Romance scam: the course of a feigned relationship

Contact is made via dating platforms or social networks, frequently with profiles whose pictures belong to other people. A phase of intensive attention follows, often with a switch to a private messenger. An in-person meeting is arranged and falls through at short notice – visa, work, illness, customs.

Then the crisis begins: a course of treatment, a blocked payment, a business emergency. The first request is small and is repaid or presented as a loan. The amounts increase, as does the depth of the justification. In one variant the sequence ends in an alleged investment that is to be built together.

Payments have frequently been made through services that are not designed for recovery, or in cryptocurrencies. Even so, starting points remain: account holders, wallet addresses, telephone numbers and profiles can be documented, and depending on the facts, information claims as well as a criminal complaint may come into consideration. Frequently several victims are exposed to the same method, which can facilitate investigations.

Whether a recovery is possible depends on the individual case and cannot be promised. We say openly how we assess the prospects before costs arise.