Have I been scammed? Do I urgently need help?
Hello, I draw portraits and regularly upload them to my Instagram page. I've never had anyone contact me wanting to buy the pictures, at least until recently. I received a message from a woman in England who was interested in my pictures. We had a conversation about how exactly she wanted her drawings to be and clarified the most important points. When it came to paying, she told me she would like to pay via Bybit. I wasn't familiar with Bybit before and had researched it extensively beforehand. I didn't find any negative reviews about this app and decided to give it a try. Shortly after setting up the app, I received a message from Bybit saying they had sent me the money. Bybit wrote that the money was being put on hold because I had to transfer €188 to them first. This obviously seemed strange to me, so I read up on why I was supposedly required to do this. I now understand that this is a type of protection, that you have to send each other money first so that you don't get scammed. I then stupidly transferred the €188 and then got a message from Bybit that the timer for this payment had expired and that I had to transfer €470 immediately so that I could get the majority of the amount from the woman. That's when I realized how stupid this was and went straight to the savings bank to demand my money back. However, this was too late. Now my question is whether I can report this app or whether it's pointless. Another concern is that if it isn't fraudulent, I might get a report from the woman because she isn't getting her money back either. The whole thing is incredibly embarrassing for me. I simply don't know what to do and whether filing a report would make any sense.
It’s probably pointless. For the first time, the operator of the app should be determined. I also doubt that the information in the imprint – if any – is correct.
Apart from that, you wouldn’t get your money back. You should have a civil lawsuit against this person. In doing so, you are at risk of costs and you have to anticipate all legal costs. If you lose the process or the debtor’s nothing to get, you’re still sitting at the expense.
A fraud won’t show you. The woman never paid a cent. She only got money from you.
Write down the money and learn from the case and notice for the future: never pay money somewhere to get more money. You don’t have to pay for the supermarket with €0.10, so you can pay for your shopping.
Thank you very much for helping me. 👍 I will learn from this incredibly stupid mistake and not repeat it.
Probably more hopeless. Bybit has not only very bad reviews, but also no license from the BaFin . Actually, those in Germany cannot offer financial services at all.
It is based in Singapore and the Virgin Islands.
You have become a victim of fraud.
No payment service has such a business thing.
Drag all the mails and screenshots of the sites to a stick, go to the police and provide ad.
I’m afraid you can write down the 188 euros. vulnerability