I lost £150k to a crypto romance scammer… we were planning our lives together & in a blink of an eye my savings vanished
A HEARTBROKEN bloke lost £150k in a romance scam after he was targeted by a cryptocurrency fraudster.
Tom met the scammer, called Jia, on an online dating app after struggling through a break up.
He began looking for companionship online, and used the online site which sought out women from outside of the UK in 2020.
Tom, in his 30s, from Weston-super-Mare, was sucked in by Jia’s promises that she would move in with him and they would build a wealthy lifestyle together.
He said: “I wasn’t in a good place. The break-up left me feeling flat. I was unhappy and just generally sad.
"It really messed me up, to the point where it clearly impaired my judgement so much that I’ve allowed this person to manipulate me into doing something which I would have never ordinarily done.
“Trust was built but in the blink of an eye, everything was gone. I was sick to my stomach. I‘ve worked and saved hard so that I could be financially set for life.
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“It’s like holding a winning lottery ticket in your hand and the wind taking it away. It’s ruined me.”
The couple were talking regularly on WhatsApp, and spoke on videochat once, before the scammer started talking to him about Bitcoin.
She showed him multiple screenshots of her supposedly earning thousands through cryptocurrency, spending on a lavish sports car.
But when he resisted trading Bitcoin, she decided to rile him by calling him naive on the subject - and he downloaded a trading app to his phone.
He was reassured by Jia that the website was legitimate, despite several functions not working.
Tom then transferred £1,165 worth of Bitcoin into an online wallet, with Jia guiding him through the trading, but insisted on withdrawing his money to prove it was not fraudulent.
He said:“It convinced me that even though I had doubts about the trading platform, maybe it is legit because it wasn’t holding onto my money, it was giving it back.”
“She portrayed herself as a successful investor with inside knowledge. She spoke about the future, moving to the UK, and how we could build this wealthy lifestyle together.
“Issues were flagging up to me, but everything she was doing to build up trust with me was enough to keep me there.”
POLICE WARNING
Fraud Protection Officer Amy Horrobin has warned others to be vigilant with who they speak to online.
She said: “In terms of investments, it can be really difficult to tell a genuine investment opportunity apart from a fraudulent one – even experienced investors have been caught out.
"Fraudsters use various tactics to make the investment appear to be genuine such as sending some small returns, creating fraudulent websites, and hiding behind the names of genuine companies.
"Do your research and seek independent financial advice before committing to any investment.”
After depositing small amounts which he was allowed to withdraw, he began to double his investments to make a profit - calling it a “gradual process”.
But he was concerned when he tried to withdraw £1,000 without telling his lover, and it failed.
She continually told him that he should invest quickly, otherwise he would miss out on massive profits.
He then continued to invest his money, following her advice, but when it continued to vanish she refused to help him - telling him she had lost millions but continued to use the app.
Tom added: “I felt lucky, as I seemed to have met someone with insider information. Making money every single time isn’t really possible unless you have inside knowledge.
“My balance had been cleared, there was no money remaining. In the blink of an eye, everything was gone. I was sick to my stomach.
“I recognised I needed help straight away and went straight round to see my mum.
"If I didn’t have that support, I wouldn’t be here. I was going to do something that wouldn’t leave me here anymore.
'LOST WHO I AM'
“I am not someone who is able to hide things – I can’t just put a brave face on. It’s always helped me to talk.
“I don’t trust women. I feel like I can be manipulated by women now to my detriment. I’ve lost all my confidence. I’ve lost who I am.”
Drew Jefferies, a Cyber Protect Officer from Avon and Somerset Police said: “When Tom first came to us with the report, I was naturally devastated for him.
“I was really moved by his story and how it not only affected him financially, but also in every other aspect of his life.
"He dealt with the situation exceptionally well and I admire his bravery in speaking out.
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"A huge thank you to Tom for looking to help us create awareness and stop others from falling into the same trap.”
If you feel you have been a victim of Romance Fraud, please contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit the website: