Viennese man loses 790,000 euros to alleged love scammer – 30-year-old arrested

The woman is now being held in a correctional facility. Investigators accuse her of having made contact with the 62-year-old over the internet and, in the course of that contact, pretended to have a romantic relationship with him. „Sie gab an, in ein Kosmetikstudio und in Wohnprojekt investieren zu wollen", a police spokeswoman explained.

During the course of the contact, the 30-year-old is said to have deliberately exploited the man's trust and thus persuaded him to make ever new transfers. Initial payments were already made in 2024, according to the investigations. Over a period of almost two years, the damage is said to have grown to more than 790,000 euros.

Feigned love and high damages

Police classify the case as particularly serious fraud. „Dem Opfer ist ein unglaublicher Schaden von mehr als 790.000 Euro entstanden", police report. Investigators at the West branch spoke after the arrest of an investigative success that had only been possible through the intensive cooperation of several units.

Love scamming is a form of online fraud in which perpetrators build up an apparent romantic relationship with their victims over weeks or months. The aim is to gain the trust of those affected and then ask them for money – often with made-up stories about emergencies, investments, or shared future plans.

What love scamming means

The scheme is not new, but the specific case in Vienna stands out due to the amount of the damage. More than 790,000 euros that a single victim is said to have transferred over a period of around two years is well above the average for comparable cases. Police are not providing any information on whether the money can be recovered.

Investigations against the 30-year-old are ongoing. The public prosecutor's office will decide on the further course of action on the basis of the findings to date. After her arrest, the woman was transferred to a correctional facility; a date for any main trial has not yet been set.

Why victims pay for so long

Victims of love scams often only file a report once they have already transferred large sums. According to criminal investigators, the inhibition threshold is particularly high because those affected feel ashamed and do not want to accept the deception for a long time. In the current Vienna case as well, the 62-year-old had apparently been paying over an extended period before the investigations got underway.

Vienna police refer in this context to existing advisory services. Those affected can contact, among others, the Criminal Police Advisory Service, which provides free and anonymous information about risks on the internet and about possible first steps after a case of fraud. The ombudsman's office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior is also available as a point of contact.

The arrest in Vienna-Leopoldstadt is part of a series of investigative successes against suspected online fraudsters that have become known in Austria in recent months. The authorities emphasize that cross-border investigations are particularly complex in such cases because perpetrators often operate from abroad or at least pretend to live abroad.

Possible penalties and investigations

In the current case, the suspect is a Romanian national. Whether the woman actually operated from Romania or acted from Austria is part of the ongoing investigations. Police do not rule out that further victims will be identified.

The amount of the damage also makes the case relevant for the judiciary. With fraud damages of more than 790,000 euros, the accused faces severe penalties if convicted. Depending on the interpretation of particularly serious cases, the sentencing range extends up to ten years' imprisonment.

For investigators, the case is also an example of how important tips from the circle of those affected are. Relatives and friends who notice unusual transfers should, according to police recommendation, contact the nearest police station directly. Banks are also required to ask questions about atypical transactions.

Police prevention tips

Vienna police announced that they would continue to inform the public about the schemes of love scammers. Prevention is a central building block in protecting future victims. This also includes not sharing personal data or financial information with strangers on the internet.

The case exemplifies how professionally and patiently perpetrators operate. Over months, an emotional dependency is built up before financial demands are made. Police advise being especially cautious with online acquaintances that quickly become very personal and soon lead to demands for money.

Until the investigations are concluded, the presumption of innocence applies to the 30-year-old. The authorities emphasize that the arrest was made on the basis of extensive investigations and that the further legal processing of the case now lies ahead.