I had never been one to trust online relationships, but when I met Sophia on a dating app, she seemed genuine, smart, and successful. She lived in another country but was passionate about cryptocurrency investing, just like me. Over time, we talked every day, sharing details about our lives, families, and financial goals.

She told me that she had been investing in a private crypto fund that was making incredible returns. She even showed me screenshots of her earnings, which seemed real and consistent. She told me that since she loved me, she wanted to help me invest and make money just like she had.

At first, I was skeptical, but she was patient and understanding. She told me to start with a small investment, just to see the results for myself. I sent $2,000 in Bitcoin, and within a week, my account balance showed $3,500 in profits. Convinced, I sent another $15,000 to the fund.

She reassured me that I would double my money within a month, and I believed her because she had never given me any reason to doubt her honesty.

Then, when I tried to withdraw my profits, I was told that I needed to pay a $3,000 “tax” upfront to access my funds. That’s when I became suspicious. I asked Sophia about it, but she told me not to worry—it was “just part of the process.” When I refused to send more money, she started replying less frequently, making excuses about being busy with work.

A few days later, she stopped responding completely. When I tried looking up the crypto investment platform, I found hundreds of reports from other victims who had been scammed the same way.

The entire relationship had been a lie. There was no real Sophia, just a scammer using a fake identity to lure victims into a crypto investment fraud. I had lost $17,000 and felt completely devastated—not just financially, but emotionally.