A company called 'Recovery Squad' is asking for a 'capital gains tax' fee – is this another scam?

Oh Ethan, this really sounds like a classic recovery scam, I'm so sorry you're going through this. Seriously, the 'capital gains tax' is a HUGE red flag. No legitimate authority or recovery firm would ever ask you to pay taxes on *recovered* stolen funds, especially not directly into a crypto wallet. Think about it logically: if they recovered your money, why can't they just deduct the 'tax' from the recovered amount? They can't, because there is no recovered amount. It's a tactic to get more money out of you. This is how these secondary scams work; they target people who have already lost money because your contact info gets shared, and they know you're desperate. Stay away from 'Recovery Squad'. If you're based in South Africa, maybe try checking out official channels through FSCA or even like, a consumer watchdog group. They won't ask for upfront fees. Never pay to recover funds.

Hey Ethan, from one South African to another, please listen to your gut. This is 100% a recovery scam. These guys prey on us when we're vulnerable. I know a few people here in PE who got caught by these exact tactics after losing money to fake investments. The 'capital gains tax' is a made-up fee. Real recovery firms, if they even exist for this kind of scam, would work with legal channels and typically take a percentage *after* successful recovery, not an upfront fee like this. And never, ever crypto. Block them, and maybe report them to consumer protection groups here. Sucks this is happening to you again.

Ugh, Ethan, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. Literally the exact thing happened to me after I lost some money on a fake investment platform. Some 'company' contacted me, super professional and all, had my details, felt so real. They said they got my funds back but needed a 'release fee' for some obscure legal reason. I paid it, lost more money. It's a trap. If they ask *you* to pay *them* anything to get *your* money back, it's a scam. Full stop. Don't fall for it like i did.

Yeah, dude, sounds super fishy. 'Capital gains tax' on *recovered* money from a scam? That's just wild. The crypto wallet for payment? Another massive red flag. Real tax authorities don't collect taxes via crypto unless maybe you're like, a huge multinational crypto firm, but not for an individual in this scenario. These guys prey on desperation. They get your info from the initial scammers who sell victim lists. Do not pay them anything.

Ethan, it sounds like you are being targeted by a secondary scam. This is sadly very common. The fact that they have details about your original scam is a tactic to build credibility; often victim lists are shared or sold among scam rings. No legitimate recovery process, whether through law enforcement or a reputable legal firm, will ask for an upfront 'capital gains tax' payment to a crypto wallet. This is a classic advance fee scam. Please do not send them any money. I know it's hard when you're hoping for a solution, but protecting yourself from further loss is crucial now.

Damn, this hit home. I fell for something similar, man. Lost about $5k to the initial scam, then some 'recovery agent' contacted me with all the right info. They just needed a 'transaction verification fee' paid through a *gift card*. Yeah, I know, sounded dumb at the time but I was so confused and just wanted my money back. Lost another $500. It's totally fake. If they aren't working on contingency or if they ask for any upfront fees, especially 'taxes' they can't deduct, run a mile. Stay strong.

Oh man, that's almost exactly what happened to me. I lost a bunch to a crypto scam and then got contacted by a 'firm' that claimed they track blockchain. They even showed me screenshots, looked official. But then they wanted a 'liquidity fee' to unlock my funds. My partner was super skeptical, thankfully. We did some digging and realized it was total BS. Nobody asks for weird fees paid in crypto to get *your* money back. Your gut is right. It's another scam. Don't engage with them anymore.

Yeah, Ethan, your gut feeling is spot on. 'Capital gains tax' on recovered stolen money? Paid into a crypto wallet? Come on, that's like three massive red flags all in one sentence. It's definitely a recovery scam. They're trying to double-dip. Don't give them a single rand. Seriously, block them and report them to Action Fraud or whatever the equivalent is there in SA. These people are ruthless.

Chiming in from PE too, Ethan. It's a scam, my bru. These 'Recovery Squad' types are like vultures. They get your details from underground lists passed around by the original scammers. They know you're hurting and they play on that hope. The capital gains tax thing is a fake fee. Any legitimate financial recovery would involve actual legal or banking processes, not weird crypto payments for 'taxes'. Do not send them a cent. You'll just be throwing good money after bad. Cut all communication with them, seriously.

Oh man, Ethan, that's brutal. I am so, so sorry you're going through this again. It's definitely a recovery scam. That 'capital gains tax' is a complete fabrication designed to extract more money from you. They'll keep asking for more 'fees' if you pay this one: 'transfer fees,' 'legal fees,' 'insurance fees' – it's endless. I got conned by a similar group called MoneyBack Hero (shocker, right?) after my initial scam. They had my details, seemed legit, but then wanted an 'administrative release fee' through some dodgy payment portal. Lost more. Don't let them do it to you.

Ugh, another one. 'Recovery Squad' sounds exactly like the hundreds of 'recovery' scams that prey on victims of original investment fraud. Ngl, the capital gains tax angle is a classic move. Tax is levied on *profit*, not on recovered capital. And even if there *were* theoretically some tax to pay, it would be to the actual tax authority (like the SARS in South Africa, or HMRC in the UK), not some random company demanding crypto into a wallet. This is a textbook double-tap scam. They find your initial report/details, then pose as rescuers to fleece you again.

Oh, honey, I am so sorry you're going through this. It's absolutely devastating to lose money like that, and the hope these people dangle is just cruel. That R15k they're asking for? Definitely a red flag. They want you to pay into a crypto wallet? HUGE red flag. Real recovery companies, if they even exist at this point for crypto, don't operate like that. Please, please do not send them any more money. Your gut is right.

Hmm, 'Recovery Squad' and 'capital gains tax' on recovered funds? Smells fishy. They often get your info from records of past scams that got reported. The tax part is the twist to make it sound legitimate, but recovery firms don't typically ask for taxes upfront, and certainly not into a crypto wallet. That's usually a sign the money is gone forever. Is there any official-looking company registration number they provided? Or a physical address? I'd be very cautious.

Oh, that sounds so stressful! It’s completely understandable why you’d be hoping, but you’re right to be suspicious. That capital gains tax they’re asking for is a common trick. They see you’ve been scammed once and try to hit you again. Please don’t pay them. You did the right thing reporting it the first time. Maybe look into reporting this new company to the FTC or your local consumer protection agency?

Oh no, this sounds like a classic double scam. I've seen similar stories online. The first scam takes your money, and then these 'recovery' companies pop up like weeds, often using the same details of the original scam to gain your trust. Asking for tax on money you *haven't even received yet* is a massive red flag. And paying that into a crypto wallet? No legitimate entity would do that. It's designed to make the money vanish again. So sorry you're in this position.

Girl, I feel for you. Losing R80k is no joke, and then having these vultures circle… just awful. That capital gains tax bit is a total scammy tactic. They are essentially trying to pull the wool over your eyes *again*. And the crypto wallet? It's like they're shouting 'we're criminals!' If they were legit, they wouldn't be asking for payment via crypto for some supposed tax. Stay strong, don't send them another cent. Your gut is your best guide here.

I'm the same. Lost R100k last year, felt like my world ended. Then these calls started. 'We have your funds, just need a small fee for admin/taxes.' I almost sent R20k to someone who called themselves 'Global Refund Agency' last month - they even had my old passport scanned details (!), must've been from the first scam. Thank God my sister talked me out of it. That R15k they want? It's them trying to steal from you again. I hope you don't send it. Don't let them scam you twice.

This structure is incredibly common in the recovery scam ecosystem. The 'Recovery Squad' is almost certainly not a recovery service but an entity that *capitalizes* on victims of known scams. They might use sophisticated methods like social engineering, or sometimes they even buy victim data from the dark web. The details they have? Likely from the original scam group or from leaked databases. Asking for 'capital gains tax' on recovered funds is financial sleight of hand. Legitimate tax obligations are filed with government bodies, not paid discreetly to intermediaries via crypto. Any communication should be met with extreme skepticism. *Practical tip*: If you're looking for legitimate recourse, report the *new* scam attempt to the FTC (or your country's equivalent consumer protection agency). They track these patterns.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's a terrible situation to be in, and it's completely natural to want your money back. However, this 'Recovery Squad' is definitely a scam. They are targeting people who have already lost money. They use information from the original scams to make themselves look credible. The capital gains tax they mentioned is not real in this context. Please do not pay them. You did the right thing by reporting the first scam. Keep that spirit of reporting going – perhaps report this new company to Action Fraud?

Non, non, non. This is a trap. 'Recovery Squad'? 'Capital gains tax' for crypto money? Sacre bleu! They are vultures, feeding on your pain. My cousin lost money to a forex scam, and then a 'recovery' company called 'Funds Recovery Group' contacted him. Offered to get his money back, but needed an 'interim processing fee' first. He paid €5,000. They vanished. Poof! Never seen again. This is the same thing. Do *not* pay them. It's always into a crypto wallet, too. So they can disappear.

Wait — are you serious? 'Recovery Squad'? This sounds like the classic 'advance fee' scam, just repackaged. They try to get you when you're at your lowest. This 'capital gains tax' is a fabrication to scare you into paying *again*. You pay tax on actual profits you've *realized*, not on money you're supposedly getting back from a scam. And paying into a crypto wallet is the biggest red flag of all. They want untraceable funds. You're better off reporting them to the FBI IC3 and forgetting about 'Recovery Squad'.

Oh lord, this same thing is happening to people back home. My mate Darren in Dublin was contacted by something called 'Refund Police' after he got scammed on a fake job site. They said they had his money but needed a 'compliance fee' first – R10,000. He nearly paid it! It's a total scam, always a scam. They get your info from when you report the first time or from data breaches. That capital gains tax is nonsense. Never pay any fees to get your money back; that's what the official channels are for, not these dodgy outfits.

Ugh, this smells so bad. 'Recovery Squad' sounds like those scam outfits that try to trick you twice. I lost a bit to a fake investment thing a few years back, and then I got emails from places like 'MoneyBack Hero' saying they could recover it. They always wanted some kind of fee upfront. That whole 'capital gains tax' thing? It's made up. Real taxes don't work like that, especially not on recovered scam money. And paying into a crypto wallet is an instant no-go. They just want to steal from you again.

This is a textbook recovery scam. The 'Recovery Squad' is likely a front for the same scammers or a related group. They leverage the details of your initial loss to build false credibility. The 'capital gains tax' is a fabricated hurdle. No legitimate recovery process involves paying tax *before* receiving recovered funds, and certainly not to a private entity in crypto. If any tax were due, it would be processed through official government channels after you've actually received the funds. Report this new attempt to the relevant authorities, like your country's financial crime unit. Don't pay them a cent.

Don't fall for it, mate. I've seen this too many times. These 'recovery' companies are just predators. They're really good at sounding convincing and often have some details about your original scam – that's how they hook you. But that capital gains tax story? It's pure bunk. You don't pay taxes on money you haven't received yet, and definitely not into a crypto wallet like that. It's designed to look official but is all about taking your money again. Block them and ignore.

Oh wow, reading this brought back memories. I lost about £30k on a forex scam back in 2021. Felt utterly broken. Then, about six months later, I got an email from 'Claims Justice' saying they'd tracked the scammers and could get my money back, but I needed to pay a 'legal processing fee'. Nearly fell for it. My dad stopped me. He's an accountant and said it was nonsense. So yes, you're right to be suspicious. That 'capital gains tax' is likely a lie. They are hoping you're desperate enough to pay again.

I was contacted by a similar group after I lost money to an investment scam last year. They called themselves 'Global Asset Recovery' and wanted an 'escrow fee' to release my funds. They even sent me a fake-looking bank statement! I almost sent them the R20,000 they asked for. Thankfully, I remembered reading about these types of scams and reported them to the FBI IC3. Nothing came of it directly for me, but it's worth reporting these crooks so they can track them. Don't send them any crypto!

My heart goes out to you. This is horrible. That R15,000 sounds like the exact amount they'd ask for to make you feel like it's a reasonable 'tax'. It's a cruel trick. I was approached by someone after my bitcoin scam, and they wanted a 'verification fee.' They knew the exact amount I lost and the platform I used. God, it's so hard when you're hurting. But please, please don't send them anything. You did the right thing reporting the first time. Don't let them profit from your pain.

So sorry to hear this. It’s disgusting how these people prey on victims. That capital gains tax story is a scam, plain and simple. They use the details of your original loss to seem legitimate and then hit you with a fake fee. Paying into a crypto wallet is a massive red flag. They operate like this so the money disappears instantly and cannot be traced. You did the right thing reporting the first scam. Keep fighting the good fight, maybe report this new company to Action Fraud or a similar body.

Man, this echoes my experience almost exactly. I lost R50k to a fake USDT platform, felt like such an idiot. Then, maybe 3 months later, I got an email from 'Recovery Specialists' (similar name, right?) saying they recovered my funds but needed me to pay a 'regulatory compliance fee' of R12,000, paid in Bitcoin. They even sent me a fake letterhead with my case number! My wife saw the email and immediately said it was another scam. She was right. It's a common trap they throw at us when we're desperate. Don't pay it. Seriously.