Nicole Hutchinson fell victim to an online Crypto Dating Scam. The 24-year-old woman from Tennessee said that she lost not only her money but her father’s as well in the scam. Additionally, Hutchinson claims she lost over $390,000.
The 24-year-old says that she has decided to come forward with her story in order to warn others about such Crypto Dating Scams.
As per Hutchinson’s account, last year, she was visiting her friend in California when she matched with a man who went by the name ‘Hao’ on Hinge. Additionally, he told Hutchinson that he worked in the clothing business and lived in California.
As per her profile, Nicole Hutchinson is a social media producer.
How Did The Online Crypto Dating Scam Take Place?
After getting in touch with the scammer, Hutchinson told him that she is from China, and later the scammer, HAO, told her that. He was from the same town as her in China. Soon after, Hutchinson said that she felt a strong connection to the scammer due to their similar background.
Even after Hutchison returned from California, she continued staying in contact with the scammer via texting. Slowly, Hao started suggesting to her to invest in cryptocurrency.
Moreover, Hutchinson has shared the screenshot of her conversation with the scammer where he tells her to invest in crypto. He says,“ I want to teach you to invest in cryptocurrency when you are free, bring some changes to your life and bring an extra income to your life.”
Gradually, Hutchinson started investing small amounts of her money through the links that Hao used to send her. Soon after, she started gaining profits in crypto and urged her father to invest in the digital asset as well.
By December, Hutchinson and her dad had a combined balance of over $1.2 million. Furthermore, they decided to withdraw the amount to cash on their profits.
Also Read: A 12th Pass Out Arrested for 40Cr Worth Crypto Scam
“I messed up my life. I messed up my dad’s life”
However, when they tried to withdraw their investments, Hutchinson was asked to pay a “tax bill” of around $380,000. She soon realized that none of her investments were real. Speaking about the Online Dating Scam on various media outlets, she says, “I messed up my life. I messed up my dad’s life.”
After the death of her mother, Hutchinson had inherited over $300,000 as she sold her childhood home. The 24-year-old lost all the inheritance money to the Online Dating Scam. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says that consumers avoid reporting scams, in general, and Online Dating Scams are rarely reported because of the embarrassment around the subject.
