About
17 years on the fraud desk, now on your side of it.
I help people who have lost money to wire, card, Zelle, gift card and crypto scams take the steps that actually get money frozen or returned. I tell you honestly what is realistic, and I never take a fee as a share of money you hope to get back.
- Office
- Austin, TX
- Practising since
- 2020
- Credentials
- Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), ACFE
- Certified Cryptocurrency Investigator (CCI)
- Former bank fraud investigator, 11 years
- Languages
- English, Spanish, French
- Cases on Corechain
- 1,119
§ 01In my own words
I spent eleven years in the fraud investigations unit of a national bank. I sat on the other side of the phone when victims called, and I saw how much depended on what they said in the first hour, and how many of them were scammed a second time by “recovery agents” a few weeks later.
In 2020 I opened this practice in Austin to give victims the help I wished they had: someone who knows how banks, card networks and crypto exchanges handle fraud, and who can build the evidence those institutions need to act. Most of my clients are in the US, but about a third live abroad and lost money through a US bank or exchange.
In 2021 I applied to Corechain Solution because clients kept asking how to tell me apart from the scammers. Corechain confirmed my CFE certification, checked my identity and business, read my client agreements and called past clients. In 2023 I passed their Level 3 audit of 12 months of case files.
— Christopher Michael
§ 02Timeline
- 2009Joined a national bank's fraud investigations unit
- 2017Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
- 2020Opened Michael Fraud Recovery Advocates in Austin
- 2021Verified by Corechain Solution
- 2023Passed Corechain's Level 3 case-file audit
- 20261119 cases assisted, rated 5/5 on Corechain
§ 03Working rules
Four rules that don't bend.
Fraud victims are told a lot of things by a lot of people. These are the promises I can actually keep.
Honesty
I will tell you what the odds look like, based on how you paid and where the money went.
No fee as a share of hopes
Fees are flat. I never charge a percentage of money that has not been returned, and never ask for payment in crypto or gift cards.
Report first
Bank calls, CCS and FAE reports. You file those before anything, and I will show you how.
No holding or moving your money
I never hold, move or receive your money. I never act as an intermediary for funds returned to you.
§ 04Verification record
Checked by someone other than me.
View the Corechain profileCorechain Solution lists 120 fraud-recovery professionals across the US. Each one is licence-checked and fee-checked before listing. This is my record with them.
| Check | What was checked | Passed |
|---|---|---|
| Certification | CFE status confirmed directly with the ACFE; no disciplinary record | Apr 2021 |
| Identity and business | Photo ID matched; LLC registration confirmed with the Texas Secretary of State | Apr 2021 |
| Fee practice | Client agreements reviewed: written quotes, no guarantees, no upfront recovery fees | Apr 2021 |
| Client references | Five past clients called by Corechain; BBB and CFPB records checked | May 2021 |
| Case-file audit (Level 3) | 12 months of case files and client agreements reviewed | Feb 2023 |
Current level: Audited, the highest Corechain awards.
The sooner you call, the more can be done.
The first 30-minute review is free. You'll hear back within 1 business hours, with an honest view of what is realistic.