Password Recovery / Attorneys & estates
Attorneys & estate representatives
When a client has died or an estate holds locked Office files, PDFs, archives, QuickBooks, or a Windows account, we can attempt recovery only with documented legal authority. You do not need to know the password — the PC or drive where the files lived, plus any family patterns, usually helps more.
How pricing works
$149 to assess. You get one recovery quote with an attempt-time cap. Pay that recovery fee only if we unlock it. If we cannot restore access after the agreed attempt, you do not pay the success fee.
- 1. Assessment — $149. We review what’s locked, whether we can try it, and give you a firm recovery quote. Non-refundable.
- 2. Recovery — only if we succeed. Quick from $299 (up to 2h), File from $499 (up to 24h), or Complex from $799 (up to 72h). You pay this fee only if we restore access.
Public ranges: Assessment $149 · Quick from $299 (1–3 unlocks, up to 2h) · File from $499 (1–3 files, up to 24h) · Complex from $799 (1 asset, up to 72h)
Full pricing & refunds — final quote after assessment (file type and difficulty).
We typically request (Bhaeko intake policy)
- Letters testamentary, letters of administration, or equivalent court authority (as applicable to your matter)
- Retainer / engagement letter showing you represent the estate or rightful party
- Government ID for the requesting attorney or authorized agent
- Clear description of the asset and why access is needed for the engagement
- Firm or estate billing contact if you want Net 15/30 invoicing after assessment
- If available: access to the decedent’s or client’s PC/drive, or any password-manager / written notes found there
Common situations
If this sounds like you, start with assessment — we confirm scope and authority before recovery work.
Decedent’s business books
QuickBooks or FileMaker needed to close accounts, file final returns, or transfer a practice.
Locked estate documents
Password-protected Word, Excel, or PDF files among the decedent’s papers or drives.
Counsel for a living client
Client authorizes recovery in writing for files needed in litigation, probate, or transaction work.
Typical assets for this path
Same service as the main Password Recovery page — these are the locks people in your situation usually bring. Use the checker below for the full list.
- · Office & PDF estate files
- · QuickBooks / FileMaker
- · Archives on USB or HDD
- · Windows local accounts on estate devices
What we won’t do
- Requests without estate or client authority on file
- Fishing expeditions against opposing parties’ personal devices
- Full-disk encryption, domain admin, or out-of-scope assets
Pricing
$149 to assess. You get one recovery quote with an attempt-time cap. Pay that recovery fee only if we unlock it. If we cannot restore access after the agreed attempt, you do not pay the success fee.
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Step 1
Assessment — $149
We review what’s locked, whether we can try it, and give you a firm recovery quote. Non-refundable.
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Step 2
Recovery — only if we succeed
Quick from $299 (up to 2h), File from $499 (up to 24h), or Complex from $799 (up to 72h). You pay this fee only if we restore access.
Step 1
Assessment
$149
We identify the file or account, feasibility, and a firm recovery quote. Non-refundable.
Step 2 — Recovery success fee (files + attempt-time cap; final quote after assessment)
Quick unlock
From $299
1 primary unlock, or up to 3 similar quick unlocks
Up to 2 hours of attempt time
Reset-style or fast unlocks when applicable (e.g. local Windows admin, VBA). Covers 1 primary unlock, or up to 3 similar quick unlocks in the same engagement when assessment confirms they fit. Includes up to 2 hours of attempt time.
File recovery
From $499
1–3 files (same engagement)
Up to 24 hours of attempt time
Typical documents and apps: Office, PDF, archives, Outlook/Access, QuickBooks/FileMaker, password managers. Starting price covers 1–3 files in the same engagement when assessment confirms they fit the same difficulty class. Includes up to 24 hours of attempt time.
Complex recovery
From $799
1 primary asset (more quoted separately)
Up to 72 hours of attempt time
Harder passwords or tougher job types (e.g. strong masters, server-account style). Starting price is for 1 primary asset; additional hard assets are quoted separately. Includes up to 72 hours of attempt time.
Quick and File starting prices assume 1 file/unlock, or up to 3 in the same engagement when assessment confirms they are similar (same difficulty class). Complex starts at 1 primary asset. More files, mixed difficulty, or separate passwords may raise the firm quote after assessment.
“Up to X hours of attempt time” is a cap for that tier. We stop early if we recover access, and we may stop sooner if the attempt is not productive. Hour caps are wall-clock attempt time, not a guarantee of continuous GPU use every minute.
- Quick / File: from price covers 1–3 similar assets when assessment agrees.
- Complex: from price is 1 primary asset.
- Attempt caps: Quick 2h · File 24h · Complex 72h.
- Recovery fee is due only if we restore access.
- Attorneys and estates: we can invoice the firm or estate after assessment (Net 15/30 on approved matters).
Refunds & fees
Assessment is non-refundable — it covers review, feasibility, and authority screening. Recovery fees are charged only when recovery succeeds. If we decline for authority or scope reasons after assessment, you keep only the assessment charge.
- Assessment fee: non-refundable.
- Recovery fee: charged only if we deliver usable access as defined in your quote.
- Quick / File starting prices cover 1–3 similar assets when quoted that way; Complex starts at 1 primary asset.
- Included attempt time is “up to” the tier cap (2h / 24h / 72h); unused time is not refunded as cash.
- No recovery after the agreed attempt: you owe assessment only; no success fee.
- Partial success (e.g. some files of several): success fees only for recovered items within the quoted engagement.
Delivery & chain of custody
Tracked USB mail-in is preferred for sensitive material. Cloud links are accepted when expiring and password-protected; revoke after we confirm receipt. Email attachments are the weakest option. We log receipt and return, record a file hash when practical, and do not keep working copies after the job except as needed to complete the engagement.
You retain ownership of your media and data. Bhaeko holds submitted files or USB media only to perform authorized recovery. For USB jobs, use trackable shipping both ways; we log carrier tracking, receipt condition, and return shipment. For cloud transfers, use expiring, password-protected links and revoke access after we confirm download. We record a cryptographic hash of received files when practical. We work from copies when feasible and wipe or delete working copies after the job closes on a stated schedule, except where retention is briefly required to finish delivery or resolve a dispute about the engagement. Do not send passwords for cloud links in the same message as the link when you can avoid it.
Authorized access only — read carefully
I confirm that I am the lawful owner, or an authorized agent of the lawful owner, of this device, account, and/or file(s), and that I have full legal right and authority to access the file(s) and all information contained within them. I request password recovery or access reset solely for lawful purposes. I understand that unauthorized access to another person’s data, devices, or accounts is illegal.
By submitting this request, you represent that you have legal rights to the file(s) and to all information, data, and materials contained in them, and that recovering access will not violate any court order, privacy law, employment agreement, or third-party rights.
We refuse any request that appears unauthorized, incomplete, or inconsistent. We may require government ID, proof of purchase, letters testamentary / estate authority, written client authorization, employer/IT authority, or a notarized affidavit before work begins.
Service is limited to assets you can document as yours or for which you can show lawful authority. We do not assist with bypassing security on devices or files you do not own or control.
You are solely responsible for confirming your legal right to request this service and for how any recovered passwords, files, or data are used afterward. Bhaeko provides technical recovery assistance based on the information and authority you provide. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Bhaeko is not responsible for disputes over ownership or authority, misuse of recovered access or data, damage to files or systems arising from passwords, encryption, or prior corruption, inability to recover access, or any legal, financial, or personal consequences of the recovery or of the information obtained. Recovery is attempted on a best-effort basis; success is not guaranteed.
Not an expert-witness or digital forensics practice
This is a technical access-recovery service, not a digital forensics or expert-witness practice. We do not offer expert-witness services, litigation consulting, or courtroom testimony. Engaging us for password recovery is not an agreement that we will act as an expert in any dispute. Any status notes or reports we provide are for the engagement only and are not expert opinions unless we separately agree in writing. We do not accept expert-witness or deposition work as part of standard recovery.
Providing false or misleading information voids the engagement and may be reported where required by law.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need proof of ownership?
Yes. We only take authorized requests. Typical proof includes government ID plus purchase records, estate documents, client authorization, or written company/IT authority — depending on your situation.
How long does recovery take?
Assessment is usually quick once we have the file and paperwork. Quick unlocks can finish the same day; File and Complex jobs vary with password strength, file type, and attempt time. We confirm a realistic window in your quote after assessment.
What if you cannot recover the password?
You pay the non-refundable assessment fee. The recovery success fee is charged only when we restore access. Success is best-effort and not guaranteed on every file.
How does pricing work?
Step 1 is a fixed assessment ($149). Step 2 is a recovery success fee with file count and attempt-time caps: Quick unlock from $299 (1–3 similar unlocks, up to 2 hours), File recovery from $499 (1–3 files, up to 24 hours), Complex recovery from $799 (1 primary asset, up to 72 hours). Recovery is billed only if we succeed.
How do I send and get files back without a local drop-off?
Tracked USB mail-in both ways is preferred for sensitive material. Secure expiring cloud links are accepted. Email attachments are the weakest option. We log receipt and return and wipe working copies after the job.
What will you not unlock?
We do not offer BitLocker/FileVault full-disk jobs, Domain Administrator unlocks, crypto wallets, mobile device decryption, macOS Keychain, or any unauthorized third-party access.
Where do you serve?
Bhaeko is based in Falconer / Western New York and serves clients nationwide by mail-in USB and secure cloud transfer. Local appointments are not required for file recovery.
Where can I read your process and policies?
See How it works (assessment and fees), What we do & don’t (scope), Before we start (intake), DIY vs professional, and Authorized access — all under Password Recovery. Those pages describe company policy, not legal advice.
What can we unlock?
Search or select your lockout type. We only take authorized, in-scope requests.
Assessment $149 · Quick from $299 (1–3 unlocks, up to 2h) · File from $499 (1–3 files, up to 24h) · Complex from $799 (1 asset, up to 72h). Full pricing
Authorized recovery request
Step 1 of 2 — lawful authority required. Unauthorized requests are refused.
Not legal advice
These pages describe Bhaeko’s service policies and process only. They are not legal advice. If you are unsure whether you have the right to request access, ask your attorney before submitting.
Legal rights & limitation of responsibility
By submitting this request, you represent that you have legal rights to the file(s) and to all information, data, and materials contained in them, and that recovering access will not violate any court order, privacy law, employment agreement, or third-party rights.
You are solely responsible for confirming your legal right to request this service and for how any recovered passwords, files, or data are used afterward. Bhaeko provides technical recovery assistance based on the information and authority you provide. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Bhaeko is not responsible for disputes over ownership or authority, misuse of recovered access or data, damage to files or systems arising from passwords, encryption, or prior corruption, inability to recover access, or any legal, financial, or personal consequences of the recovery or of the information obtained. Recovery is attempted on a best-effort basis; success is not guaranteed.
Not an expert-witness or digital forensics practice
This is a technical access-recovery service, not a digital forensics or expert-witness practice. We do not offer expert-witness services, litigation consulting, or courtroom testimony. Engaging us for password recovery is not an agreement that we will act as an expert in any dispute. Any status notes or reports we provide are for the engagement only and are not expert opinions unless we separately agree in writing. We do not accept expert-witness or deposition work as part of standard recovery.