My name is Terri Allen, and I am a 54-year-old Registered Nurse with a Master’s Degree. I dedicated my life to caring for others, yet today I find myself devastated and unheard after falling victim to a massive  cryptocurrency fraud in November. I lost my entire life savings—$500,000—and I now live below the poverty line. Since then, I have been left battling not just financial ruin, but also government inaction and systemic neglect from Roanoke City Police and Roanoke FBI.

I never imagined that one day I would struggle to pay for car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, or even basic utilities. Every few months I find myself humiliated, asking churches for help just to keep my lights on. But what’s worse than the financial loss is the complete failure of the system meant to protect and support victims like me.

When I discovered the fraud on November 7th, I immediately went to the FBI office in Roanoke. The agent I spoke with laughed as I cried and pleaded for help. He told me their office had only a handful of agents and that I should instead go to the local police. From that moment on, my nightmare deepened.

The detective assigned to my case refused to fully hear my story, ignored my warnings that my phone and email had been hacked, and instructed me to email her the rest of my statement anyway. I begged her to preserve my digital evidence by downloading my phone, but she declined. Soon after, my phone inexplicably reset, erasing vital evidence. Months of data, proof, and digital trails vanished.

I reached out to every agency I could—local and state police, the FBI, FTC, IC3, the Secret Service, Apple, Verizon—each time only to be dismissed. Meanwhile, I continued to be surveilled, tracked, and digitally harassed through my phone, home WiFi, and smart devices. The sense of isolation and fear has been unbearable.

Despite repeated efforts, my detective has not pursued basic investigative steps. She told me three subpoenaed banks returned no information—something I find difficult to believe. When I offered to help by providing contact details for related jurisdictions, she failed to follow up. The chief of police refuses to meet with me. To this day, I have no information, no accountability, and no justice.

The financial loss is devastating, but the emotional damage of being ignored and invalidated by those sworn to help is even worse. I’ve learned that victims’ rights in cases of financial fraud are almost nonexistent. We are punished again and again—left to fight massive corporate systems and bureaucracies while being told to “move on.”

I’m urging Congress and federal agencies to review and strengthen victims’ rights laws, particularly in cases of cyber and financial fraud. Victims deserve recognition, protection, and real support, not dismissal. We need legislation that mandates proactive investigation, evidence preservation, and coordinated agency response.

Please listen to our stories. Please restore dignity and justice for those of us who have lost everything to fraud and indifference. I am ready to help drive that change—because no one deserves to go through what I have endured.

Respectfully,
Terri Allen

Petition Statement:

We, the undersigned, are victims and advocates calling on Congress and federal agencies to reform how victims of financial fraud are treated in America. Each year, thousands of everyday people—nurses, teachers, small business owners, and retirees—lose their life savings to complex online schemes. Yet most receive No Help, No Updates, and No Justice.

We demand stronger protections, recovery options, and coordinated support for people harmed by financial and cryptocurrency fraud. Many victims lose their entire life savings, face emotional trauma, and are ignored by government agencies and financial institutions.

Victims deserve to be heard, respected, and supported. We invite anyone who has experienced similar fraud, hacking, or digital abuse to share their story below. Together, our voices can spark the change needed to ensure victims’ rights are prioritized, investigations are taken seriously, and agencies are held accountable demanding a fair system for victims of fraud.

Sign this petition and share your story. Together, we call for government action to:

• Recognize and support victims’ rights.
• Modernize laws for financial and crypto fraud.
• Provide real paths to investigation and recovery.
• Ensure accountability for agencies and institutions that fail to help.

Share your experience of fraud, loss, and the response from authorities to add your voice to this urgent call for change.