This is a perfect example of a critical "red flag"

When a person or organization refuses to show their face or do a live video call, it is one of the brightest red flags in the digital world. Here’s why this is a near-universal rule for scams:

1. They Are Hiding a Fake Identity: The avatar or stolen photo is a costume. They are not the successful trader, the beautiful romantic partner, or the licensed broker they claim to be. Showing their real face would instantly shatter the illusion.

2. They Avoid Accountability: A face creates a record. It can be screenshot, reverse-image searched, and used as evidence. Scammers operate in the shadows to ensure there are no consequences when they disappear with your money.

3. They Scale the Scam: One person can manage dozens of fake identities (avatars) to talk to multiple victims simultaneously. A real face locks them into a single, verifiable persona, which is bad for their criminal business model.

4. The Excuses are Always the Same (and Flimsy):

   • 'My camera is broken.'

   • 'I'm too shy/private.'

   • 'I don't like video calls.'

   • 'We need to build more trust first.'

   For a legitimate business or a genuine personal relationship, a quick video call to say hello is a low-stakes, reasonable request. A refusal, especially when money is involved, is a deal-breaker."

The FraudLighthouse Action Step:

"The Rule: No Face, No Trust, No Money.If someone asking for your money, personal information, or investment refuses a live video call, you should immediately end the conversation. A legitimate person or company has nothing to hide.

Always perform a reverse image search on their profile picture. You will often find it is a stock photo or stolen from a real person's social media profile."