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Urgent — act now

An "investment" or crypto — and something's wrong. What do I do?

First, breathe. If something is “too good to be true”, it usually is. You’re not stupid for ending up here — these schemes are built by professionals to look real. What matters is what you do now: stop the payments and check.

First steps, right now

  1. Stop any further payment, now. Especially if you're being asked for "fees" to withdraw your money — no such thing exists, it's the scam continuing.
  2. Gather the evidence: screenshots of the platform, the conversations with the "consultant", receipts, transfer details, the website address.
  3. Check whether the company is authorised by ASF (Romania's Financial Supervisory Authority). ASF publishes lists of unauthorised entities and warnings.
  4. If you paid by card, call your bank and ask for a chargeback; if you sent a bank transfer, ask for a payment recall. As quickly as possible.
  5. Report it to ASF and DNSC (Romania's national cybersecurity directorate) and file a complaint with the Police (Poliția Română), with all the evidence.

What NOT to do

  • Don't pay "withdrawal fees", "tax" or an "account unlock fee" — they're invented to squeeze out even more money.
  • Don't install remote access apps (AnyDesk, TeamViewer) requested by the "broker" or "consultant".
  • Don't hand over card details or codes "so we can process your withdrawal".

How to spot it next time

  • A "guaranteed", high, risk-free return — it doesn't exist. It's the classic sign of fraud.
  • Pressure to deposit quickly or deposit more; a dedicated, very friendly "consultant".
  • A video of a public figure (Ion Țiriac, Mugur Isărescu — governor of Romania's National Bank — or a politician) "recommending" an investment platform. These are almost always deepfakes — these people never endorse investment schemes.
  • You got there through a TikTok/Facebook ad or a WhatsApp/Telegram group.
  • A WhatsApp/Telegram group with a "mentor"/"analyst" and lots of enthusiastic "members" (often bots). They let you withdraw small amounts at first, to gain your trust, then they block the larger sums.
  • The platform shows profits growing nicely, but won't let you withdraw.

This guide is meant to help you act fast. It does not replace official instructions from your bank, the police or the authorities. When in doubt, call the numbers above.