Overview
- Berlin’s state criminal police recorded 433 reported romance-scam cases last year with total losses of €5.6 million, calling the fraud a widespread problem.
- A 64-year-old in Bochum sent several thousand euros via voucher codes and shared intimate photos that were later used to extort her, according to police.
- In Gelsenkirchen, a 55-year-old transferred several thousand euros and sent prepaid credits to a man claiming to be Norwegian who then vanished, prompting a police warning.
- Investigators say perpetrators build rapid emotional trust with flattering messages, then press for money or exploit private images, often using hard-to-trace vouchers and prepaid cards.
- Authorities advise cutting contact immediately, preserving chats, emails, photos and receipts, using reverse-image searches and separate email accounts for dating, and filing police reports even though funds are rarely recovered.