Laura made a report at a Malta police station in December 2023 after discovering she had been a victim of an internet investment fraud. The process began innocently enough when she saw a Facebook advertisement promising that an initial €250 investment would immediately generate €500 in profit. She sent the initial amount because it appeared to be simple and low-risk.
Shortly after making the deposit, she was approached by a man named Daniel, who introduced her to Edward, who claimed to be her personal investment advisor. Edward continued to communicate, establishing trust through professional language and providing monthly updates on the “growth” of her investment fund. Screenshots of an internet trading platform were shown to her, demonstrating consistent and substantial earnings. Encouraged by these apparent gains, she steadily increased her investments over several weeks, ultimately depositing €7,500.
When Laura decided to withdraw her monies, she was notified that certain administrative procedures were necessary before any reimbursement could be performed. She was asked to pay €3,000 in processing fees and an extra €2,000 in insurance expenses, with the promise that the entire sum would be reimbursed within days. She complied because she trusted the platform’s consistent communication and apparent validity. Unfortunately, no monies were returned.
Soon, a third person, Michael, contacted her and offered to assist her in retrieving her money. He claimed her balance had greatly increased and moved the alleged amounts to a Bitcoin wallet. He then wanted a 10% recovery charge based on an artificially inflated balance. Despite mounting pressure and multiple phone calls encouraging her to make additional payments, she refused to proceed.
Realising she had been deceived, she contacted the Malta Financial Services Authority and was advised to file a police report. Her total financial loss amounted to €18,750.
Disclaimer: This account is based on a real-life case investigated by the authorities. While the events and figures described are factual, names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.