Someone I met on Instagram or Facebook wants to help me invest in crypto. Their site shows profits, but withdrawing requires another payment. What should I do?
The short answer
Stop sending money and stop communicating with the suspected scammer. A close relationship, a polished app and an early successful withdrawal do not prove that an investment is real. If you already paid, contact the genuine payment provider immediately. Being deliberately deceived is not a reason to feel ashamed or delay asking for help.
What this answer is based onWhat to do
Use the provider’s app, the number on your card or contact details from an existing statement. Do not use a support number or link supplied by the contact or their investment site.
- Pause payments and get an outside view. Do not borrow, send a test deposit or pay an extra “release fee.” Speak privately with someone you trust. Search the public profile name and photo independently, without uploading intimate images or identity documents. Do not accuse the person whose photo you find: it may have been stolen. Check any claimed firm through independently located official sources, not links from the contact.
- If money has moved, contact your real bank, card issuer, payment app, exchange or cryptocurrency ATM operator now. Explain honestly whether you authorised the payment after being deceived; ask whether it can be stopped, recalled or disputed. Do not wait for a complete evidence file. Save the profile URL, usernames, relevant payment requests, dates, amounts, receipts and transaction references you already have. Keep originals privately; never include passwords, login codes or wallet recovery phrases.
- Report the account or conversation through the platform’s available reporting controls, then block the contact. For U.S. reporting, use ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov → File A Complaint; IC3 also accepts reports from outside the U.S. Contact local police or the relevant local fraud authority where appropriate. IC3 does not accept evidence attachments: retain originals and save the submitted complaint before leaving its confirmation page. If threatened, preserve the threatening messages and seek local help; immediate danger requires local emergency services, not an online report. If credentials were shared, secure the affected accounts through their genuine services.
The situation
Hypothetical example: after weeks of friendly Instagram messages, a contact moves the conversation elsewhere and recommends a trading site. You withdraw a small amount, then deposit more. The site demands a separate “tax” before releasing your balance. Do not pay that demand to test whether it works.
The situation and an improvement
Pay another fee because the relationship feels real and the balance looks convincing.
Stop the next payment, contact the genuine provider and report facts without exposing private material.
More examples
A first withdrawal worked
The contact says that a small payment you received proves the site is safe.
What to do
Early withdrawals can be part of the deception. Do not send more to prove trust or unlock a larger balance.
A friend is already involved
Someone close to you is embarrassed and wants to keep paying until the money returns.
What to do
Listen without blame. Offer to sit with them while they contact their provider. Do not publish their chat, photos or loss details.
What this answer is based on
FTC · What To Know About Romance Scamsconsumer.ftc.govInvestor.gov · Relationship Investment Scams (10 September 2024)FTC · What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026)FBI IC3 · Investment FraudFBI · Romance ScamsFBI IC3 · Reporting FAQFBI IC3 · Official reporting entry pointFTC · ReportFraud entry point (linked from official guidance; form not tested) · Full source review pendingPrimary source readReview details
Source reviewed:
We read the official source listed for this topic. Other Meta rules are reviewed separately.
We read FTC, Investor.gov and FBI/IC3 guidance. This is fraud-prevention guidance, not an assessment of a particular person or investment. FTC and IC3 are U.S. reporting routes; local options vary. No account, payment or reporting form was tested. Evidence minimisation and avoiding public accusations are ClearRules precautions.
Include the guide link, language and wording that needs checking. Add an official source link if you have one. Do not send passwords, login codes or photos of identity documents.
Examples are made up to explain the guidance. Meta decides individual account and content cases.
Sources and related topicsPolicy Graph · Demo in development