5public.com Scam — How I Lost And Got Back My Stolen Cryptocurrency 

I'm sharing this because I spent a long time scrolling through reddit and crypto forums after I got scammed by 5public.com but hardly found anything  helpful, I hope this review helps someone out there going through the same thing. 

A few months ago, I was introduced through Facebook to what appeared to be a legitimate cryptocurrency investment opportunity involving a platform called 5public.com. At the time, nothing about it seemed suspicious. The people I communicated with were quite knowledgeable, and never came across as pushy. They explained how cryptocurrency markets worked, discussed broader financial topics, and gradually built confidence that they knew exactly what they were doing.

5public.com looked legitimate. It had live foreign exchange and cryptocurrency charts, transaction records, customer support, and what appeared to be a thriving community of investors. Looking back now, I realize that every aspect of it was carefully designed to create trust.

After spending considerable time researching cryptocurrency investments and asking questions, I eventually decided to invest. I transferred $25,050, which was converted into Bitcoin and sent to the wallet address they provided. I remember feeling nervous when I made the transfer, but also excited. I genuinely believed I was making a smart financial decision.

At first, everything appeared to work perfectly.

Within a short period, my account showed significant profits. The balance kept increasing, and the platform regularly displayed successful trades and market activity. Whenever I had questions, customer support responded quickly. They explained market fluctuations, reassured me when I expressed concerns, and made the entire experience feel legitimate.

What I didn't understand at the time was that the displayed profits were never real.

The moment everything changed was when I attempted to withdraw part of my funds. Instead of processing the withdrawal, I was informed that my account required an additional payment equal to 10% of my account balance in order to "unlock" the funds and comply with internal regulations.

I questioned why I would need to pay more money just to access money that supposedly belonged to me. The explanations I received were vague and repetitive. I was told this was standard procedure, that everyone paid these fees, and that my funds would be released immediately afterward.

Fortunately, I refused. Almost overnight, the tone of communication changed. The people who had previously responded within minutes suddenly became difficult to reach. Messages went unanswered. Customer service became evasive. Eventually, communication stopped altogether.

That was the moment I understood that I had  been defrauded.

The financial loss was painful, but what affected me most was the realization that every conversation, every reassurance, and every apparent success had been part of the scam. I replayed every interaction in my mind for weeks afterward, trying to identify the exact moment I should have recognized what was happening.

What surprised me most during my research afterward was discovering how common this type of fraud has become. I spent countless hours reading reports from other victims, reviewing warnings from financial regulators, and learning about so-called "pig butchering" and advanced fee cryptocurrency investment scams. The stories were alarmingly similar: a professional-looking platform, fabricated profits, encouragement to invest more money, and eventually a demand for additional fees before withdrawals could be processed however none of them had any information of how to get help.

So I decided to compile everything I had on 5public.com, from wallet addresses, to transaction records, phone numbers and support e-mail.

I reported the fraud through multiple channels and eventually found and enlisted the blockchain investigation services of Ciphertrace on - www.theciphertrace.com, I submitted the information I had collected and spoke with one of their investigators about the transactions that had been sent from my wallet. The conversation was actually more useful than I expected because, for the first time, someone was able to explain what likely happened to the funds after they left my account. In the following days, I provided information whenever it was requested. Using the information I provided they were able to get back most of my funds.

I am sharing my experience because these scams do not only target inexperienced people. They target trust, love and hope. The platforms can appear sophisticated, the people involved can seem genuine, and the warning signs often only become obvious after it's too late.

If you are ever asked to pay fees to access your own money, it’s probably a scam. Investigate before sending more money.

I really hope my experience helps someone out there.