AI earnings were a trap: 77-year-old woman paid 7,000 euros
The Krk police station is investigating a fraud in which an unknown man, falsely posing as a financial advisor, convinced a woman to invest in automated cryptocurrency trading.
The Krk police station is investigating a fraud in which an unknown man, falsely posing as a financial advisor, convinced a woman to invest in automated cryptocurrency trading.
The Krk police station is investigating a case of serious fraud in which a 77-year-old Croatian citizen lost 7,000 euros. She paid the money to an online platform that promised earnings with the help of artificial intelligence and automated cryptocurrency trading, but instead of the promised profit, she faced a series of requests for additional payments and ended up with nothing.
According to police information, the whole case began in June 2026 when the woman registered on a suspicious website. Shortly after the initial deposit, she was contacted by an unknown man who introduced himself as a financial advisor. He convinced her that if she paid additional money, she would make a significantly larger profit and receive a special bonus.
At his urging, the 77-year-old paid 4,500 euros. In early July, when she tried to withdraw the supposedly earned profit, a new request followed. The fake advisor told her that before the payout, she had to pay another 2,500 euros for alleged processing costs. The woman paid that amount as well, after which all communication ceased, and the promised profit never landed in her account. The total damage amounts to 7,000 euros.
The request for an additional payment before the withdrawal of "earnings" is one of the most common and obvious signs of an investment scam. Scammers often use sophisticated methods: they show victims fake reports of investment growth to gain their trust, and then ask for new amounts under the pretext of paying taxes, various fees, unlocking accounts, or processing costs.
The police particularly warn about platforms that advertise with terms like "artificial intelligence," "automated earnings," or "minimal risk." Although such technological terms may give an impression of seriousness and legitimacy, they are by no means proof that a real and registered investment company stands behind the offer.
The police have issued several key pieces of advice for all citizens considering online investments. Before sending money to anyone, be sure to check whether the platform or company has permission to provide financial services in Croatia. Also, never share bank card details, security codes, or copies of personal documents with unknown persons.
The message is simple: the bigger the promise of quick and high earnings, the stricter the verification of the person you are sending money to must be. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is a scam.
