Lost everything to 'girlfriend' on a dating app through a fake forex site. What can I do from Germany?

Marie, I am so sorry this happened to you. It's a pig-butchering scam, classic modus operandi. They build trust, then push the fake investment. First thing, you need to report this to your local police in Germany. Even though it feels like a personal failure, it's a serious crime and they are usually the first point of contact for financial fraud. Also, depending on how you transferred the money (wire, crypto), you might want to immediately contact your bank. They might not be able to get the money back, but it's important for their fraud department to have it documented. If crypto was involved, try to gather all transaction hashes. The more info you have, the better. And don't beat yourself up, these scammers are professionals.

Marie, I can relate to every single word you wrote. I was in a similar situation, though mine was 'crypto' and about half what you lost. The shame is the worst part, isn't it? Like, how could I have fallen for this? But honestly, these people are *masters* of psychological manipulation. They groom you for months, build a relationship. It's not some obvious phishing email, it's personal. What I did, and what I recommend, is report it to the German authorities – definitely the police. Also, if you used your bank for the transfers, let them know. Mine initially didn't do much, but eventually after I provided all the info, they did flag something. The mental health aspect is huge here too, please find someone to talk to about the emotional toll. That's almost harder to recover from sometimes.

Ugh, Marie, I know exactly that awful, sick feeling in your stomach. I went through something similar, lost a significant amount to a 'guy' from a language exchange app who pushed a fake crypto platform on me. The emotional manipulation is the worst part, makes you question everything. I reported mine to the police here in Utrecht and also to a national fraud helpline. They didn't get my money back, no, but reporting it is important. It helps them track these groups. Keep screenshots of literally EVERYTHING – chat history, the fake platform, transaction details. Even though it's hard, don't delete anything. It's evidence. My bank was useless but yours *might* be different if you acted fast enough, though it sounds like the money is long gone into those scammer accounts.

Marie, this is absolutely heartbreaking, genuinely. But honestly, as the person who deals with this daily at work (not officially, but you know, that one person everyone asks), I have to level with you. The chances of getting your money back from these types of scams are astronomically low. *Extremely* low. You absolutely MUST report it, yes, to your local Polizei and maybe even the FCA equivalent in Germany (BaFin, maybe?), but prepare yourself for the very real possibility that the money is gone. These groups are usually operating offshore, laundering funds immediately. It's not about what *you* did wrong; it's about how sophisticated and ruthless *they* are. Get all your ducks in a row for documentation, but manage your expectations for recovery.

Yoh, that's rough. So sorry to hear about this. I've seen too many stories like yours, these scammers are ruthless. From Cape Town here, and it's tough to get any traction locally for these international scams. Definitely report it to your police in Germany. They might have Interpol connections or something for international fraud, but honestly, it's a long shot. The money usually vanishes into a black hole the moment it leaves your account. Don't fall for recovery scams now, where people promise to get your money back for a fee. Those are just preying on your desperation. Focus on getting support for yourself, it's a hell of a thing to go through. Financial loss is one thing, but the emotional betrayal is another entirely.

Salam Marie, I'm truly sorry to hear about your ordeal. This 'pig butchering' scam is too common, and it preys on loneliness and trust. I lost a good chunk myself to a 'colleague' on LinkedIn who got me into a fake gold trading platform. The psychological impact is immense. In the UAE, we report these to the cybercrime division of the police. For you in Germany, the local police (Polizei) should be your first stop. They will likely have a special unit for cybercrime or financial fraud. Collect every piece of evidence – timestamps of messages, screenshots of the fake platform, transaction IDs, bank statements. The more detail, the better. And please, don't respond to anyone who contacts you now promising to recover your funds; those are frequently follow-up scams.

Oh Marie, my heart just breaks for you reading this. 'FXGlobalTrade', that sounds so plausible. I know exactly how you feel. My 'friend' from a wellness app did almost the same thing with a crypto site called 'CoinVerse'. I was so sure, talking to her every day, she even sent me a 'gift' once. The whole thing was a lie. I lost everything, about 50,000 ZAR. Here in South Africa, I reported it to the SAPS (police) and tried with my bank (Capitec), but they couldn't help. It's like they just disappear into thin air. I live in Bloemfontein and it just makes you feel so exposed. Just know you're not alone, many of us have fallen for these terrible tricks. It's not your fault, they are so good at what they do.

Marie, what a horrible thing to go through. It truly takes an emotional toll along with the financial one. Take a deep breath. You're not alone and this is a well-known scam variant. My advice would be similar to others: report it to the German police immediately. They're usually the frontline. Even if the recovery chances are low, official reporting helps track these criminal enterprises and could eventually lead to interventions or arrests down the line, even if it doesn't get your money back. Also, if you sent any money via bank transfer, let your bank know this was a fraudulent transaction. They might be able to offer advice or, in very rare cases, freeze a transaction if it hasn't settled yet. Document everything you've mentioned here – every message, every transaction. It's critical.

Marie, this is a textbook 'pig butchering' scam, also known as 'Sha Zu Pan' originating primarily from Southeast Asia. As an expert who's studied these patterns, what you experienced with Mei is a carefully orchestrated long-game fraud. They establish emotional ties over weeks or months before introducing the 'investment opportunity'. The fake platform, the screenshots, the 'tax' or 'commission' for withdrawal – all standard. For reporting in Germany, your primary contact point is indeed the local *Polizei*. They will log your fraud report. Additionally, you should inform the *Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht* (BaFin), Germany's financial regulatory authority. While BaFin primarily focuses on regulating financial markets and institutions, they do issue warnings about unauthorized platforms and can add FXGlobalTrade (or whatever the exact name was) to their investor warnings list, potentially preventing future victims. Crucially, screenshot *everything* from the dating app, WhatsApp, the fake trading platform, and bank transfers, including any wallet addresses if crypto was involved. The more data points investigators have, the better—even if direct recovery is unlikely.

I really feel for you, Marie. That's a devastating amount of money and the emotional betrayal is just crushing. I had a similar thing happen, though not as high stakes, with a fake crypto 'mining' scheme. From here in Newcastle, Oz, I reported it to the AFP (Australian Federal Police) and ASIC (our financial regulator). In your case, definitely the German police (Polizei). And it's so important to talk to your bank immediately about *all* the transfers. Even if they can't reverse it, they need to know it was fraud. And delete that dating app, seriously. Just focus on taking care of yourself now. It's a huge shock and you need time to process it.