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Topic
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Scam Name: TSE-OTC Cryptocurrency Investment Scam
Calculated Amount Lost: $20,751 USD
Scam URL: tse-otc.comVictim Description:
The victim was initially contacted through the Grindr app, where they were introduced to a person claiming to be a successful cryptocurrency investor from Royal Palm Beach. The communication was moved to WhatsApp, where the scammer persuaded the victim to invest in cryptocurrency under their guidance. At first, the victim saw positive returns, which encouraged further investment, eventually even taking out a personal loan to increase the deposit. However, when attempting to withdraw funds, the victim encountered fabricated withdrawal restrictions and is now unable to access the money.Scam Tactics:
Initial Contact:
The scammer met the victim on Grindr, a dating app, and moved the communication to WhatsApp. He introduced himself as a successful investor from Royal Palm Beach and persuaded the victim to invest in cryptocurrency.Pressure to Invest:
The scammer demonstrated apparent success in cryptocurrency trading, showing the victim good returns initially. This encouraged the victim to invest more money. The scammer convinced the victim to use popular platforms like Coinbase, CashApp, Kraken, and the fraudulent website tse-otc.com.Increased Investment:
After seeing positive returns, the victim followed the scammer’s guidance and continued to invest larger sums of money, even taking out a personal loan to add more funds to their trading account.Withdrawal Blockage:
On December 5th, the victim attempted to withdraw a large sum of money from the account. However, when contacting customer service, the victim was informed that the funds could not be released unless they matched the current deposit amount. This is a common scam tactic, where the scammer forces the victim to deposit more money in order to access previous funds.Sophisticated Scheme:
The victim suspects that the scammer is working in tandem with the fraudulent tse-otc.com platform to execute a sophisticated scheme designed to defraud individuals of large amounts of money by creating false impressions of legitimacy and investment success.Wallet Addresses Involved in the Scam:
- Receiving Addresses:32SxfxdiCDF96KMs6uK4Mx5Ym6fSXi6XGF
- 3JinDCXCfTZ6bW4NKHLHAk9WafJcHdW98B
- 0x992d749e5e9d4d82d75a3bc8c326b83876205992
Scam Overview:
The victim was manipulated into investing large sums of money into cryptocurrency under the guidance of an individual they met on Grindr. The scammer initially showed promising returns, which led the victim to increase their investment. However, after attempting to withdraw a significant amount of money, the victim was blocked and told they needed to deposit more funds in order to access their previous investment. The victim now believes the scammer is working with the fraudulent website tse-otc.com to carry out this scheme.Recommendations:
Report the Scam:
The victim should report the incident to relevant authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), or local law enforcement. Reporting helps investigators track scammers and prevents further victims from being targeted.Consult Legal Counsel:
Given the significant financial loss, the victim should consider contacting a legal professional specializing in fraud, cryptocurrency scams, or financial fraud for guidance on potential next steps, including legal recovery options.Blockchain Transaction Tracking:
The victim should use a blockchain explorer to track the provided wallet addresses. Blockchain explorers can help identify any additional transactions or patterns related to the scammer’s activity, potentially leading to further insights about the scam’s operation.Alert Financial Institutions:
The victim should contact the financial institutions used to facilitate the transactions (e.g., Coinbase, CashApp, Kraken) and report the fraudulent activity. In some cases, financial institutions may be able to assist with fraud recovery or investigate the payments.Do Not Engage Further with the Scammer:
The victim should stop all communication with the scammer to avoid further manipulation. Engaging with scammers can lead to more financial loss.Raise Awareness:
The victim should share their experience publicly on social media, scam reporting websites, and cryptocurrency forums. This will help others recognize the signs of similar scams and avoid falling into the same trap.Monitor Accounts for Additional Fraud:
The victim should monitor their bank accounts, credit cards, and crypto wallets for any suspicious activity. If new transactions appear, they should be reported immediately to the relevant authorities.Publicize the Scam Website:
The victim should consider reporting the fraudulent website tse-otc.com to Google Safe Browsing, PhishTank, or similar platforms to help prevent others from accessing the site and falling victim to the same scam.Domain Information:
The scam was executed through the website tse-otc.com, which is registered with Gname.com Pte. Ltd. The domain was created on August 18, 2023, and is set to expire on August 18, 2025. The status of the domain is clientTransferProhibited, indicating the scammer is trying to lock the domain and prevent its suspension or transfer.Domain: tse-otc.com
Registrar: Gname.com Pte. Ltd.
Registered On: 2023-08-18
Expires On: 2025-08-18
Updated On: 2024-08-19
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Name Servers: a.share-dns.com, b.share-dns.netConclusion:
The victim was defrauded out of $20,751 by a scammer they met on Grindr who guided them to invest in cryptocurrency through tse-otc.com. After initial successful returns, the scammer pressured the victim into making larger deposits, even taking out a loan. When the victim attempted to withdraw their funds, they were blocked unless they deposited even more money. Immediate actions should include reporting the scam to authorities, seeking legal advice, tracking blockchain transactions, and raising public awareness of tse-otc.com to prevent further fraud.