The Story:
Maarika (50) from Estonia was skeptical about online dating, but a man named “Richard” messaged her on a European dating site. He claimed to be a British widower, semi-retired, and into art and classical music. Polite. Calm. No pressure.
He shared stories about his late wife, about traveling, about how empty the world felt… until he met Maarika.
They talked daily. Video calls were rare and blurry — “bad signal in the countryside,” he claimed. But the connection felt real.
Then one day, Richard told her about crypto investing. He said he was making small but consistent profits.
“I can show you how. You don’t need much. I’ll help you set up everything.”
She followed his instructions. Made an account on a platform he linked. Deposited €300. The “investment” grew fast — or so it appeared.
She added more: €1,000… then €2,000.
When she tried to withdraw, the site blocked her account, saying she needed to pay a €400 tax clearance fee.
That’s when she realized — it was all fake. The site, the investment, even the identity of “Richard”