The victim was added to a Viber group chat dedicated to Cryptocurrency Trading, where they received a registration code to set up a VAT trading account. After transferring investment funds to crypto.com via wire transfer, the victim attempted to withdraw funds from the VAT trading platform, which appeared similar to a real trading marketplace but seemed to be just a computer program calculating trading profit numbers. Trading signals were provided through private chats on Viber by Angela, using a different number (838-2518292), and the trading business generated profit on most days. However, when the victim tried to withdraw funds, they were asked to pay 12% of the profit to a charity fund to process the transaction. The victim, with assets of $60,000, attempted to withdraw $5,000 but was asked to deposit $12,000 for the withdrawal process. Initially, the victim was able to withdraw small amounts of $100, $100, and $1,000. The scammers used the Viber group, and the victim connected with 3-5 other members to inquire about withdrawal issues. These members claimed to have successfully withdrawn amounts over $100,000, and some said they withdrew between $20,000 and $50,000 without any problems. These members were likely part of the scam team, befriending new victims and providing positive reviews for VAT when their legitimacy was questioned.