial recovery process, typically initiated through official channels or a reputable lawyer you *contact yourself*, would never require an upfront payment to *release* already 'traced' funds. The actual scammer often sells your details to these 'recovery' firms, or they are the same group. Immediately cease all communication with 'Reclaim Asset Solutions'. Do not click any links or download any attachments from them. Report this new attempt to the FCA as well, as they maintain a list of known fraudulent companies.

Oh god, this is too familiar. Happened to me too, after I lost about $7k to a dodgy FX platform. I was literally in tears when 'MoneyBack Hero' contacted me saying they could help. They pushed for a 'retainer' fee of about $1000, saying it was for legal paperwork. My gut was screaming no, but I was so desperate. Luckily my sister talked me out of it at the last minute. After I ignored them, they got *very* aggressive with their emails. Please, George, listen to your gut, and your partner. It's a scam to take more money from you. They're just preying on your vulnerability.

Absolutely a scam, George. No legitimate recovery service, regulator, or law enforcement agency will ever ask for an upfront fee to return money that has been recovered. This is the golden rule you need to engrave in your mind. The 'verification cost' is purely designed to extract more money from you. The 'tracking info' is fake; it's a social engineering tactic to create a sense of urgency and false hope. The original scammers often sell lists of their victims to other scammer groups, or they run these 'recovery' operations themselves. You did well reporting to the FCA. Continue to ignore and block these new scam attempts. Your best safeguard now is knowledge and vigilance.

Danger, danger! This is a classic 'advance fee' scam, plain and simple. They're called recovery scammers and they specifically target people who've already been scammed because they know you're at your most vulnerable. They'll ask for some kind of fee – 'verification', 'legal', 'tax', 'transfer' – and once you pay it, they'll disappear. Or they'll invent *another* fee. There's no actual money waiting for you. It's just a way to make you lose even more. Your partner's completely right. Don't engage with them, don't send any more money. Report this contact to Action Fraud if you haven't already, alongside your initial report to the police.

Ugh, 'Reclaim Asset Solutions' sounds exactly like the kind of fake name they come up with. After I lost a chunk in a binary options scam years ago, I got about five different recovery companies contact me. Every single one asked for some kind of upfront payment. One even wanted me to pay in crypto – like, after I just lost crypto! Hilarious, right? Not really, lol. I learned to just delete and block them. It sounds like this is the same old trick. If there's real money, they deduct it from the recovered amount, they don't make you pay more out of your own pocket. Don't get caught twice.