Thousands of euros lost – Grazerin transferred huge sums to alleged tennis pro

A previously unknown perpetrator contacted the 32-year-old from Graz via a social media platform, posing as a well-known tennis player. The woman believed the perpetrator and a romantic conversation ensued. Finally, the unknown perpetrator demanded several thousand euros in cash for an actual meeting. The woman transferred the money in several tranches to different Turkish accounts. It was only after the perpetrator demanded more money that she recognized the fraud and filed a complaint.„

love scam”
In the so-called “love scam” form of fraud, the perpetrators exploit the alleged affection of women and men to persuade the victim to make payments. She has both female and male victims. Through phone calls, emails and other forms of communication in the new media, a kind of relationship is presented to the victims, which is then exploited financially.

Crime Prevention Tips
Crime prevention gave some tips in this regard:

• Protect your own identity online. All the personal data you provide makes it easier for the perpetrator to do his job.
• At all costs, avoid exchanging personal photos or video recordings with the perpetrator. This makes it easier for the offender to commit the crime later by potentially putting pressure on you by publishing such images.
• A first face-to-face meeting should always be preceded by telephone conversations. First meetings should always take place in public and/or crowded places.
• Don’t be afraid to file a complaint; we all know: “Love is blind!” This is also the reason why perpetrators exploit the emotional world of the later victim to get his money.