Italian National TV program "Who Has Seen Him?" Investigates Franco Bonzi's Crypto Scam

#scamriskwarning #scammeralert

Last night on RaiTre, the program "Who Has Seen Him?" delved into the case of Franco Bonzi, a victim of a cryptocurrency scam. For those unfamiliar, "Who Has Seen Him?" is an Italian TV show that investigates missing person cases and related mysteries.

Franco Bonzi was deceived into buying Bitcoin by a scammer posing as the singer Dua Lipa in a classic romance scam. Bonzi believed he had a crypto wallet worth £80,000 or euros, but it was revealed that this wallet never existed. This scam involved showing Bonzi a viewing-only wallet, making him think he owned substantial funds.

Bonzi bought Bitcoin from a money transfer service in Milan and transferred it to the scammers, who promised high returns. They had him download an app to view a fake wallet that appeared to contain large sums of money.

How the Scam Worked

Viewing-only wallets are designed for monitoring investments without moving funds, a feature often misused by scammers. Victims see substantial sums but cannot access them. Bonzi was convinced the funds were his, based on the instructions from the scammer impersonating Dua Lipa.

Avoiding Similar Scams

To protect yourself:

- Never send money to people met online.

- Avoid unsolicited investment offers via phone or social media.

- Be skeptical of crypto wallets you can't control.

- Trust no investment promising easy, high returns.

Can Bonzi's Bitcoins Be Recovered?

Investigations revealed that Bonzi's Bitcoins passed through an exchange with KYC verification, providing a potential lead. However, the use of strawmen and fund transfers complicates recovery efforts.

Last night's episode highlighted the intricacies of such scams and the importance of vigilance in the crypto world.