Frequently Asked Questions

PIP Agency (PIPA) is an independent non-profit organisation established to assist individuals who have suffered financial loss through fraud, misconduct, or the failure of financial platforms. We operate a structured, documented process for submitting, reviewing, and advancing fund recovery claims.

Unlike law firms or commercial recovery agents, PIPA has no financial stake in case outcomes and charges no upfront fees at the submission stage. Our reviewers are assigned solely on the basis of their expertise — not commercial incentive.

We are registered in England and Wales (Reg. No. 07645849) and operate across 38 jurisdictions, covering digital assets, offshore trading platforms, and cross-border fund transfers.

As a non-profit organisation, PIP Agency operates a transparent funding model built around three pillars:

• Success-based contributions — a 12–18% contribution applied only when a claimant successfully receives recovered funds. No recovery means no contribution at this stage.
• Case processing fees — structured fees for documentation, legal coordination, and reporting services at defined case milestones.
• Platform licensing — our case management system is licensed to law firms, regulatory bodies, and ombudsman offices on a cost-recovery basis.

All surplus income is reinvested into expanding our capacity, improving our technology, and extending support to more victims. We do not distribute profits.

PIP Agency operates as an independent claims intermediary and is not regulated as a financial services firm by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or any equivalent body. Our services do not constitute regulated financial activities under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

We are, however, registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for data protection purposes and process personal data in full compliance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We also comply with applicable anti-money laundering and sanctions regulations.

We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. If you require legal counsel, we strongly encourage you to seek independent legal representation in your jurisdiction.

Structural independence is central to how we operate. We maintain it through several mechanisms:

• Reviewers are assigned to cases based solely on jurisdictional expertise and case type — not by any party with a commercial interest in the outcome.
• Staff involved in operational or partnership functions have no access to individual case files.
• Cases are assigned through a blind assignment system: reviewers do not know the monetary value of a case prior to being assigned.
• We hold no commercial affiliations with any financial platform, broker, or recovery agent.

We assist individuals who have suffered financial loss through a range of misconduct scenarios, including:

• Online trading platforms that withheld funds, manipulated trades, or ceased operations
• Fraudulent investment schemes, including Ponzi structures and fake yield platforms
• Digital asset (cryptocurrency) fraud — including rug pulls, fake exchanges, and wallet drains
• Unauthorised withdrawals or transfers from managed accounts
• Misrepresentation of investment products or platform capabilities
• Broker misconduct including churning, overcharging, and misappropriation of funds
• Platform insolvencies where customer funds were not segregated or protected

If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, submit a claim anyway — our preliminary review will assess eligibility and inform you of the outcome.

Certain losses fall outside the scope of what PIP Agency can assist with:

• Standard market losses — losses resulting from ordinary investment risk (e.g. a stock declining in value) where no fraud or misconduct occurred.
• Legitimate business disputes — contractual disagreements with regulated service providers that have proper dispute resolution mechanisms in place.
• Self-authorised transactions — transfers you made knowingly, even if you later regretted them, without evidence of deception or coercion.
• Gambling or speculative losses — losses from licensed gambling or speculative activity where the terms were disclosed.

If you are uncertain, submit your claim and our review team will assess eligibility. You will be informed clearly if your case falls outside our mandate.

To use the PIP Agency platform, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age (or the age of legal majority in your jurisdiction)
• Have suffered a financial loss through circumstances that may involve fraud, misconduct, or platform failure
• Be able to provide accurate information about the loss and the platform or entity involved
• Not be subject to legal prohibitions on using services of this nature in your jurisdiction
• Not be a resident of a jurisdiction subject to applicable trade sanctions or embargoes

There is no minimum claim amount. We assess cases on the nature of the misconduct, not solely on the size of the loss.

You will be asked to provide the following information when submitting a claim:

• Your full name and contact email address
• The name of the platform or entity involved
• The approximate amount lost and the currency
• The dates of your interactions with the platform
• A description of what happened — how funds were deposited, and why you were unable to withdraw
• The deposit methods used (bank transfer, crypto, card, etc.)
• Any names of individuals who communicated with you on behalf of the platform

Incomplete submissions are accepted. If information is missing, we will contact you during the review phase to request it. It is better to submit what you have than to delay while gathering further details.

Supporting documentation significantly strengthens your claim. The following are most useful, though none are individually mandatory:

• Transaction records — bank statements, crypto transaction hashes, payment receipts, or account statements showing deposits made.
• Correspondence — emails, chat logs, or messages with platform representatives, including any withdrawal requests or complaints you submitted.
• Screenshots — of your account balance, platform interface, promised returns, or withdrawal refusal messages.
• Promotional materials — any marketing materials, websites, or social media posts that induced you to invest.
• Identity documents — copies of KYC documents you submitted to the platform (e.g. passport scans), which confirm the platform held your funds.

Documents can be uploaded during or after submission via the case dashboard. Accepted formats include PDF, JPG, PNG, and common document formats up to 50 MB.

The platform offers two submission modes:

• Guided template — a structured form that walks you through the key fields step by step. This is recommended for most users as it ensures all critical information is captured in a consistent format that our review team can process efficiently.
• Manual submission — a free-text description of your case in your own words. This is useful if your situation does not fit neatly into the structured template, or if you have already prepared a written account of events.

Both modes are fully supported and receive equal treatment during review. You can switch between modes before submitting. The guided template generally results in a faster initial review as the key data points are immediately structured.

Yes. If you have experienced losses through multiple platforms or in separate incidents, you should submit a separate claim for each. Each claim is reviewed independently on its own merits. When submitting, indicate clearly if there are any connections between separate cases (for example, if the same individuals were involved across multiple platforms), as this may be relevant to the review.

After submission, your claim goes through the following stages:

• Acknowledgement — you will receive a confirmation that your submission has been received. This is immediate upon submission.
• Preliminary review — within a few business days, our intake team will review your submission for completeness and initial eligibility. If additional information is needed, you will be contacted via email.
• Case assignment — eligible cases are assigned to a qualified reviewer with relevant expertise. You will be notified when this occurs.
• Case review — the reviewer assesses the case, analyses documentation, and determines the appropriate course of action. You will receive written communication at each key stage.
• Outcome notification — you will be informed of the outcome and, where applicable, the next steps in the recovery process.

All status updates are visible in your case dashboard at any time.

Processing times vary by case type and complexity. The following timelines reflect typical ranges based on our historical case data:

• Initial acknowledgement — immediate upon submission.
• Preliminary eligibility review — 3–7 business days.
• Full case review and assessment — 2–8 weeks depending on complexity, evidence volume, and jurisdictional factors.
• Active recovery coordination — highly variable. Regulatory pathway cases typically resolve in 3–9 months. Legal proceedings in multiple jurisdictions can take 12–24 months or longer.

Average total time from submission to first recovery payment (where recovery occurs) is approximately 7–11 months across all case types. Simpler single-jurisdiction cases with strong evidence have resolved in as little as 6 weeks. Complex multi-jurisdiction cases have taken over 2 years.

You will receive a written estimated timeline during the initial review phase. We will always notify you in advance of any significant change to your case timeline.

Claims are reviewed by professionals with demonstrated expertise in financial fraud, regulatory processes, digital assets, and international fund recovery. Reviewers are assigned based on the nature and jurisdiction of your case — not by any party with a commercial interest in the outcome.

No automated system makes final decisions on individual cases. Every claim receives human review. Our blind assignment process ensures reviewers are selected on expertise alone and do not know the monetary value of a case at the point of assignment.

Yes. After submission, you will have access to a case dashboard where you can view the current status of your claim, review any case updates or communications from your reviewer, upload additional documents, and track your case through each stage of the process. The dashboard is accessible at any time via wallet-based authentication — the same method used to submit your claim.

No. Submission of a claim initiates a review process only and does not guarantee the recovery of any funds. Any party that claims to guarantee recovery on behalf of PIP Agency — including individuals claiming to represent us — should be treated with extreme caution. We do not authorise any representative to make such guarantees.

Recovery depends on a number of factors entirely outside our control: the nature and evidence of the misconduct, the legal status and jurisdiction of the platform involved, the availability of recoverable assets, and decisions made by regulatory authorities or courts.

Across all cases that reached the active review stage, approximately 47% achieved at least partial recovery of funds. Full recovery (100% or more of the claimed amount) occurred in roughly 18% of advanced cases. These figures vary significantly by case type:

• Platform insolvency cases — partial recovery rate ~35%, depending on insolvency proceedings
• Regulated broker misconduct — highest success rate, ~65%, where clear regulatory breaches are documented
• Crypto / digital asset fraud — ~28%, improving as blockchain forensics improve
• Offshore unregulated platforms — ~22%, highly dependent on jurisdiction and asset traceability

Factors that generally improve prospects include strong documentary evidence, a recently active platform, regulatory attention on the entity, a relatively recent loss, and multiple claimants from the same platform.

We will give you an honest written assessment during the review phase. We do not encourage claims we believe have no realistic prospect of advancing, and we will tell you clearly if we assess your case as low-probability.

If your claim cannot advance — either because it falls outside our scope or because the evidence does not support progression — you will receive a written explanation of the decision, including the specific reasons.

A rejection by PIP Agency does not prevent you from pursuing other avenues. We will, where possible, signpost you to alternative resources: relevant regulatory bodies, financial ombudsman services, consumer protection agencies, or specialist legal services that may be better placed to assist your situation.

You may resubmit a claim if you obtain significant new evidence that was not available during the original review.

Yes. You may withdraw your claim at any time by contacting our support team at support@pip-agency.com. Please include your case reference number in your request.

If your case has already progressed to active coordination with third parties on your behalf, we will advise you on the appropriate procedure. Withdrawal does not prevent you from resubmitting in the future, subject to any applicable time limitations relevant to your jurisdiction.

Upon withdrawal, your case will be closed and marked inactive. Data retention obligations under applicable law may require us to retain certain records for a defined period even after withdrawal.

Submitting a claim to PIP Agency is free. There are no upfront fees, no registration charges, and no payment required to begin the review process. Our no-upfront-fee policy is a core part of our non-profit mandate — we believe access to a credible recovery process should not depend on a victim's ability to pay before any outcome is known.

Fees only become relevant at later stages of the process, and only where explicitly agreed in advance. You will never be charged without prior written notice and your explicit consent.

If your case results in a confirmed recovery of funds, PIP Agency applies a success-based contribution of 12–18% of the recovered amount. This contribution is:

• Applied only after you have received the recovered funds — not before
• Calculated on the net amount actually received, not the amount claimed
• Agreed in writing before any recovery coordination begins
• Not applicable if no funds are recovered — no recovery means no contribution

The exact percentage within the 12–18% range depends on the complexity of the case, the jurisdictions involved, and the resources required to advance recovery. This is disclosed and agreed before we proceed to active coordination.

For some cases — particularly those requiring legal coordination, third-party engagement, or specialist documentation services — structured case processing fees may apply at defined milestones. These fees:

• Are always disclosed and itemised in writing before any obligation arises
• Require your explicit written consent before they become payable
• Are separate from the success-based contribution and cover documented costs
• Are not charged for the initial submission and eligibility review stage

If processing fees will apply to your case, you will be notified during the review stage before any cost commitment is made. You are free to withdraw your claim at any point prior to agreeing to these fees.

PIP Agency's fee structure is designed to align our incentives with yours. In comparison to common alternatives:

• Law firms typically charge hourly rates (£150–£500+/hr) or fixed retainers regardless of outcome, with no guarantee of recovery.
• Commercial recovery agents often charge large upfront fees (sometimes thousands of pounds) before any work begins — a practice PIPA explicitly rejects.
• PIP Agency charges nothing upfront. Our 12–18% success contribution only applies if funds are actually recovered and received by you.

As a non-profit organisation, surplus income from our fee model is reinvested into expanding our capacity and supporting more victims — not distributed to shareholders.

Yes. We treat the security of your personal data as a fundamental responsibility. All data submitted to PIP Agency is protected by:

• TLS 1.3 encryption for all data in transit between your browser and our servers
• AES-256 encryption for all data stored at rest
• Role-based access control — only personnel directly involved in your case can access your files
• Multi-factor authentication required for all staff with system access
• Regular third-party penetration testing and vulnerability assessments

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for any purpose other than processing your claim. Full details are in our Privacy Policy and Data Handling Policy.

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with our legal obligations. Key retention periods:

• Active claim records and documentation — 7 years from case closure, as required by applicable financial record-keeping obligations.
• Support communications — 3 years from last contact.
• Authentication logs — 12 months from creation.
• Legal correspondence — 10 years from creation.

After the applicable retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymised. You may request early deletion subject to legal retention obligations by contacting privacy@pip-agency.com.

You can reach us through any of the following channels:

• General support — support@pip-agency.com — for questions about submitting a claim, case status, or platform assistance. Response within 2 business days.
• Legal & compliance — legal@pip-agency.com — for legal notices, data rights requests, and regulatory correspondence. Response within 5 business days.
• Privacy & data — privacy@pip-agency.com — for GDPR requests, data access, or deletion requests. Response within 30 days as required by law.
• Security concerns — security@pip-agency.com — if you believe your account has been compromised or you have found a security vulnerability. Responded to urgently.

Office hours are Monday – Friday, 09:00 – 18:00 CET. You can also use the contact form for any general enquiry.