Couple from Heilbronn loses over 400,000 euros due to crypto fraud!

Couple from Heilbronn loses over 400,000 euros due to crypto fraud!

A couple from Heilbronn fell victim to a perfidious investment fraud and lost more than 400,000 euros. The scam, which advertised the image of a well-known TV star online, began in February this year. The couple discovered an advertisement that supposedly promised attractive investments in cryptocurrencies. At first they only transferred a small amount, but were quickly convinced by the alleged profits and increased their payments.

Over the next few months, they transferred a total of over 400,000 euros to unknown perpetrators who continued to lure people with increasing returns. The fraudsters repeatedly demanded additional money for alleged taxes and fees. After about six months, the couple's entire savings had been used up without ever being paid out. The couple filed a complaint with the police at the beginning of August, who have now set up an investigative team called “Trading” to investigate the case.

Criminal police warn of investment fraud

The Heilbronn criminal police have determined that such cases of fraud are not isolated cases in the Heilbronn-Franconia region. A man from the Heilbronn district lost around one million euros through transfers to crypto exchanges and cash transfers in a similar period between January and March 2025. A suspect was arrested in April. The police warn urgently against the unrealistic promises of winnings that can often be found on the Internet.

The police also announce some warning signs for investors to identify such scams: unrealistically high returns, first-class promises, missing or incorrect legal notice and requests to transfer money abroad. Contacting only via messenger services and asking for personal data should also arouse suspicion.

Tips for safer investments

To protect yourself from such scams, the authorities recommend that you obtain comprehensive information. Before investing money online, investors should visit the websites of the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) or consumer protection portals. Important questions to check the seriousness of offers are:

• Ist es realistisch, dass eine Person über Messenger-Dienste hohe Renditen verspricht?
• Warum sollte eine unbekannte Person oder ein TV-Star eine lukrative Anlagemöglichkeit anbieten?
• Gibt es ein vollständiges und korrektes Impressum auf der Website?

The security of investments should always be a top priority and it is advisable to be skeptical if offers seem too good to be true. More information on this topic is available from the police, who also regularly clarify new scams. The full reports can be found at SWR and Agree.