A 73-year-old grandfather nearly lost everything after falling for a sophisticated crypto scam — not once, but twice.
📞 It All Began with a Call…
He was cold-called with a “can’t-miss” crypto investment offer. Trusting the caller, he transferred £14,500 — and never saw it again.
🕵️♂️ Round Two: The Fake Hero
Later, another scammer — calling himself Gabriel — posed as a fraud recovery agent. He promised to get the man’s money back.
🎭 Gabriel was persistent and professional. He sent fake emails, forged documents, and asked for “processing fees” — which led the victim to send another £66,500, even taking out four personal loans to comply.
😔 After the final £7,500 was sent, silence. No recovery. Just heartbreak.
💔 Ashamed, the man told no one — until he reached out to the National Fraud Helpline (NFH).
✅ A Bittersweet Ending
Thanks to NFH and his bank (Co-op Bank), every penny was eventually refunded.
“I cried when I got the call. I thought it was all gone,” he said.
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⚠️ What You Should Know:
• Scammers prey on trust, urgency, and vulnerability
• Fraud recovery scams are on the rise — thieves pretending to help you, just to steal more
• Always verify before sending money
• Banks must improve checks on high-value transfers
👨👩👧👦 Have elderly family members? Share this story.
You might protect them from becoming the next victim.
#CryptoScam #FraudAlert #FinancialAwareness #BitcoinSCAM #CryptoSafety
