A 56-year-old business consultant from Munich was looking for love on Tinder. Instead, he became the victim of a sophisticated scam that cost him €1.3 million.
The fraudsters, operating from Myanmar, lured him into a fake cryptocurrency investment platform—a method investigators compare to a “pig butchering” scheme.
How the scam began
The story started in March 2025, when the consultant matched with a woman on Tinder who appeared to be of Asian descent.
Although they never met in person, the two communicated regularly in English. Over time, conversations shifted from personal topics to finances, specifically cryptocurrency investments.
The woman persuaded him to open an account on what looked like a professional trading platform.
Charts and price curves gave the impression of legitimacy, but according to Munich police, everything was controlled by the fraudsters.
Believing he was making rapid profits, the man tried to withdraw his money—only to be told he had to pay “taxes and fees” through a separate platform first.
The financial loss
By the time he realized something was wrong and reported the case to the police, €1.3 million had already vanished. Investigator Joachim Jäntsch from Munich’s white-collar crime division explained: “The trick is not new. Victims are encouraged to keep investing more and more, lured by supposedly quick returns.”
This method is internationally known as “pig butchering”—a grim metaphor for fattening up victims with promises before taking everything.
Who the scammers target
Police investigations traced the operation to Myanmar. The perpetrators deliberately look for educated, professionally successful individuals.
“The chats on dating platforms quickly shift toward financial discussions,” said Jäntsch.
Even worse, victims’ personal data are often resold. Months later, new fraudsters sometimes contact them, pretending they have located the lost money—only to demand further payments.
A growing global threat
Romance scams combined with cryptocurrency fraud are on the rise worldwide.
German police urge anyone using dating platforms to remain cautious when financial topics arise.
Experts recommend never transferring money to unknown individuals or unverified platforms, no matter how convincing the story may sound.
