Why does my account have temporary protective measures?

Last updated: October 22, 2026

Scams are becoming more common and more sophisticated in crypto and online banking, and scammers can target anyone. To help protect you from financial loss, we may apply temporary protections to your account if our systems detect activity that matches common scam patterns. This article explains what these protections are, why we use them, how to spot and report scams, and how to request a review of your account.

Remember: crypto transactions are irreversible. Once crypto leaves your Krak account, it can’t be recovered or reversed. That’s why we act before funds are sent.

What protections may be applied to my account?

Depending on your account, you may see one or both of the following.

Reduced funding limits

Funding limits vary by account, based on your account type, verification status, transaction activity, how long you’ve had a Krak account, and other factors. If your recent transaction activity matches patterns associated with scams or exposure to wallets that could put your account at risk, we may apply temporary funding limits as a protective measure:

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Some cash funding methods and deposit limits may be reduced.
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Crypto withdrawals may be subject to a reduced monthly limit.

To see your current limits and the payment methods available to you, sign in to your account and navigate to your account settings > limits. Limits are dynamic and may change over time, and in most cases, your funding limits will increase the more that you use Krak. If you’d like to request an increase in funding limits, contact our Support team through chat and they will provide you with next steps if your account is eligible for increased limits.

Crypto withdrawals disabled

Crypto withdrawals are temporarily disabled and any pending crypto withdrawals are canceled. The assets remain in your account balance.

Some funding methods and deposit limits may be reduced.

This stops your assets from being sent to a wallet outside your control, because once funds have been withdrawn, we cannot recover them.

What you can still do

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Buy, sell and trade crypto as usual.
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Deposit to your account in crypto or cash.
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Withdraw cash to a bank account in your name. To withdraw a crypto asset, convert it to cash first.
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Spend with your Krak debit card, if you have one.
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Continue earning rewards through our auto-earn programs, where available in your country of residence.

Why was this applied to my account?

Our monitoring systems flagged activity that matches patterns commonly linked to scams, such as sending funds to a new person or platform after being contacted online. This is a precaution to keep your funds safe. It doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong.

If we’ve applied protections to your account, a Krak team member will email you at your registered address with more details. Please watch your inbox.

How long do the protections last?

These protections stay in place for a minimum period of up to 90 days as part of our client safety policy. The duration of restriction may vary depending on various risk factors associated with your account activity. Our support team is available via chat support to answer questions about what you can still do while your account has protective measures, but they can’t lift them earlier than the stated minimum period, as this protects you from further potential harm. Once it has passed, you can request an account review (see How to request an account review below).

How to recognize a scam

Scammers build trust with you over time, create a sense of urgency, and often impersonate government officials or well-known individuals. Common warning signs include:

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Guaranteed or unusually high returns. No legitimate investment can guarantee profit. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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Someone you met online guiding you. A new friend, romantic interest or “advisor” from social media, a dating app or a messaging app asks you to open a Krak account, buy crypto, or move money on their behalf. Scammers often build a relationship over weeks before introducing an “investment opportunity”. This is known as a pig butchering scam.
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Pressure to act quickly. Limited-time offers, threats, or “your account will be closed” warnings are designed to get you to act quickly without stopping to think it through.
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Requests to send crypto to pay a fee or tax. If you’re asked to pay a fee, tax, or commission with crypto to withdraw your profits, it’s a scam.
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Remote access requests. Anyone asking you to install software like AnyDesk or TeamViewer to “fix” a problem or process a “refund” is a scammer.
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Impersonation. Scammers pose as Krak support, banks, government agencies, employers or well-known figures. Never rely on caller ID or a message’s display name.
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Platforms you can’t verify. If you can only fund an “investment platform” with crypto, or it doesn’t let you withdraw easily, it’s a strong sign of a scam.

Krak does not initiate unsolicited contacts to customers via text message or social media platforms. Our Support team will never call you without arranging it with you first over our official chat or email support channels. We’ll also never ask for your password, 2FA codes, device approval codes, wallet seed phrase, or remote access to your device. Official emails only come from a krak.app or kraken.com address. See Is this email from Krak? To learn about specific types of scams, see Protect yourself from scams.

What to do if you think you’ve been scammed

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Stop communicating with the person and don’t send any more funds, even if they say it’s needed to recover what you’ve already sent.
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Report it to us using our scam report form. Include any wallet addresses, transaction IDs, platform names and messages you have.
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Report it to the authorities. Contact your bank and your local law enforcement or fraud reporting agency. In the US, you can report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Reporting helps authorities investigate and may help protect others.
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Secure your account using the steps below.

Krak is unable to reverse or recover crypto once it has been withdrawn from your account. Reporting still matters, as it helps us protect you and other clients.

Secure your Krak account

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Update your password to one that is strong and unique. Never share your login credentials, 2FA codes or seed phrases with anyone.
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Enable strong two-factor authentication, such as a passkey.
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Review the devices linked to your account and remove any you don’t recognize.
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If you think someone else has accessed your account, report it using our suspicious activity form.

How to request an account review

Once the minimum period has passed, you can ask our team to review your account.

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Make sure you’ve taken the security steps above and stopped any contact with anyone who guided you to move funds.
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Contact our Support team through chat and request a review of your account. They will provide you with next steps if your account is eligible for increased limits.
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Watch your email for requests for more information, and respond as soon as you can. This helps us complete your review sooner.

We’ll email you with the outcome of your review. If you believe these protections were applied in error, you can contact our Support team through chat support at any time.