Overview
In love scams - also known as romance scams - perpetrators build a close personal relationship over weeks or months. Contact usually begins on dating platforms or social networks and soon switches to private messengers. The conversations are attentive, loving and everyday. Only when trust has been established does the request for money follow: for an alleged emergency, for travel costs, customs duties, a hospital bill or a shared future.
Romance fraud is increasingly being linked to an alleged financial investment. The acquaintance reports his own winnings with cryptocurrencies and helps with registering on a trading platform that is actually controlled by the perpetrators. Displayed winnings then only exist on the screen, and new fees are always required before a withdrawal.
Those affected are victims of a planned, professionally organized deception - it has nothing to do with gullibility. Shame is understandable, but it shouldn't stop you from getting support. We will discuss your case confidentially and examine objectively what legal options are available.
Immediate steps
These steps make sense in most cases – regardless of whether you instruct us.
Do not transfer any more money – not even for supposed fees, taxes or releases intended to recover earlier payments. Such demands are typically part of the same scheme.
Do not delete any chats, emails or profiles. Save histories, images, profile names, telephone numbers and links as screenshots or exports before the contact or the profile disappears.
Report the matter to your bank and ask whether a payment can still be stopped or a recall attempted. Whether this succeeds depends, among other things, on the payment method and the timing.
File a report with the police, in person or via the online police portal of your federal state. The report documents the matter and may be relevant for further steps towards banks and other parties involved.
If you have provided copies of your ID, login details or remote access to your devices, change your passwords and inform your bank. In the period that follows, watch out for unknown contracts or claims in your name.
Unsure what to do first in your case?
Legal assessment
For each individual payment, we examine how it was made – bank transfer, card, payment service or cryptocurrency – and whether a recall, a chargeback or refund claims may be available.
As a rule, banks must execute transfers as instructed. In special situations, however, duties to warn or to check may exist, for example in the case of overwhelming irregularities. Whether claims follow from this is always a question of the individual case.
The money frequently flows first to the accounts of intermediaries. Civil law claims against these account holders may be available if they recklessly made their account available for forwarding the funds.
If cryptocurrencies were transferred, we examine whether the path of the assets can be traced and whether regulated trading venues or custodians were involved who can be approached.
If, at the acquaintance's request, you received or forwarded money or opened accounts, possible liability and criminal law risks of your own should be assessed legally at an early stage.
Who may be liable
Claims for repayment and damages against the perpetrators may be available. However, they usually act under a false identity from abroad, so enforcement depends on whether they can be identified.
Individuals through whose accounts the money was forwarded may be liable. Among other things, what they knew or should have recognised about the origin of the funds is decisive.
Liability of the banks involved comes into consideration only under strict conditions, for example where clear warning signs were ignored. We examine on the basis of your documents whether there are indications of this.
If regulated payment services or trading venues were involved, it can be examined whether they complied with their obligations and whether they can contribute to clarifying the flow of funds.
Whether and against whom claims actually exist depends on the individual case and can only be assessed after reviewing the documents.
Preserve evidence
Do not delete anything – not even out of anger or shame. Your account of events is enough for the initial enquiry; documents can be submitted later.
Our approach
Using the form, you describe to us in a few minutes what happened. You can submit documents later.
We review your details, classify the facts and examine against whom claims may be available.
You receive an honest assessment of prospects, risks and costs – and decide for yourself whether to instruct us.
We implement the agreed strategy: towards banks, payment service providers and other parties involved, and in court if necessary.
FAQ
General guidance – it does not replace advice on your individual case.
Yes. Everything you tell us is subject to legal professional privilege. Love scams are based on targeted psychological manipulation and affect people of every age and educational background. We do not judge your behaviour; we examine your legal options.
That depends on the individual case – above all on the payment method, the timeline and whether there are reachable parties such as account holders or payment service providers. There is no guarantee, and we do not promise results. After reviewing your documents, we tell you openly whether we see realistic avenues.
In any event, make no further payments and disclose no further data. Before you end or block the contact, you should secure the entire communication, as profiles and histories may otherwise be lost.
Caution: after a fraud, victims are frequently contacted again, this time by supposed lawyers, authorities or recovery services demanding an advance payment. This is often a continuation of the fraud, the so-called recovery scam. Reputable law firms do not make unsolicited contact and do not promise success.
The initial assessment of your enquiry is free of charge. If we consider further steps worthwhile, we inform you transparently in advance about the associated costs. Only then do you decide whether you wish to instruct us.
Knowledge centre
Crypto
· Manfred Kühn
Fake crypto platforms show profits that never existed. The article describes the typical process from the first contact to the blocked payout and mentions warning signs.
Warnings
· Manfred Kühn
First there is closeness, then the tip for a supposedly safe crypto investment follows. How this form of love scam works, how to recognize it and what steps are available to those affected.
Crypto
· Manfred Kühn
Payments on the blockchain are publicly visible - but they do not reveal who is behind a wallet. What tracking can achieve, what role regulated crypto exchanges play and what the limits are.
Case review
We will assess which claims may be available and which next steps may make sense.
Your details are treated in confidence. An enquiry does not yet establish a client relationship.
By telephone, by email or via the case review – in confidence and initially without obligation.