In short: it starts with a 'mistaken' message on WhatsApp or via SMS, e.g., 'Hi, is this Marek? We have a golf appointment?'. A friendly person apologizes, engages in conversation, and builds a relationship over several weeks, sometimes even a romance. Then they mention their profits from cryptocurrencies and 'help' set up an account on a platform that is fake. According to the FBI, in 2025, Americans reported $7.2 billion in losses from cryptocurrency investment scams, the highest of all types of fraud. Do not reply to strangers, do not invest with someone you only know from chat, and report such contacts in the USA (IC3, FTC, CFTC) or in Poland (police, CERT Polska).
This guide describes one pathway of fraud: a relationship initiated on a messaging app that turns into 'joint investment' after weeks. The media call this 'pig butchering', literally 'fattening a pig before slaughter'. The victim is 'fattened' with attention and fictitious profits before losing everything. INTERPOL appealed in December 2024 to abandon this name as it impacts victims negatively. American agencies now refer to it as 'relationship investment scam' (CFTC) or 'digital asset investment scam' (FinCEN). In this text, we use the term 'relationship and cryptocurrency scam'.
If you encountered a scam through an advertisement on Facebook, read the guide on fake investment ads. Technical details of fake exchanges and applications are described in the guide on cryptocurrency scams.
Why This Also Concerns the Polish Diaspora
There are no FBI or FTC data breaking down victims by ethnic groups, so we do not know how many Poles in the USA have lost money this way. However, several factors make the Polish community equally vulnerable as others.
- Language is no longer a barrier. The FBI's warning from December 2024 states that criminals use generative AI for translations to minimize grammatical errors. A message in Polish does not necessarily mean it is written by a Pole.
- Scams reach Poles on both sides of the ocean. CERT Polska's 2025 report describes SMS messages about 'profits in the investment account' and 'attempts to log into a cryptocurrency account', as well as messages that only aim to prompt conversation on another messaging app.
- Family in two countries means more opportunities. Many people use WhatsApp daily to talk with loved ones in Poland, so a message from an unknown number abroad does not surprise anyone.
- Older individuals lose the most. The FBI reports that in 2025, individuals aged 60+ filed 13,685 complaints about cryptocurrency investment scams and lost $2.76 billion.
How the Scam Unfolds, Step by Step
FinCEN, the Treasury Department's unit for combating money laundering, analyzed 33,904 reports from banks and financial firms about suspicious transactions from September 8, 2023, to December 31, 2025, related to approximately $12.7 billion. The descriptions of the process in these reports are very repetitive.
1. 'Mistake'
The first message appears to be directed at someone else: an arranged meeting, a question about a dog, birthday wishes. According to FinCEN, scams usually start with unsolicited or 'mistaken' SMS messages, on social media, dating sites, or messaging apps. If you reply, even politely saying 'it's a mistake', the interlocutor apologizes and continues the conversation. Sometimes the first contact is elsewhere, and then the conversation moves to WhatsApp or Telegram. The CFTC lists moving the conversation to an encrypted messenger as one of the key warning signs.
2. Acquaintance
For weeks, sometimes months, the interlocutor writes daily. Photos show an attractive, wealthy person: travels, restaurants, cars. The FBI described this phase in June 2026 as 'love bombing', meaning showering the victim with compliments and attention to quickly build a sense of closeness and trust. The interlocutor cannot meet or talk on video because something always comes up. Photos and videos may be generated by AI.
3. Discussion about Money
The new acquaintance 'casually' mentions that they earn well from cryptocurrencies, precious metals, or currencies because they have an analyst uncle or access to a 'special strategy'. They do not push too hard. They offer to show how it works and provide a website address or app name.
4. First 'Profits'
The first deposit is small. The balance quickly grows, and sometimes a small amount can be withdrawn. FinCEN refers to 'encouraging payments': the scammer sends the victim small amounts as 'returns on investment' to entice them to make larger deposits.
5. Large Deposits
Requests for larger amounts arise. FinCEN describes cases where victims liquidated investment accounts and savings, took out loans against their homes (HELOC) and second mortgages, or borrowed from family. The FBI adds that the platform can offer a 'loan' for the next investment. In June 2026, the FBI also warned about cash pickups by couriers: when a bank halts a suspicious transfer, scammers send someone to pick up the money at home, and the victim recognizes them by a password or serial number of the banknote.
6. Blockage and Disappearance
When attempting to withdraw a large amount, a 'tax', 'fee', or 'security' appears. FinCEN states that a request for an upfront fee often indicates the final stage of the scam. When the victim runs out of money or refuses, contact is cut off. Soon after, 'lawyers' or 'fund recovery companies' may reach out, who are also scammers.
Warning: many such chats are run by organized crime groups from Southeast Asia. The FBI states in its 2025 report that they force victims of human trafficking to conduct conversations. Therefore, the person on the other side may be writing from someone else's script and has nothing to do with the identity in the photos.
Scale in Numbers
| Data | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints about cryptocurrency investment scams, 2025 | 61,559 complaints, $7.228 billion in losses (a 48% increase in complaints and a 25% increase in losses compared to 2024) | FBI IC3 |
| All complaints involving cryptocurrencies, 2025 | 181,565 complaints, $11.366 billion in losses | FBI IC3 |
| Individuals 60+, cryptocurrency investment scams, 2025 | 13,685 complaints, $2.76 billion | FBI IC3 |
| Scams 'for fund recovery', 2025 | 10,516 complaints, $1.4 billion | FBI IC3 |
| Reports from financial institutions, 09.2023 to 12.2025 | 33,904 reports, approx. $12.7 billion in suspicious transactions | FinCEN |
| Estimated annual cost for Americans | approx. $10 billion annually | CFTC (February 2026, estimate without provided methodology) |
| Romances as the start of a scam | nearly 60% of reported losses from romance scams began on social media | FTC (2025) |
You Received a Strange Message from a Stranger
The scheme below helps assess what stage you are at and what to do now.
A stranger writes on WhatsApp. What to do?
How far has the conversation progressed?
Do not reply
The FBI advises ending contact immediately when the message turns out to be a mistake. Block and report the number in the messenger. Even a polite response confirms that the number is active.
Does this person avoid video calls and meetings?
It is very likely that this is a fake person
Search for their photos in an image search engine, as advised by the CFTC. Do not provide personal information, do not send money, and do not move the conversation to other apps.
Video is not enough
The FBI warns that criminals use AI-generated video in live conversations. The same rule applies: do not invest with someone you only know from the internet.
This is a typical scam moment
FBI: do not invest based on advice from someone you met only online. Do not install apps from links, do not deposit. Check the platform according to the section 'How to Check the Platform'.
Is the platform asking for a fee, tax, or deposit before withdrawal?
Do not pay
The FBI states that victims do not recover money even after paying the requested fees. Gather evidence and report the case according to the section 'Where to Report: USA and Poland'.
Report the case and beware of 'recoverers'
Call your bank, file a complaint with IC3, and reject any offers for money recovery for a fee. This is how the next round of scams looks.
Signs That You Are Talking to a Scammer
- The first message was a 'mistake', and the interlocutor is eager to continue the conversation with a stranger.
- Quickly moves the conversation from a dating site, Facebook, or SMS to WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Does not meet in person and avoids video, and if there is video, it is short and of poor quality.
- Quickly shows a lot of affection or admiration, talks about a shared future.
- 'By the way', they talk about profits from cryptocurrencies, currencies, or precious metals, and then offer help with investing.
- Indicates a specific website or app and helps navigate it 'step by step'.
- Asks not to tell anyone about it, including the bank. The SEC advises not to invest with anyone who tells you to lie to the bank about the purpose of the withdrawal.
- Proposes that a courier come to pick up cash.
How to Check the Platform
- Do not use the link from the interlocutor. Fake platforms have addresses very similar to real exchanges. The FBI advises in June 2026 to search online for both the name and address of the site, data from its subpages, and screenshots of the app, as well as to check forums and articles about scams.
- Check registration. The CFTC refers to the search engine cftc.gov/check and notes that registration alone does not protect against fraud, but most scams involve unregistered entities. We describe FinCEN registries, state licenses, and the ESMA register in the EU in the guide on cryptocurrency scams.
- An app in an official store is no proof. The SEC states that the presence of an app in a well-known store does not mean that it or the transactions shown in it are real.
- In Poland check the company on the KNF public warning list. CERT Polska advises entering the official website address manually.
Where to Report: USA and Poland
In the USA
- Bank: call immediately and request to cancel the transfer. The FBI emphasizes in its 2025 report that time is of the essence.
- FBI IC3: ic3.gov. The FBI asks for as many details about the transaction as possible: wallet addresses, amount and type of cryptocurrency, date and time, transaction identifier (hash), names of sites and apps, phone numbers, screenshots of conversations. If you do not have transaction data, still file a report.
- FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- CFTC: cftc.gov/complaint, especially if it involved 'trading' cryptocurrencies, currencies, or metals.
- Exchange through which you sent cryptocurrencies: The FTC recommends reporting the case to the company from which the funds were sent.
- Individuals 60+: Elder Justice Hotline of the Department of Justice, 1-833-372-8311, assists with filing a report with IC3.
In Poland
- Bank in Poland, if you paid from a Polish account. Call the hotline from the number on your card or in the app.
- Police or prosecutor's office: you can file a crime report at any unit. The Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime (cbzc.policja.gov.pl) also deals with cybercrime.
- CERT Polska: report fake sites and platforms through incydent.cert.pl or in the mObywatel app (service 'Safe Online'). Forward suspicious SMS messages to the number 8080.
Reporting in one country does not exclude the other. If you live in the USA and sent part of the money from an account in Poland, report the case in both countries.
When the Real FBI Calls
Not every call from 'FBI' is a scam. As part of Operation Level Up, the FBI has been searching for victims of cryptocurrency scams and warning them since January 2024. In 2025, it notified 3,780 individuals, and 78% of them were unaware they were being scammed. Since the start of the operation, the FBI has notified over 8,000 individuals and estimates that it has saved them over $500 million in losses. In 38 cases, victims were referred to specialists due to suicide risk.
How to tell: the real FBI warns and never asks for money. The FBI states in July 2026 that IC3 does not contact individuals via phone, email, social media, or messaging apps, and if additional information is needed, employees from the local FBI field office will reach out. If in doubt, hang up and call your local FBI field office at a number you find yourself.
Warning: losing savings in such a scam can be a huge psychological blow, as the victim loses both money and a 'close person'. If you or someone in your family is thinking about self-harm, in the USA call or text 988. This is not a reason for shame: these groups operate industrially and scam people of all ages and educational backgrounds.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Why It Harms | What Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Polite response to a 'mistake' | Confirms an active number and opens a conversation | Block and report without replying |
| Trusting because 'we've known each other for months' | Length of acquaintance is part of the plan | Do not invest with anyone you only know from the internet |
| Withdrawal 'as a test' as proof | Small withdrawals are a deliberate incentive | Check the platform in registries, not by balance |
| Hiding withdrawals from the bank | The bank often recognizes fraud first | Tell the bank employee the truth about the purpose of the transfer |
| Paying a 'tax' for withdrawal | Money will not return, and losses increase | Report the case, do not pay |
| Shame and silence | Scammers return with a 'recovery' offer | Report and talk to family |
Related Guides
- Investment Scams on Facebook: fake ads featuring well-known individuals.
- Crypto scams: fake exchanges, 'withdrawal fees', irreversibility of crypto transfers, registries.
- Investment Groups on WhatsApp: 'clubs' and stock price manipulation.
- Guaranteed Profits: the biggest red flag in investments.
- Gift Card Scams: when a 'friend' asks for codes from cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
I replied once to a mistaken message. Am I in danger?
A reply alone does not take your money. Block the number, report it in the messenger, and do not click on links. Expect further attempts from other numbers, as your number has been confirmed as active.
This person is really helping me and showing their profits. How do I know it's a scam?
Ask yourself three questions: did you meet them only online, did they point out the site or app, and does withdrawing a large amount require an additional fee? If the answer to two of them is 'yes', then it is the scheme described by the FBI, FinCEN, and CFTC. Real profits do not require paying upfront to withdraw.
Can cryptocurrencies sent to scammers be recovered?
Sometimes yes, but rarely and only through a bank or law enforcement. Cryptocurrency transfers are usually irreversible. The FBI helps freeze funds when the report comes quickly and contains transaction data. Any private 'fund recovery company' that wants an upfront fee is, according to the FBI, a signal of another scam.
I received a call from someone claiming to be from the FBI saying I fell victim to a scam. What should I do?
Listen, but do not pay anything or provide login information. The real FBI warns victims without any fees. Hang up and call your local FBI field office at a number you find yourself.
My parent in Poland is chatting with someone 'from America' who is urging them to invest. How can I help?
Talk calmly without mocking, as shame leads to hiding deposits. Show them this guide, suggest checking the platform together on the KNF warning list, and ask them to talk to a bank advisor before any transfer. Report fake sites to CERT Polska.
Sources
As of October 23, 2026. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. In case of loss of money, contact your bank, law enforcement, or a lawyer.
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