December 15, 2025, 5:26 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
A new scam is currently causing significant concern. Criminals are posing as justTRADE brokers in WhatsApp groups, luring investors into fake crypto and financial investments. The BaFin (Federal Financial Supervisory Authority) strongly warns that these offers have nothing to do with the real broker or Sutor Bank.
According to “chip.de,” the perpetrators exploit the well-known name to build trust. In groups like “VIP justTRADE,” they advertise fake financial services and cryptocurrency investments. Through fake links or manipulated apps, they create the impression of a professional trading platform–in reality, these are forgeries. Account balances, profits, and charts are merely simulated, while deposited funds go directly to the scammers.
How the WhatsApp Scam Works
The entry usually begins innocuously: You are invited to a WhatsApp group or receive a message with a supposed “insider tip.” There, alleged financial experts named “Tobias Albrecht” or “Lieselotte Thalheim,” who according to “Anwalt.de” do not actually exist, present themselves. They pose as analysts, mentors, or assistants, explaining the entry step by step and trying to build trust.
The perpetrators send links to the website “h5.ecoinf(.)vip” or encourage manual app installation. This so-called sideloading means that an app is not downloaded from the official app store but via a website or file–a huge security risk. The app then looks like the interface of a real broker, complete with charts, order history, and supposed profits. Technically, however, it’s just a pretty mask that can display anything the scammers want.
Payments are often made in cryptocurrencies. The money ends up in digital wallets, known as wallets. There, transfers are anonymized and difficult to reverse. The perpetrators exploit this: Once transferred, the money is usually lost.
“GreenTech Invest” and “Pig Butchering”
A frequent lure in these groups is “GreenTech Invest,” promising high and quick returns. The goal: investors should keep adding more money.
The process follows a known pattern referred to in criminology as “Pig Butchering.” Loosely translated, it means “fattening the pig”: First, the victim is “fattened”–fed with small successes and payouts. You see real refunds of small amounts, the account balance in the fake app rises, and trust grows. Once larger sums are invested, access is blocked, the account cannot be cashed out–the money is gone.
Second Wave of Fraud: the “Recovery Scam”
Many victims only realize they’ve been caught in a trap when they try to withdraw their funds. At this point, the supposed assistant “Lieselotte Thalheim” often reappears, explaining why a payout is allegedly not yet possible. The perpetrators use bureaucratic-sounding reasons to force further transfers.
They all have one thing in common: they are entirely fictitious. The perpetrators attempt to exploit victims a second time after the initial investment is already lost. Anyone who falls for it loses more money. No tax office, bank, or regulated broker demands taxes or technical approvals via crypto transfer over WhatsApp–such requests are always a warning sign.
Legal Risks for Group Members
The whole thing is not only financially dangerous. Anyone who receives and forwards money amounts from other participants in such groups can make themselves liable for money laundering under § 261 of the German Criminal Code. The perpetrators deliberately use unsuspecting helpers to obscure traces.
So anyone who, at the request of a group, provides their own account, PayPal account, or crypto wallet risks investigations for money laundering–even if they “just wanted to help” and knew nothing about the scam.
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What Affected Individuals Should Do Now
Anyone who has already transferred money or invested in such a group should:
- secure all evidence: screenshots of chats, account movements, wallet addresses, websites, etc.
- do not delete anything and do not make further payments–not even for supposed taxes or activations
- file a report with the police and, if possible, consult a lawyer specializing in investment fraud
In the case of crypto transfers, an IT forensic analysis can help trace payment paths on the blockchain. The chances of getting money back are often slim, but the sooner action is taken, the better.
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How to Recognize Such Fraud Offers
A few basic rules help avoid falling into the trap:
- Be suspicious if financial offers start via WhatsApp, Telegram, or other messengers
- Do not install apps via links or files, only from official app stores
- High returns with supposedly low risk = classic warning signal
- Always check company names in the BaFin company database–only listed providers are authorized for financial or crypto services in Germany
- Never send cryptocurrencies to strangers, especially not for “tax payment” or “account activation”
BaFin makes it clear: justTRADE and Sutor Bank have nothing to do with these WhatsApp groups and the site h5.ecoinf(.)vip. Anyone who encounters “VIP justTRADE” groups or similar offers should leave immediately, block contacts, and warn others–before more money ends up in the scammers’ pockets.