The Maui Police Department is warning the public about a scam involving individuals who contact victims directly or through online advertisements, offering so-called “recovery services.”

Recovery scams target people who have already been victims of fraud, with scammers claiming they can recover lost funds and retrieve the victims’ money. These individuals often present themselves as “recovery agents,” hackers or investigators who specialize in retrieving stolen funds. In other instances, they may impersonate law enforcement officers, government officials or attorneys in an effort to appear legitimate.

These scams are advance-fee frauds, as they request payments for various fees, inventing new reasons to extract more money from victims.

If you believe you are communicating with a recovery scammer, cease contact immediately, block the individual and remain cautious of unsolicited calls, emails or messages.

To help protect yourself, never share personal or financial information with anyone you do not know or trust. Always verify the identity of individuals or organizations before responding to requests related to recovering funds, and be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true.

Anyone who may have provided personal or financial information to a “recovery service company/representative” is encouraged to contact their financial institution immediately, monitor their accounts for suspicious activity, and report it to the Maui Police Department at (808) 244-6400.