The Compensation Tracker · 11 programsReviewed June 2026
Some scams pay their victims back. The hard part is knowing which — and that it's free.
When authorities seize money from a fraud, they often open an official process to return it — but the funds are scattered across agencies, the deadlines are quiet, and most victims never hear. This tracker pulls them into one place: which major schemes have a real payout, whether it's open or closed, and how to claim. One rule holds across every row — a genuine program never charges you a fee.
2
Open now with a claim window
$586M
In the largest open fund (Western Union)
FREE
What a real claim ever costs
Two big programs are open right now. Reviewed June 2026; every program sourced to its official page below. Free to share with credit.
How to read this.OPEN = accepting claims now. ROLLING = ongoing, no single fixed deadline. CLOSED = the window has passed (listed so you don't get lured by a fake "reopened" version). Tap any program for its official source. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm on the official page before acting.
Government victim-compensation (remission & redress)
Money the government seized from a fraud, returned to victims through an official process. These are the ones worth acting on first.
OneCoin
OPEN
Fake-crypto Ponzi (~$4B, 2014–2019) · US DOJ remission (admin: Kroll)
Funds $40M+ available
When Deadline 30 June 2026
Who Invested 2014–2019 with a net loss — worldwide victims qualify. Free, no lawyer.
A different mechanism: these aren't government compensation but creditor repayments run by court-appointed administrators. Recovery is based on the value of your balance on the date the platform failed — not today's price — and the deadline to file a claim has usually already passed.
Last reviewed June 2026. Programs open, close and change — always confirm on the linked official page before acting. Bankruptcy figures are as reported by each estate. This is general information, not legal advice.
How to claim safely — without falling for the second scam
The single most useful fact on this page is that real compensation is free. Everything else follows from it.
1Find your scheme above and use only the official link. If your scam is on the list and OPEN, go straight to the official claim channel linked in its row — a .gov page or its named administrator. Type it yourself; don't follow a link from an unsolicited email or DM.
2Confirm eligibility and the deadline. Each program has its own window and rules (dates, net-loss calculation, which transactions count). Read them on the official page before you file, and don't leave an open deadline to the last week.
3Gather proof of payment. Bank and wire records, card statements, receipts, account screenshots, and any record of money you got back. A claim backed by records is far stronger than one from memory.
4File it yourself — it's free. Every legitimate program here is free to claim. You do not need a 'recovery agent' or a lawyer to file, and no real program charges an upfront fee to release your money.
5Treat any 'recovery' offer as the next scam. Once compensation is in the news, fraudsters target the same victims, posing as agents, lawyers or officials who'll 'unlock' your payout for a fee. The FBI warns they even impersonate its own IC3. Run any such offer through a scam check before you reply.
The recovery scam, in one line. The moment a payout makes the news, fraudsters use it as bait — fake "recovery agents", "asset-recovery lawyers" and officials who promise to unlock your money for an upfront fee. The FBI has warned they even impersonate its own IC3 complaint center. No real program charges a fee, and none cold-contacts you. We break the con down in how recovery scams work.
Is there really a fund to compensate scam victims?
Sometimes — it depends on the specific scheme. When authorities seize money from a fraud (through criminal forfeiture, an FTC or SEC enforcement case, or a bankruptcy estate), they often set up an official process to return it to victims. This tracker lists the major ones and whether each is open, rolling, or closed. The most important rule: a real compensation program is always free. If you have to pay a fee to claim, it is not the real program — it is a second scam aimed at people who already lost money.
How do I know a compensation offer is real and not another scam?
Three tests. First, it never charges you — the FTC and FBI are explicit that no legitimate program asks for an upfront 'fee', 'tax', 'retainer', or 'release charge' to send your money. Second, you go to it; it doesn't cold-call or DM you out of the blue. Third, the claim runs through an official .gov-linked administrator (like a DOJ remission site or the FTC's refund page), not a lookalike website or a 'recovery agent'. If any of those three is off, stop.
Can victims outside the US claim from these programs?
Often, yes. Several of the largest programs are explicitly worldwide: the OneCoin remission and the Western Union remission both accept international victims, and the BitConnect restitution reached victims in 40+ countries. US-based fraud frequently has global victims, and the forfeited money is meant to go back to them wherever they are. Always check the eligibility on the official page for the specific program.
Is a bankruptcy repayment (FTX, Celsius, Voyager) the same as government compensation?
No, and the difference matters. Programs like the OneCoin, Western Union or MoneyGram remissions are run by the government from money seized in fraud cases. FTX, Celsius and Voyager are bankruptcy repayments run by court-appointed administrators — you're a creditor of the estate, recovery is based on the value of your balance on the date the company failed (not today's crypto price), and the deadline to file a claim has usually already passed. We list them separately for that reason.
I missed the deadline / my scheme isn't listed. Is there anything I can do?
Possibly. Even with no dedicated fund, report the fraud — to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI at IC3.gov (or your country's equivalent) — because reports feed the investigations that create these funds in the first place. Check whether your card or bank can still dispute the payment, and watch the FTC's live refund list, which adds new programs regularly. What you should not do is pay anyone who promises to recover it for a fee.
Got a "compensation" or "recovery" offer, and not sure it's real? Send it to us first.
Paste the email, the website, or the "agent" who contacted you. A real expert reviews every case and replies within 24 hours. Free, confidential, no pressure.
