If you’ve lost money to an advanced fee scam, you’re not alone — and with the right support, you may be able to get your money back. We’re here to help guide you through the process and protect you from further harm.
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Advanced fee fraud tricks people into paying money upfront for goods, services, or opportunities that never arrive. This could be anything from concert tickets, a deposit on a vehicle, or even supposed taxes to access an inheritance.
The scammer promises a reward but fails to deliver.
Be cautious if you’re asked to pay money upfront, especially if the offer sounds too good to be true. Trust your instincts — if something feels wrong, it probably is. Here are some common red flags to look out for:
Unexpected emails, calls, letters, or messages claiming to be from real companies or offering unbelievable deals.
Scammers want money before providing any goods or services.
Scammers often clone real platforms or create fake websites to look trustworthy. Always double-check if a website is legitimate and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Scammers rush you to make decisions without time to think or ask for advice. Always take your time and consult someone you trust.
Scam messages often contain errors that genuine organisations would avoid.
Payments in cryptocurrencies are hard to trace and recover, making them a favourite tool for scammers.
Fraudsters pose as tradespeople — like roofers, builders, or gardeners — offering urgent work and asking for full or partial payment upfront, often for materials. Once paid, they delay the work or vanish. Always check credentials, get quotes in writing, and never pay the full amount upfront.
Criminals advertise properties for rent and ask for a security deposit before you’ve seen the home. Sometimes the property doesn’t exist or is rented to multiple victims at once. Always visit a property or ask a trusted person to inspect it before paying anything.
These scams offer large sums of money in exchange for help moving funds or investments but require upfront fees that keep increasing. These are often called “Nigerian Prince” scams. Never pay fees for such offers.
Scammers advertise high-paying jobs with minimal hours but ask you to pay upfront for equipment. You may get nothing or faulty goods in return. Legitimate companies rarely ask employees to buy their own tools.
Fraudsters claim to have special knowledge and ask for payment upfront to solve fake problems. Be careful about sharing personal details online, and never pay for psychic advice or clairvoyant readings.
Scammers pose as lawyers telling you that a distant relative left you an inheritance. They ask for fees, taxes, or legal costs upfront — fees that keep increasing until the scammer disappears. Always verify such claims independently.
After falling victim to a scam, you might be contacted by fraud recovery scammers pretending to help. They often use your personal details to sound convincing. Only trust verified experts, such as CEL Solicitors.
Buying tickets through unofficial platforms can lead to invalid tickets and lost money. Use trusted sellers like Ticketmaster for resales to avoid losing out.
Scammers use many ways to find victims: spam emails, phone calls, text messages, social media, and online marketplaces. They adjust their approach depending on the scam type. If you’re contacted by someone you don’t know offering an opportunity that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Never pay upfront without verifying who you’re dealing with. Always use reputable platforms and personally check any property, vehicle, or item before handing over money.
If you’ve been caught in an advance fee scam, notify your bank and the police as soon as possible. CEL Solicitors are experts in helping people recover money lost to advanced fee fraud. If your bank refuses to help, we will fight for you.
Thousands of people across the UK have already trusted us to recover funds lost to these scams — we’ll provide you with compassionate, expert support every step of the way. Just Tell CEL.
Speak to our friendly team today. You are not alone, and you may have a case.
At CEL Solicitors, we have a dedicated team of financial recovery experts who specialise in helping clients recover money lost to scammers.
We carefully review all the financial transactions related to your case. If we find that a financial institution could have done more to protect you from fraud, we will make a formal complaint on your behalf and seek compensation.
If the scammer can be identified and has assets, we can also take legal action against them to recover your money.
While every case is different and recovery is not always guaranteed, we are relentless in supporting you to get the best possible outcome.
Yes, we can help trace and recover money lost to cryptocurrency scams.
Our experts use specialised software called Chainalysis Reactor to follow the trail of cryptocurrency transactions on the blockchain. This helps us identify where the funds have gone, often to a crypto asset exchange provider, so we can work on recovering them for you.
Yes, you can contact your bank or financial institution directly to try to recover your money. If you’re unhappy with their response, you have the right to make a formal complaint.
However, if you choose to work with us, we bring technical knowledge and legal expertise to give you the best chance of success. We’ll handle the complex steps for you and can represent you if the case needs to go to court.
You’re not alone in this — we’re here to guide and support you every step of the way.
No, we work on a no-win, no-fee basis. If we are unsuccessful in recovering your money then you won’t pay us a penny. We also offer free initial, no-obligation advice so you have nothing to lose by getting in touch with one of our friendly advisors today. We can start working on your case as soon as you formally instruct us, and our paperwork has been signed. Additionally, you have a 14-day cooling-off period, after you’ve signed our initial documents if you change your mind.
When you’re dealing with a legal issue, whether it’s a scam, a housing dispute, or a case of professional negligence, it’s important to know you’re in safe hands.
We understand that many of our clients come to us after being misled, mistreated, or let down. It’s only natural to feel cautious when choosing a law firm to support you.
CEL Solicitors is a fully regulated law firm. We don’t ask for any upfront payments, and we work on a no-win, no-fee basis wherever possible, meaning you won’t pay us a penny unless your claim is successful.
You can confirm that CEL Solicitors is genuine by checking our credentials:
We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Our SRA number is 633955.
CEL Solicitors is a trading name of Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited (company number: 10370954).
You’ll find us listed on the SRA’s official Solicitors Register – just click the SRA badge at the bottom of this page or visit the SRA website.
We’re also listed on the Law Society’s ‘Find a Solicitor’ tool. This is a free and trusted way to check legal professionals.
If you’re ever unsure, just tell CEL. We’ll help you verify everything for yourself.
We use a variety of approaches to help recover your money, tailored to your specific case.
First, we investigate whether the financial institution involved could have done more to detect or prevent the fraud. If so, we make a formal complaint and seek compensation from them.
If the scammer can be identified and has assets, we can take legal action to recover funds directly from them.
To support this, we work with specialist forensic accountants who trace where the money has gone. We also have a trusted network of law firms around the world to help recover funds hidden offshore or in other countries.
Our team is committed to pursuing every possible avenue to get your money back.
“No-win, no-fee” means you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.
There are no upfront costs and no hidden charges. If your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t owe us a penny. If we win, our fees will be taken from the compensation we recover for you — and we’ll explain all of this clearly before you sign anything.
It’s a simple promise: if you don’t win, you don’t pay.
It’s common to feel responsible if you authorised a payment that turned out to be fraudulent. You might think there’s nothing you can do, especially if your bank has refused to refund you.
But don’t lose hope. We specialise in the financial rules, regulations, codes of conduct, and legal processes that can help challenge those decisions and recover your money.
Our expertise is why our fraud recovery success rate is so high — and why many clients who initially thought they had no options have been able to get their money back.
If you’re worried about fault, just tell CEL. We’ll guide you through your options with care and honesty.
At CEL Solicitors, we help clients recover money lost to a wide range of Authorised Push Payment (APP) frauds. These scams trick you into authorising payments to fraudsters, often through highly convincing stories or pressure tactics. Common types include:
Investment scams: Promises of high returns through trading, cryptocurrency, or other ‘opportunities’ that turn out to be fake.
Impersonation scams: Fraudsters posing as trusted organisations like banks, the police, HMRC, or utility companies to get you to send money.
Romance scams: Scammers build trust by pretending to be a romantic partner, often overseas, before asking for financial help.
Crypto scams: Fake cryptocurrency investments or exchanges designed to steal your funds.
Advanced fee fraud: Requests for upfront fees to release non-existent loans, prizes, or inheritances.
Purchase scams: Payment for goods or services that never arrive, such as vehicles or electronics.
Invoice scams: Fake or altered invoices sent to businesses or individuals to divert payments.
Job scams: Fraudulent job offers requiring you to pay fees or provide money upfront.
If you’ve been targeted by any of these scams or similar ones, you’re not alone — and we’re here to help you take back control and recover what you’ve lost.
Get in touch now to see how we can help you recover from fraud.