#investment-fraud
24 questions tagged with #investment-fraud
Lost my life savings to a 'sweetheart' from Instagram, now my crypto's gone. What can I do?
I seriously feel like such an idiot. Met this amazing woman on Instagram, you know? She just seemed so... genuine. We talked for months, loads of video calls, really built up a connection. She started talking about crypto investments, said her 'uncle' was an expert and had this platform, super secure, high returns. Said she'd had great success with it, wanted me to join her. I, like, transferred about 40k GBP over maybe 3 months into this platform she swore by. Even saw the balance grow for a bit, couldn't withdraw anything though, which she said was 'normal' at first. Then poof. The platform's gone, her Instagram is gone, everything. My whole life savings, just gone. I feel so ashamed, can't even tell my mates. Who do I even report this to? Is there any hope, or am I just completely screwed?
Lost my inheritance to a 'future partner' from a dating app, now my money is gone from a fake investment platform – can I recover from France?
I really don't know where to turn. I met someone really lovely on a well-known dating app a few months ago. He was so attentive, so kind, and we just clicked. We talked for hours every day, planning our future. Then he started talking about this amazing crypto investment opportunity he was involved in. At first, I was hesitant, but he showed me screenshots of his own 'gains' and explained everything so thoroughly. He even introduced me to his 'professor' on Telegram who supposedly guided investments. I ended up putting in a significant portion of my inheritance – money my Maman left me. It was for a down payment on a place of my own. Now the platform, which was 'BitRisePro', has gone completely offline and I can't reach him or the 'professor'. All the chats are gone. I feel so ashamed, so stupid for falling for it. I'm in Paris. Is there any hope of getting any of this back? What can I even do here in France?
Lost my inheritance to a 'future partner' from a dating app, now my money is gone from a fake investment platform – can I recover from France?
i'm just... i'm devastated. i met this wonderful man on a dating app, 'Laurent', he was so attentive and charming. we talked for months, he knew everything about me, my family, my dreams. then he started talking about this amazing crypto investment opportunity, super exclusive, only for people he really trusted. he said it would double my inheritance within months, make our future together so much easier. i transferred about 15,000 euros into this platform, 'CryptoWealth Pro' it was called. he walked me through every step. for a while, i saw numbers going up, i even 'withdrew' a small amount, like 100 euros, just to make sure it was real. it worked! so i put more in. now, both 'Laurent' and the platform are gone. no replies, nothing. i feel so stupid, so gullible. my inheritance was meant for a down payment on a house. i'm in Nantes, France. where do i even begin to report this? is there any hope of getting even a tiny bit back?
Lost my savings to a 'new friend' from a cooking app, now my money is gone from a fake investment platform. Where do I even start reporting?
Feeling so stupid and alone right now. I met this person through a cooking recipe app, like a community thing, a few months ago. We started chatting, then moved to WhatsApp, and it felt really natural. He was so supportive and charming. Eventually, he started talking about this amazing crypto investment platform, showing me screenshots of crazy returns. I'd never done crypto before but he was so convincing, said he'd 'guide me.' Long story short, I invested about 12,000 Euros. He even showed me how to make a 'small profit' initially to build trust. Then, when I tried to withdraw a larger amount, poof, platform disappeared, and so did he. My heart aches for the money, but also for the deception. I feel utterly betrayed. I'm in Hamburg, Germany. I don't even know where to begin reporting this. Should I go to the local police? Is there some international body? Any advice appreciated, I'm just so lost.
Lost my inheritance to a 'future partner' from a dating app, now my money is gone from a fake investment platform – can I recover from Germany?
Ok, so I'm completely broken right now. I met someone really special on a dating app, we talked for months, loads of video calls, really connected. They seemed so supportive when I told them about my small inheritance from my grandmother. Then they introduced me to this 'incredible' investment platform. Said their uncle worked there, super secure, high returns. I put in a significant chunk of what I had, about 15,000 euros. At first, it looked great, the numbers were going up. I even 'withdrew' a small amount, like 200 euros, just to test it, and it worked! That's what made me trust it more. Then I put in more. Now, the platform is gone. The person blocked me everywhere. I feel so stupid, so exposed. I'm in Leipzig, Germany. Does anyone know if there's *any* way to get my money back or even report this properly here? I've contacted my local police but they seemed a bit overwhelmed by the crypto part.
Lost my life savings to a 'new friend' from a fitness app, invested in ZG.com. Any hope from France?
I'm gutted. Absolutely gutted. I met this person on a fitness app, you know, just looking for workout buddies. We clicked, started chatting every day, moved to WhatsApp. They seemed so nice, so genuine, talking about their life, their family, their investment success. Said they could 'help' me make some extra money, especially with my small business struggling a bit after all the lockdowns. I was hesitant at first, but they were so persistent and showed me 'profits' on this platform called ZG.com. It all looked legit, like a real exchange. I put in what I could, then more, then even pressured my sister to lend me some money. They kept saying, "just a little more for VIP level payouts, guaranteed!" Now, everything's gone. Poof. Can't withdraw, can't even log in. They blocked me everywhere. My life savings, gone. My sister's money, gone. I'm in Lyon, France. I already reported it to the local gendarmerie, but they didn't seem to know much about crypto scams. Has anyone from France dealt with this? Is there anything else I can do? I feel so stupid and broken.
Lost savings to a 'new friend' from a gardening app, invested in a fake crypto platform - how to report?
I'm gutted, truly. I met someone really nice, or so I thought, on a gardening app a few months back. We talked for ages, shared photos of our plants, it felt really genuine. Then they started talking about crypto, how they were making so much money. I was hesitant, but they were so persuasive, sending me screenshots of huge 'returns' from some platform called ZG.com. I ended up putting in a significant chunk of my life savings, about mid-five figures. All gone now. The app's disappeared, they've blocked me everywhere. I feel so stupid and ashamed, but also just… robbed. I'm in Edinburgh. What are my options for reporting this? Will I ever see any of that money again? I've never dealt with anything like this before.
Has Nethertrace helped anyone with a fake exchange/wallet scam?
Feeling totally gutted right now. I fell for one of those incredibly convincing fake crypto exchange scams, where they had a website that looked legit, linked to TradingView, the whole nine yards. Put in a decent chunk of my savings, thought I was making good returns, even managed a small withdrawal once to build trust. Then, when I tried to pull out the main amount, boom, my wallet was 'frozen' due to 'regulatory checks' and they demanded a huge 'tax' to release it. I knew immediately I'd been had. I've been looking into recovery options, and Nethertrace keeps coming up. I did a free consultation with them, and they seemed really professional, outlining their process and what they realistically could and couldn't do. They emphasized that they don't ask for upfront fees for recovery, which honestly, was a big red flag for me with other firms. So, my question to this community is, has anyone here had an actual recovery experience with [Nethertrace](https://nethertrace.co) after falling victim to a fake exchange or crypto wallet scam? I'm in Hobart, Australia, and just looking for some honest feedback.
My 'mentor' from a professional networking app got me with fake crypto, what can I do from Australia?
I really thought this person was legitimate. Met them on a professional networking app, you know, the one for business connections. They said they were a seasoned financial analyst, very successful. We chatted for weeks, built up a real rapport, talked about my goals, my career, even some personal stuff. Then they started talking about crypto, like it was a side hustle, just a way to accelerate my savings. They introduced me to what looked like a super slick trading platform, said it was 'exclusive' for their network. I put in a small amount first, about AUD 2,000, and saw it 'grow' really fast. They guided me every step of the way, even helped me make a 'withdrawal' that actually came through, which totally hooked me. Long story short, I ended up putting in significant superannuation savings – about 50k. Now the platform is gone, their profile is gone, and i feel like such an idiot. I'm in Perth, Australia. Who do i even report this to? Is there any hope at all?
Lost my life savings to a 'fixed deposit' crypto platform, is recovery even possible?
Hey everyone, I feel so stupid right now, i just need to know if there's any hope. I got cold-messaged on Telegram a few months ago by someone claiming to be an investment advisor. They talked me into putting my savings, about 15,000 EUR, into a crypto platform that promised really high, fixed daily returns, like 1.5-2% on a 'fixed deposit'. Sounded too good to be true, I know, but they showed me 'proof' with screenshots and everything. I deposited USDT initially, converted some to MATIC for lower fees, and watched it 'grow' in my account dashboard. It looked so real. I even made a small withdrawal of 100 EUR once to my Kraken account, which worked! Then, when I tried to withdraw a larger amount, like 5,000 EUR, they said I needed to pay a 'tax fee' upfront of 15% of my balance. I paid that, hoping to get my money. Then they asked for another 'insurance fee' because my deposit was 'too large'. I haven't paid that one. Now their website is gone, and the person blocked me. I've reported it to the local police here in Hannover, but they just said crypto is hard. What can I even do? Is this all just gone?
Has anyone had success recovering funds from a fake investment app with Nethertrace?
I'm Aisha from Ajman, UAE, and honestly, I'm at my wit's end. I fell for one of those sophisticated fake investment apps, thought I was trading crypto, but it was all just a show. Lost a significant amount, like, low six figures. I've been feeling so stupid and humiliated. I've tried contacting my bank, reporting to the police here, but it just feels like I'm hitting a wall. Someone on a different forum mentioned [Nethertrace](https://nethertrace.co) and said they're quite good with blockchain forensics. Before I commit to anything, I really need to hear from real people who've used them. Have they genuinely helped anyone recover funds from these kinds of crypto investment scams? I'm so wary of another scam, especially those 'recovery agencies' that ask for upfront payments in crypto – been there, almost done that. Any genuine experiences, good or bad, would be a huge help.
Anyone recovered funds from a deepfake investment scam with Nethertrace?
Hey everyone, I'm feeling pretty messed up right now. I lost a significant amount of crypto, about 60k USDT, to a deepfake investment scam. It was so convincing, they used AI to mimic a well-known financial advisor I follow, and I fell for it, investing in what seemed like a legitimate high-yield platform. It all went sideways super fast. I've been doing some research and came across [Nethertrace](https://nethertrace.co). They seem to have good reviews for handling these kinds of cyber fraud cases. I actually just had my initial consultation with them, and they seemed very professional, no upfront payment demands which was a relief after hearing horror stories about other 'recovery' firms. Has anyone here had experience with Nethertrace specifically for a deepfake-related investment scam? What was your experience like? I'm trying to manage my expectations, but honestly, I'm desperate for any glimmer of hope.
Anyone recovered crypto after falling for a fake investment platform with Nethertrace?
Feeling pretty sick to my stomach, tbh. I got caught up in what I now know was a fake crypto investment platform – the 'customer service' was super convincing, and the returns looked amazing at first. Ended up putting in pretty much all my savings, low five figures. Now, obviously, it's all gone. They've just ghosted me. I contacted Nethertrace after seeing some stuff about them online. They've been really professional so far, did a free consultation and explained what they do. They didn't make any crazy promises which I appreciate, but also didn't dismiss my case out of hand. They even explained their no-upfront fee model, which is a huge relief after all the other scam recovery agencies I've looked at (that ask for crypto upfront, red flag!). I submitted all the transaction details and communication logs. Just wondering if anyone here has gone through a similar ordeal with a fake investment platform and successfully got their crypto back with [Nethertrace](https://nethertrace.co)? Just need some hope, honestly. Is it even possible?
My 'new partner' from a language exchange app got me into a fake gold trading platform. Any hope from SA?
I'm gutted, seriously. Met this incredible woman on a language exchange app, we talked for months, video calls, everything felt so real. She convinced me to invest in what she called a 'gold trading platform' – looked legit, charts moving, profits showing up. Started small, then she kept pushing for more, saying we needed to 'act fast' for bigger returns. Ended up putting in nearly my entire retirement fund, close to six figures in Rand. Now, the platform's gone, her number's dead, and I feel like an absolute idiot. I'm in Durban, South Africa. I've reported it to the local police, but they just seemed overwhelmed and didn't really 'get' the crypto side of things. Did contact my bank too, but they said the funds were sent to a crypto exchange and then untraceable. Is there *any* hope for me? Or am I just completely out of luck with this kind of scam here?
My 'future business partner' from LinkedIn cleaned me out with a fake platform. What now?
I'm in shock, honestly. I met this guy on LinkedIn of all places, seemed really professional, lots of connections, even shared some 'success stories' about his investments. He talked big about a new AI trading platform, how it was exclusive, going to make us rich. Said it was based out of Singapore but used a custom app. I started small, saw returns, then put in my life savings, about $7k, and then some from my retirement account, another $10k. He was so convincing, always checking in, building trust. Now, the app crashed, his LinkedIn is gone, and I can't reach anyone. I feel so stupid. I've reported to IC3, but what else can I even do? Is this just gone forever? It feels like my whole future just disappeared.
My 'future husband' from Facebook got me into a fake gold trading platform. Any hope from UAE?
I met someone really charming on Facebook a few months ago. He was so sweet, we talked for hours every day, and he seemed like everything I ever wanted. He eventually convinced me to invest in what he called a 'private gold trading platform' — said it was an exclusive opportunity and his uncle was a big shot in the industry in Switzerland. At first, it looked amazing, I saw profits accumulating. I even withdrew a small amount successfully last month, which made me trust it completely. Then he told me about a special big-ticket investment, and I put in almost everything I had, probably around $15,000 USD equivalent. Now the platform is down, his Facebook account is gone, and I can't reach him. I feel so foolish and heartbroken. I'm based in Al Ain. Is there anything I can do from here? Should I go to the police? Or is it just a lost cause?
Lost my crypto after investing in a supposed 'AI trading bot' – is it gone forever?
Ok, so I'm pretty embarrassed about this, but I really need some advice. I got sucked into one of those 'AI trading bot' things, supposedly super profitable. It was all on a really flashy website, promised like 15% returns a week, said it was using advanced algorithms and stuff. I transferred a decent chunk of ETH, like, all my savings after my last bonus, from my personal wallet to their platform. This was over a couple of weeks, small amounts at first, then a bigger one. Everything looked great on their dashboard, 'profits' were accumulating, but when I tried to withdraw, they hit me with a 'tax' fee, then a 'verification' fee, then a 'liquidity' fee. I paid one of them, but then it just kept escalating. Now their website is down and no one answers my emails. Feel like such an idiot. Did anyone else fall for this? Is there *any* way to get my ETH back? I'm in Ottawa, Canada, if that helps.
Is 'Crypto Recovery Experts' legit? They say they can get my scammed investments back but want a fee first.
hi everyone, i'm Lea from Bordeaux. i lost a fair bit of money, a few thousand euros, a couple of months ago in a crypto investment scam. it was devastating, honestly. anyway, yesterday i got an email from a company called 'Crypto Recovery Experts.' they said they saw my case reported online (i did fill out a form with Action Fraud after the original scam, so maybe that's how they got my info?). They sound really professional, sending me brochures and testimonials. They say they have a high success rate and can trace my lost funds. But, they want an 'administrative fee' of about 500 euros upfront before they can start. They said it covers case opening and initial tracing costs. It feels like a lot, especially after already losing so much. My husband thinks it's another scam and I should just forget about it, but a part of me is desperate. Has anyone dealt with them or a similar situation? Is this normal for recovery services?
My 'mentor' from a professional network scammed me with a fake crypto platform, now what?
I really messed up, guys. I met this person on a professional networking site – you know, one of those where people connect for career stuff. They seemed legitimate, very polished profile, lots of connections. We chatted for a few weeks, mostly about career goals and then, slowly, they started talking about how they'd found a way to supplement their income through crypto trading, managed by this 'exclusive' platform. They called themselves a 'mentor.' I was stupid enough to trust them. Started with a small amount, saw good returns, could even withdraw a little. Then they pushed for more, saying there was a limited-time opportunity. I wired about 15,000 euros from my bank in Breda. Now the platform is gone, their profile is gone, and I can't access anything. I feel so incredibly foolish and ashamed. What's the best way to report this from the Netherlands? I've contacted my bank but they haven't been very helpful. Is there any hope of getting anything back?
Online 'girlfriend' convinced me to invest in XChange Global, then disappeared. What now?
I met 'Leah' on a dating app a few months ago, she said she was from Hong Kong but working in Joburg and we just clicked. Everything felt so real, you know? We talked every day, she even sent me handwritten letters. Then she started talking about this crypto platform, XChange Global, saying her uncle was a 'quant' there and it was a safe bet. I was hesitant at first, but she was so persistent, promising we could build a future together with the profits. I ended up putting in about R75,000, maybe more. It even showed profits rolling in at first, which made me trust her more. But when I tried to withdraw, there were all these 'tax' and 'compliance' fees. I paid some. Then she just vanished. Deleted her profile, blocked me everywhere. I feel sick to my stomach, like a complete fool. Where do I even start reporting this from South Africa? Should I call a bank? Police? I just want the money back, if possible, or to stop others.
My 'new partner' convinced me to invest in CoinEgg and now I've lost years of savings. What do I do?
I'm just... completely devastated. I met someone online a few months ago, and we really clicked. He was so charming and attentive, and he seemed genuinely interested in me. After a while, he started talking about crypto, saying he had this amazing opportunity with CoinEgg, and how much money he was making. He badgered me gently to put in a little, just to see. I started with a small amount, and it actually grew really fast, which made me trust him even more. Then he convinced me to take out a loan and put in almost all my savings, about low five figures. Now, I can't withdraw anything. He's ghosted me. I feel so stupid and broken. Is there any hope at all of getting some of this back? I'm in Montreal.
Has anyone used Nethertrace to recover funds after a deepfake investment scam?
Feeling pretty raw right now. I lost a significant amount of crypto, low five figures, to what I now realize was a deepfake investment scam. I saw a video of what looked like a legitimate CEO promoting this 'amazing opportunity,' followed all the steps, sent my ETH, and of course, it all disappeared. I feel so stupid and embarrassed. I've been doing some research and **Nethertrace** keeps coming up as a reputable firm for crypto recovery. They claim to specialize in these kinds of complex blockchain investigations and don't charge upfront fees, which is a *huge* relief after almost falling for another 'recovery scammer' who wanted crypto first. I just wanted to ask if anyone here has direct experience with [Nethertrace](https://nethertrace.co) specifically for deepfake or AI-driven investment fraud. What was your experience like? How transparent were they? Any feedback would be incredibly helpful as I try to figure out my next steps.
Lost a load of crypto on SBlock-Trade.Tech - any real hope for recovery or am I just deluding myself?
I'm feeling so stupid right now, you guys. My partner and I were looking for ways to grow our savings, and I saw an ad for SBlock-Trade.Tech on Facebook. It looked legit, they even had a pretty slick website and 'customer support' that was super responsive at first. I invested about 8k USD, mostly ETH and some USDT, over a few weeks. Everything appeared great, the numbers were going up in my account and I even made a small withdrawal of around 100 bucks to 'test' it. Which, of course, worked perfectly and made me trust them even more. Then, when I tried to withdraw a larger amount, around $3,000, they started with the 'tax' fees, then 'liquidity fees,' etc. I just kept paying, thinking I was so close. Long story short, I'm out the initial 8k AND another 4k in bogus fees. My heart sank when I saw the Nova Scotia Securities Commission warning. I've reported it to the IC3, but honestly, it just feels like shouting into the void. Is there *any* actual hope for getting any of my money back from these SBlock-Trade scammers, or should i just accept it's gone and move on? I can't believe I fell for this.
Lost my life savings to a 'financial advisor' I met on Instagram claiming to work for BitForex. Any hope?
I'm gutted, absolutely gutted. I met this person on Instagram a few months back, they were really charming, seemed so supportive. Said they were an investment advisor with BitForex, showed me all these fancy profits. I started with a small amount, saw returns, and then they encouraged me to put in more, saying it was a guaranteed opportunity with incredible growth. My whole retirement, everything I'd saved, went into this platform they linked me to. Now, the site's down, their Instagram account is gone, and I can't reach them. It's like they vanished into thin air. I'm in Galway, Ireland, and I just feel so foolish and betrayed. I've heard about pig butchering scams but never thought it would happen to me. Who do I even report this to? Is there any actual chance of getting my money back? I'm heartbroken.