Public Warning: “They’re Withholding My Money Unless I Keep Investing” – This Is Fraud. And It’s Illegal.

By Dr. William Rodríguez

Organizational Leadership Doctorate | Certified Life Coach | Certified Life Trainer | Blogger | Author | Advocate for Human Integrity

“I bought cryptocurrency using PayPal. I was told to send it to a third party to invest. They said the returns would be stored on a digital card. Eventually, I had over $3,000 accumulated. When I tried to withdraw it, they told me I couldn’t… unless I kept investing. No. That’s fraud. And I will not allow it.”

If you need evidence — I have it. I have it to your disposition.

What’s Happening

What began as a seemingly legitimate investment opportunity became a fraudulent scheme. Victims are lured into buying crypto via PayPal and transferring it to someone else to “invest.” They’re shown a growing balance — but when it’s time to cash out, they’re told:

“You must invest more before we can release your funds.”

This is not just unethical.

It’s illegal.

The Legal Reality: This Is Financial Fraud

According to U.S. and international financial laws:

• Withholding funds without prior consent and tying their release to new investments is unlawful.

• Misrepresenting the accessibility of earned or stored funds is considered fraud and deception.

• PayPal explicitly prohibits the use of its services for unregulated financial schemes or cryptocurrency scams.

Legal References:

• U.S. Code, Title 18 § 1343 – Wire Fraud: criminalizes schemes to obtain money through deceit using electronic communications.

• Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 41–58): prohibits deceptive or unfair business practices affecting commerce.

• EU Directive 2014/65/EU (MiFID II): regulates investment firms, banning coercive or misleading practices.

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): may also apply when digital wallets are misrepresented, involving misuse of personal financial data.

This is not just a moral issue. It is a legal violation. These laws are meant to protect consumers exactly from situations like this.

What You Can Do If This Happened to You

🔵 Report It to PayPal Immediately

• Go to: https://www.paypal.com/disputes

• Select the relevant transaction and click “Report a Problem.”

• Choose “Unauthorized activity” or “Item not received”, and describe the scam clearly.

🔵 Call Your Bank or Card Provider

• Request a chargeback if the transaction was unauthorized or based on deception.

• Explain that funds are being withheld under false pretenses.

🔵 Report to Government Authorities

• In the U.S.:

  
  

  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – https://reportfraud.ftc.gov

  
  

  • FBI Internet Crime Center (IC3) – https://www.ic3.gov

• Outside the U.S.:

  
  

  • Contact your national cybercrime unit or financial authority.

🔵 Reach Out to Consumer Advocacy Groups

• Better Business Bureau (BBB) – https://www.bbb.org

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) – https://www.consumerfinance.gov

We Must Take Action – Together

✅ Spread this message.

✅ Expose the tactics.

✅ Demand accountability from platforms like PayPal.

✅ Protect others before they lose everything.

You Are Not Powerless. Your Money Belongs to You. And Your Voice Matters.

“I don’t coerce people. I empower them. I don’t force anyone. I enroll. I listen. I validate. That’s why I’m speaking out — for all of us.”

—

Dr. William Rodríguez

Organizational Leadership Doctorate | Certified Life Coach | Certified Life Trainer | Blogger | Author | Advocate for Human Integrity