JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man is warning others about online investment scams after losing nearly $60,000 of his savings and pension.
Kodjo “Rene” Yovogan said it all began with an unsolicited message on WhatsApp in July 2024. The message appeared to come from someone claiming to be affiliated with eToro, a legitimate investment platform.
“Welcome to the eToro Academy Stock Market Technical Learning Group. I’m Nily Alfandary, an assistant to Instructor Christian Pecher,” the message read.
The person behind the messages made lofty promises about investment returns — as much as 200%, according to screenshots shared with News4JAX.
“He said, ‘I’m running program for crypto.com,‘” Yovogan recalled. “At first, I didn’t deposit any money, but the messages kept coming.”
Yovogan said he was eventually convinced to invest nearly $40,000. But when he tried to withdraw money, he hit a wall. Messages from the scammer claimed that his funds were locked into an “anniversary plan” and couldn’t be withdrawn until the plan ended, supposedly to drive up returns for all investors.
“I told them I needed money to pay rent,” Yovogan said. “They said I couldn’t withdraw. I said, ‘Please cancel. I don’t want to live on the street with my children.‘”
Despite being sent $3,500 at one point, which Yovogan now believes was part of the scam to gain more trust, he ended up losing his entire investment. He said communication with the scammer ended after Dec. 31, and he could no longer log in to the platform he had been using.
“In total, it’s about $60,000,” he said. “When the account gave me that $3,500, I had confidence that I was on the right path.”
But it was all a lie.
A spokesperson for eToro confirmed to News4JAX that this was a scam and said the company does not contact people unsolicited through WhatsApp and never pressures people to fund accounts.
Yovogan was eventually evicted from his apartment after draining his savings. Now, he’s sharing his story to prevent others from falling into the same trap.
“I don’t want this to happen to anyone,” he said. “If you want to invest online, do your research first.”
Tips to avoid online investment scams, according to eToro:
- Ask yourself: Is it too good to be true? No legitimate investment guarantees profits. Be skeptical of promises of high returns or free giveaways.
- Question the source. Verify who’s contacting you. Scammers often impersonate legitimate companies.
- Ignore unsolicited messages. Don’t respond to unexpected calls, emails, or messages from people pitching investment opportunities. Never share personal information or send money.
- Use trusted platforms. Only invest with reputable brokers or platforms you’ve researched and trust.
If you believe you’ve been targeted by a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your local consumer protection agency.