LINDEN

Someone you met online is showing you how to invest in crypto.

This romance investment scam starts with a warm online contact and ends with fake profits you cannot withdraw, and this post explains what to do.

Source: This post is based on the FBI public service announcement Scammers Use Couriers to Collect Cash in Cryptocurrency Investment Scams, published by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) on June 15, 2026.

You meet someone on social media, a dating app or through a text from a stranger. The conversation is warm and runs for days or weeks. Then they mention cryptocurrency, say they know how to make it grow, and offer to show you an app where your balance keeps going up. This is a romance investment scam. Do not send more money, do not pay any fee to withdraw, and talk to someone you trust in person.

The FBI warned in June 2026 that these cryptocurrency investment scams are usually aimed at senior citizens, and UK police say romance fraud is often combined with fake investments. The balance on the screen is not money held for you, so the safest step is to stop and check.

What the scam looks like

The FBI says scammers start a conversation by posing as someone looking for a business or romantic relationship on social media, by sending unsolicited texts, or by presenting themselves as a cryptocurrency investment expert. Once a relationship is established, they suggest investing in cryptocurrency and tell the person to download specific trading apps and open investment accounts.

The person is encouraged to send money to bank accounts they believe belong to the investment platform, and is given access to websites showing made-up returns, which encourages them to invest more. When they try to withdraw their profits, the FBI says, they are told to pay taxes and penalties first. In an earlier alert, from March 2023, the FBI said victims cannot get their money back even if they pay these fees or taxes.

Some versions go further and send someone to your home to collect cash, as in crypto investment scams that use a courier. Others start with a famous person in a fake online advert instead of a new friend.

Who it targets

The FBI says the people targeted in these scams are usually senior citizens. In its March 2023 alert, the FBI said criminals find people on dating apps, social media platforms, professional networking sites and encrypted messaging apps.

Because the scheme grows out of what feels like a real friendship or romance, people often find it hard to talk about. A gentle, judgement-free question from family can make all the difference.

Warning signs

  • Someone you have only met online or by text steers the conversation toward cryptocurrency or a trading app.
  • They claim to be an expert who can make your money grow.
  • They want you to download a particular app or send money to accounts they recommend.
  • You are quickly showered with praise and attention. The FBI calls this “love bombing”.
  • Your balance looks impressive and you are encouraged to invest more.
  • You are told to pay a fee, tax or penalty before you can take your money out.
  • They find reasons not to meet in person or on a live video call, a warning sign UK police also highlight.

How to protect yourself

  • Stop replying to strangers. The FBI says not to keep up unsolicited conversations with unknown people, and to stop once you realise a message was sent to the wrong number.
  • Verify who you are talking to through other people before trusting someone new.
  • Research before investing. The FBI suggests looking online for articles, forums or reviews that suggest a platform is a scam, and searching the web address and screenshots of the app, not just the name.
  • Never pay to withdraw. In its 2023 alert, the FBI said not to pay any extra fees or taxes to get your money out, and not to pay anyone who claims they can recover money you have lost.
  • Keep your personal and banking information private.

A simple family plan

  • Check in kindly. Ask relatives about new online friends with curiosity, not criticism.
  • Agree a pause rule. Nobody sends money to an investment suggested by someone met online without first talking it through with someone they trust.
  • Remember the bottom line. A real investment does not arrive through a private chat with someone you have never met.

Scams don’t stop at borders

This warning comes from the FBI in the United States, and UK police report the same mix of romance and investment fraud there. Dating apps and social media reach people in every country, including Canada, so wherever you live it is worth staying informed and talking things over before sending money to someone you have only met online.

The same pattern elsewhere

In the United States, the FBI first warned of a spike in cryptocurrency investment schemes on March 14, 2023. It said these schemes usually begin as a romance or confidence scam, and that criminals took more than two billion US dollars from victims in 2022.

In the UK, the City of London Police issued a romance fraud warning on May 4, 2026. It said people across the UK lost more than £102 million to romance fraud last year, and that people aged 55 to 74 had the highest losses, nearly half of the total. It added that romance fraud is often combined with fake investment schemes, including cryptocurrency. Its advice includes never sending money, cryptocurrency or gift cards to someone you have not met face to face, and talking to a trusted friend or family member if something feels suspicious or pressured.

What to do if you’ve been affected

Stop sending money, and do not pay any fee to unlock a withdrawal. Being targeted is nothing to be ashamed of.

  • US: file a complaint with the FBI’s IC3 and report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you are 60 or older and need help filing with IC3, call the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline on 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
  • UK: call 159 to reach your bank (Stop Scams UK) and report to Report Fraud or on 0300 123 2040.
  • Canada: report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
  • Contact your bank on the number printed on your card or statement and tell them it was a scam.

How Linden helps

Linden is being built so older adults and their families can talk a money decision through with someone they trust. An investment suggested by a new online friend is exactly the kind of decision worth talking over first.

Sources

All scams