This is new but similar to scams that I have heard of. I remember a lady from a country in the Middle East got tricked into a scam by forming a friendship bond over three months or so. The scammer started chatting with the victim casually, talking about normal things that friends talk about, and they eventually got very close as friends. The victim didn't even realize what was happening until the game was finally played.

After a few months of staying in regular contact and gossiping like best friends, the scammer played the trick by telling the lady about a very lucrative investment opportunity that he had found, which, according to him, could bring good profit to her. He was already aware that the lady had some savings, maybe around $700k or something, so he convinced her to invest with this exchange or the platform he suggested. The lady thought he is a friend and is giving a good suggestion, so she fell for it.

The scammer ran away with $700k or something of the lady's life savings. She was a single mother and worked really hard to accumulate that sum. I felt extremely sad after reading her story.

The point is, people you find online can't be your friends, even if they act like they care about you, the reality is usually different.