Deception (social engineering): Private individual, Germany 2021
A Facebook contact request developed over several months into an online relationship with a supposed US soldier.
- Incident · 2021 · Saxony-Anhalt (district of Börde), Germany
- Evidence: confirmed by an authority
- Deception (social engineering)
- Fraud
As of
What happened
He asked her to pay 23'000 euros to a company so that his savings could be sent to her by parcel service; she borrowed the money from her bank and transferred it. When he demanded further thousands, she went to the police, who concluded it was fraud.
- Affected
- Private individual (anonymous)
- Industry
- Private individual
- Loss
- EUR 23'000
- Business interruption
- unknown
- Ransom demanded / paid
- unknown / unknown
- Data affected
- unknown
- Bankruptcy
- no
- Entry point
- Facebook contact request from a supposed US soldier stationed in Kabul
What would cyber insurance have paid?
That depends on the terms. Whether those affected were insured: unknown.
We have not assigned any cyber insurance module to this case.
Overview based on public policy terms, as of 06.11.2026. Only your policy and its general terms and conditions (GTC) are binding. No confirmation of cover.
What we can learn
Anyone who takes out a loan for an online love should first talk to their family, bank or the police.
Sources
- Frau aus der Börde verliert an Online-Beziehung 23.000 Euro (opens in a new window) Volksstimme · 2021-06-09
«Dort mussten die Beamten ihr leider mitteilen, dass sie sehr wahrscheinlich einem Betrug erlegen ist.»