Romance Crypto Scam Investigation
Timeline
Week 1-2: Met "James" on Hinge, daily texting, video calls (pre-recorded?)
Week 3-4: Developed emotional connection, shared personal stories
Week 5: Introduced to "exclusive crypto trading platform"
Week 6: Pressure to invest before "opportunity closes"
Scam Methodology
Initial Contact
- Professional photos (likely stolen)
- Well-written profile with plausible backstory
- Quick to move conversation off dating app to WhatsApp
Grooming Phase
- Daily good morning/night messages
- Shared "personal" photos (reverse search showed stock images)
- Sob story about previous relationship ending due to financial issues
Investment Pitch
- "My uncle works at Coinbase and gave me insider info"
- Showed fake trading screenshots with massive returns
- Offered to "help me get started" with initial investment
Financial Details
- Platform: crypto-profits-now.com (fake)
- Initial "Investment": $500 (to build trust)
- "Profit" Shown: $5,250 (fake numbers on dashboard)
- Requested Amount: $15,000 for "next big opportunity"
- Total Loss: $500 (stopped before larger loss)
Warning Signs
- Too perfect profile
- Quick to profess strong feelings
- Always available to chat (likely multiple victims)
- Never met in person despite living "nearby"
- Investment opportunities mentioned early
Actions Taken
- Reported profile to dating app
- Blocked on all platforms
- Filed report with IC3
- Warned friends about this scam pattern
- Platform analysis showed 127 similar reports
Recovery
- Contacted bank to flag transaction
- Monitored accounts for suspicious activity
- Joined support group for scam victims