My mother’s online partner used Bitcoin, gift cards and a fake bank to drain her

My mother began talking with a man she met on a dating app. He claimed to be a millionaire and an underwater welder working in Alaska, and said he was investing in crypto for her. Their relationship moved to a third-party messaging app, and she became convinced that they were in love.

She sent more than $1,200 in Apple gift cards for supposed phone minutes and wired more than $11,000 during May. The first $2,500 was put into Bitcoin through Kraken and then transferred out. Kraken was only the transfer service; the scheme came from the person directing her. He later had her log into what appeared to be a German bank account and said it became suspended.

The next story was that he needed $10,000 to add her as a beneficiary because biometric security prevented him from restoring access himself. She borrowed $7,500 from a friend under another explanation, obtained more money elsewhere and continued using credit despite living on Social Security. He also obtained extensive identity information.

Our family contacted local authorities, adult protection services and the FTC, but she does not consider herself a victim. She still sees him as the person who will rescue her once his job ends.