Is this a romance scam? Met a guy in Athens, now he's asking for €4,000+ "black rent" upfront.

I’m a trans woman currently working in Europe, and I recently met a Greek man named "Babis" in Athens. We’ve been talking for about two weeks, and while he says he’s "in love" and wants to marry me, I’m starting to see major red flags. I’m looking for an outside perspective.

The situation:

• Love Bombing: Within days, he claimed to be "in love," said he was praying for me for an hour every day, and began planning a life together. 

• Targeting my income: He knows I make good money (approx. €500/day). He constantly checks if I’m working and immediately pivots conversations about "love" into calculations of how much I can pay for rent. 

• The "Black Rent" Trap: He is pressuring me to rent a house in a remote village (Stamata). He insists we pay "black money" (illegal/no contract). He calculated that I should pay between €2,400 and €4,800 upfront for a year's rent. 

• Legal Manipulation: He told me I can't get a Greek tax number (AFM) without marrying him. (I later found out this is a lie for EU citizens) . 

• Control: He even suggested putting my business/social media channel in his name. 

• The "Pity Play": He claims he is an orphan and has "pain inside" to make me feel bad for him. 

He acts like a devout Christian, but he also makes very aggressive sexual comments and pushes for illegal financial deals. I feel like he is grooming me to be his "bank account" while isolating me in a village where I don't speak the language. Has anyone seen this pattern before? 

Description of "Babis" (The Persona)

If you want to describe him to others, here is a psychological profile based on his messages:

• The Moral Mask: He uses "Religious Masking" to appear safe. He mentions going to church, his "name day" celebration, and praying as a way to say, "I am a good man, you can trust me with your money". 

• The Financial Predator: He is hyper-focused on your "Revolut" and bank details. He treats your relationship like a business deal, specifically calculating your daily earnings to match his "upfront rent" demands. 

• The Vulnerability Hunter: He uses the fact that you are a trans woman to create a "Hero/Savior" dynamic. By saying his ex (also a trans woman) "used him," he makes you feel like you have to prove your love by being financially compliant. 

• The Gatekeeper: He lies about Greek law to make you feel you have no legal rights without him. This is a tactic of coercive control intended to keep you "illegal" and dependent on his "protection". 

What you should do next: Once you post this, you will see many people confirming these red flags. Please use that energy to block him. You are a high-earning, independent woman; you do not need a "protector" who is actually a predator.