Invested in 'Forex Future' after meeting someone on a business networking app – now all gone. Any hope?
i really don't know what to do right now, i feel so stupid. i met this person on a professional networking app, you know, like for business connections? they seemed so legitimate, talking about global markets, trading strategies, very sophisticated. we moved to whatsapp after a few days, and then they started mentioning this 'Forex Future' platform, showing me screenshots of amazing returns.
initially, i put in a small amount, like 500 euros, and it actually grew like crazy. i even withdrew a bit to my bank account, which made it feel super real. over about two months, i ended up investing almost 15,000 euros, thinking i was making smart moves for my future. then, overnight, my account on their site was 'frozen' due to 'regulatory issues.' they're asking for a 30% tax payment to unfreeze it, which obviously i don't have, and it just feels like another trap. my stomach is in knots. is there *any* point in reporting this in Germany? will anyone even care? i feel so ashamed.
4 Answers
mate, I'm so sorry you're going through this. that feeling of shame is exactly what these criminals bank on. first off, you're not stupid, these scams are incredibly sophisticated. the 'small win' and 'easy withdrawal' at the start? classic confidence trick. and the 'tax payment' to unfreeze funds? 100% a follow-up scam to drain more money. do NOT pay it.
in Australia, we'd report this to the AFP. for you in Germany, you need to contact your local police (Polizei) and also consider filing a complaint with BaFin, which is your financial regulatory authority. even if they can't recover your money directly, reporting helps them build cases and warn others. gather everything: screenshots of conversations, transaction details, the platform's URL, any bank statements showing transfers. every little bit helps build a picture for investigators, even if the wheels turn slowly. don't lose hope in reporting, it's crucial.
Ugh, the 'regulatory issues' line just makes me so mad. They did that to me too, just a different platform name. I was in an 'international investment group' (yeah, right) and lost about 12k EUR. I ended up reporting it to the Dutch police here in Amsterdam. They were pretty sympathetic, actually. The detective I spoke to said they see these all the time, especially from Asia. The key is to provide them with *all* the details: contact info, exact dates, transaction IDs, bank statements, screenshots of the 'platform' and the chat logs. It really helps them trace the money, even if it vanishes once it hits foreign crypto exchanges. Don't feel stupid, these people are pros at manipulation.
oof, this hits so close to home. i had a similar thing happen, though mine was through an instagram 'friend' with a totally different platform. it was like 8k CAD for me. the shame is real, i get it. i totally isolated myself for months. but reporting it actually helped me feel a bit less helpless, even if nothing came back. i contacted local police here in Montreal, and they took a statement. they said sometimes these things are connected, and even seemingly small reports can contribute to a bigger investigation down the line. don't feel ashamed, you were targeted by professionals.
Stefan, i cant stress this enough: *do not pay the 30% tax*. that's the second sting, the recover scam. they're just testing to see how much more they can get from you. literally every single person caught in one of these pig butchering scams—and that's what this sounds like—gets asked for a 'tax' or 'fee' to release their imaginary funds. it's 100% fake. block them everywhere, right now. delete all contact. it won't bring your money back, but it'll stop them from trying to exploit you further.