I’m receiving some money

06/ 06

You’re here if

You’ve received a check or been notified that money is finally coming back to you — usually through a remission payout, court restitution, or a settlement.

What this means

A real payout may be on its way, but keep your guard up and confirm it’s real. Beware scammers faking this situation to prey on your hope.

Do this first

Before you respond, verify the payout is real

Legitimate remissions, restitutions, and refunds do not ask for money.

Find your situation

Recommended actions to help you recover the maximum amount

A remission payout

Paid from seized funds

Expect a determination letter before the payment — often paid pro-rata (a share of what was recovered).Pro-rata means if the fund holds 40% of total losses, eligible victims get roughly 40% back.
Confirm there are no fees to receive it.Remission is paid to you.

Court-ordered restitution

The scammer was convicted and ordered to pay

Payment may come in installments over months or years as the defendant pays.Restitution depends on the defendant having money. Partial and slow is normal.
Keep your address current with the court clerk so checks keep reaching you.

A settlement or refund check

From a company or an FTC enforcement action

Verify the administrator on ftc.gov/refunds before depositing.The FTC lists its real refund administrators, so you can confirm a check is genuine.
Cash it within the window printed on the check — these often expire.

Don’t skip the tax step

This applies no matter how you’re paid

If you claimed a theft-loss deduction for the scam, money you now get back is generally taxable in the year you receive it.This is the “tax benefit rule” — you’re repaying the deduction that helped you earlier, to the extent it cut your taxes.
Whether you could deduct at all depends on the scam type: investment-style scams generally qualify; romance and impersonation scams generally don’t through 2025.The rules are specific and may change. Consider getting a professional tax opinion.
Consider bringing IRS memo CCA 202511015 to a tax professional to get their advice.This may save you more money than it costs.