Asked to Pay Extra Fees to Unlock Withdrawal
A platform or person is asking you to deposit more funds in order to unlock or release your withdrawal.
This guide covers 5 verified steps to resolve "Asked to Pay Extra Fees to Unlock Withdrawal". Follow each step in order before moving to the next. If the steps below don't resolve your issue, use the community support options at the bottom of this page.
Understand What's Happening
This is one of the most common crypto fraud patterns. Legitimate platforms NEVER require you to deposit additional funds to unlock or release an existing withdrawal. Taxes, fees, and insurance are never collected this way.
Do Not Send Any More Funds
Stop all communication and do not send a single dollar more. Every additional payment will be followed by another excuse and another required payment. There is no unlock — the original funds are already gone.
Preserve All Evidence
Screenshot every conversation, transaction, and communication. Save wallet addresses you were given, website URLs, and any emails or chat logs. This is needed for any report or investigation.
Report the Incident
File reports with: your country's cybercrime authority (FBI IC3 in the US, Action Fraud in the UK), the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and chainabuse.com with the scammer's wallet addresses.
Seek Legitimate Help Only
Be aware that "recovery agents" who promise to get your funds back for an upfront fee are almost always a second scam targeting victims. Blockchain transactions are irreversible — no legitimate service can undo them.