Investment fraud &
digital asset
disputes.
Suspected investment fraud, a disputed cryptocurrency transfer or a platform that will not release funds? Start with a case assessment to understand the facts, the legal questions and the possible scope of further work.
ILLUSTRATIVE OFFICE & TEAM SCENES
LEGAL HELP AFTER FINANCIAL FRAUD
Lost money online?
Start with a clear legal assessment.
A blocked withdrawal. An adviser who disappears. A payment sent to an unexpected recipient. W.S. Johnson LLP focuses on investment fraud, digital asset disputes and cross-border payment issues. Tell us what happened so the relevant questions can be assessed.
Understand the loss
Bring the payments, messages and dates together into a usable account.
Assess the legal options
Identify relevant parties, jurisdictions and issues that need further investigation.
Know the scope before proceeding
Discuss proposed work, fees and practical limits before any engagement.
FIND THE SITUATION CLOSEST TO YOURS
Investment fraud. Blocked withdrawals.
Payments you now dispute.
You do not need to know the legal label. Start with the problem you recognise, explore the relevant service, or ask the team to assess your account.
CRYPTOCURRENCY & WALLET TRANSFERS
Cryptocurrency & digital asset disputes
Your wallet shows a transfer. The platform shows a balance. But your money cannot be accessed. We assess the payment trail, communications and relevant legal questions together.
- Unexplained wallet transfers or a disputed platform balance
- An investment introduced through social media or messaging
- Pressure to send more money before funds are released
COPIED IDENTITIES & PAYMENT REQUESTS
Online impersonation fraud
A convincing profile or familiar name asks you to move money. The identity behind the message may be different.
BLOCKED WITHDRAWALS
Trading platform disputes
Withdrawals are delayed, the account is restricted, or another fee is demanded before money can be released.
MISLEADING RETURNS
Investment & trading fraud
Displayed profits do not match money you can withdraw. An attractive offer has become a disputed loss.
OVERSEAS RECIPIENTS
Cross-border fraud disputes
The contact, platform and recipient are in different countries. Understand which connections matter to the dispute.
CHANGED PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Disputed payments
Recipient details have changed, a transfer is contested, or the purpose of a payment is now in dispute.
Images show illustrative scenarios, not actual client records. An assessment request does not confirm representation or a recovery outcome.
RECOGNISE THE PATTERN
The loss is real.
The displayed profits may not be.
Reported losses show the scale of the problem. The path into a scam can begin with an ordinary conversation, then progress to transfers and demands for more money.
$7.2bn
Cryptocurrency investment fraud losses reported in 2025.
181,565
Complaints involving cryptocurrency.
Reported losses, selected categories
FBI IC3 · 2025 · US dollars
Investment fraud$8.65bn
Business email compromise$3.05bn
Tech / customer support scams$2.13bn
Source: FBI IC3 2025 Annual Report, pp. 8, 11 and 53. Complaint-based data; not a worldwide total or a measure of this firm’s results.
How an online investment scam can unfold
01
A trusted-looking introduction
A social profile, unsolicited message or online relationship introduces an investment and moves the conversation to private messaging.
02
A balance that appears to grow
A convincing website displays returns. Requests for larger payments follow, even though the displayed balance may not represent accessible funds.
03
A new condition on withdrawal
When you try to withdraw, an alleged tax, verification charge or release fee is demanded. Further payments can deepen the loss.
Suspect a scam? Protect your next step.
Stop sending money to the suspected scammer. Contact the bank or exchange you used through its official channel, retain original messages and transaction records, and report suspected internet fraud to IC3. Avoid anyone promising guaranteed recovery.
Pattern and safety guidance: FBI cryptocurrency investment fraud guidance and FTC guidance after a scam. These examples do not establish the facts of an individual matter.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE WORK
Meet the team behind
your initial assessment.
Meet the attorneys and operations professionals behind W.S. Johnson LLP. Explore their backgrounds, areas of work and the role each plays in supporting a matter.
Founding Partner & Lead Attorney
Viktor Johnson
Viktor Stone Johnson
Transnational organised crime · Cryptocurrency litigation · Cross-border investigations
Attorney · Blockchain Investigations
Felix Williams
Felix Henry Williams
Blockchain tracing · Digital asset forensics · Litigation support
Partner · Victim & Consumer Protection
Cassius Smith
Cassius Reed Smith
Victim representation · Consumer protection · Fraud litigation
Team Assistant
Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith
Client intake · Case preparation · Practice operations
The team combines legal practice, blockchain investigations, consumer protection and client support.
ILLUSTRATIVE SITUATIONS
See the issue.
Understand the questions.
These scenarios explain how a dispute can be assessed. They are not reported client matters or recovery results.
An investment platform blocks a withdrawal
A displayed balance, a refused withdrawal and another payment request. Which records help explain the dispute?
A cryptocurrency transfer is disputed
The transaction is visible on-chain. The identity, instructions and purpose behind it still need to be established.
The counterparty is located overseas
Payments cross borders. The parties, destinations and connections to a possible legal route need careful assessment.
FROM INQUIRY TO AN INFORMED DECISION
A clear beginning.
An agreed next step.
01
Tell us what happened
Send a short account of the issue, important dates and the payments involved. Keep passwords and wallet recovery phrases private.
02
Clarify the relevant questions
The initial assessment considers the available records, parties, jurisdictions and what further information may be needed.
03
Agree a defined next step
Any proposed work, responsible professional, scope and fees must be confirmed before engagement. Recovery is not guaranteed.
PRACTICAL GUIDES
Before your next decision,
understand the issue.
Read about withdrawal disputes, transaction evidence and cross-border questions. General information, with editorial review status identified on each guide.
When a platform refuses a withdrawal
The questions raised by account restrictions, changing explanations and requests for additional payments.
What transaction records can and cannot show
Understand the difference between a payment trail and the evidence needed to explain a dispute.
Assessing a dispute with an overseas counterparty
Why location, recipient identity and the available records matter when a dispute crosses borders.
Before an assessment.
Your questions answered.
Understand what an assessment covers, what to prepare and how an inquiry differs from an engagement.
What types of situations can I ask about?
Inquiries may concern suspected investment fraud, digital asset losses, trading platform issues, disputed payments, online impersonation or fraud with an overseas connection. An initial assessment must establish whether the matter fits the available services and professional scope.
What does an initial case assessment cover?
The starting point is what happened, the supporting records, the parties involved and the questions you want answered. The discussion can identify missing information and a proposed scope of further work; it is not a promise of recovery or an agreement to act.
Can you guarantee recovery of lost funds?
No. An assessment can identify possible legal routes, but recovery depends on the evidence, the applicable law, the parties involved and other case-specific factors.
What should I prepare for a case assessment?
A short chronology, relevant messages, agreements, payment confirmations and account or transaction records are useful starting points. Describe the material you have in the first inquiry, then agree a channel for sharing documents. Never provide passwords, private keys or recovery phrases.
How are fees and the scope of work agreed?
The proposed work, responsibilities and fee arrangements should be explained before an engagement begins. Ask which services are included and how any additional work would be agreed. This preview does not state a fee or offer a free consultation.
Does an inquiry establish an attorney–client relationship?
No. Sending an inquiry does not establish an attorney–client relationship or confirm that the firm will act. Any formal engagement requires a separate agreement.
Describe the loss.
Ask about your options.
Explain the disputed investment, transfer or account issue. Include the parties and countries involved, the payment dates and the questions you want assessed.
What to include
-
A short account of what happened
-
The parties and countries involved
-
Relevant dates and available records