In her attempt to make a profitable investment, Adeline (not her real name) lost more than just money—she lost her faith in humanity. Speaking to Asia
In her attempt to make a profitable investment, Adeline (not her real name) lost more than just money—she lost her faith in humanity. Speaking to AsiaOne on Nov. 10, Adeline revealed how an investment scam cost her over $320,000, wiping out her life savings in just one month.
The ordeal began in October when a man posing as a successful businessman approached her on Instagram. After chatting over shared hobbies and work interests, he suggested they continue their conversation on WhatsApp. Over two weeks, their conversations grew friendly, and he eventually offered Adeline an investment opportunity in gold commodities, allegedly through a reputable “seed” investment platform.
Hesitant at first, Adeline was persuaded when the scammer gave her US$2,000 to start. After seeing initial returns, he convinced her to invest more, suggesting a joint investment of US$10,000. Although uncertain, she contributed US$2,500, and the supposed returns skyrocketed to $190,000—right when things took a darker turn.
The Trap Tightens
When she tried to withdraw funds, the scammer introduced several new “fees.” First, she was asked to pay US$48,000 in taxes, which the scammer claimed would be refunded. But, unknown to her, these refunds were only credited back to the fake platform wallet. Attempts to withdraw her funds through cryptocurrency also failed, as the scammers insisted on another US$70,000 to “verify” her account.
“It was a constant cycle of being pushed to pay more,” Adeline shared. When she finally realized the scam’s extent, she had already taken loans amounting to over $320,000. It wasn’t until the scammers demanded an additional US$140,000 that she realized the truth and told her husband everything.
An Emotional Toll
The financial loss has scarred her, making it hard to trust others. However, Adeline finds some silver lining: “We’ll have to cut back, but maybe this will teach our kids the value of humility.” She expressed gratitude for her husband’s support, saying, “In Chinese, we have a saying: true bonds are revealed amid disaster.” Although her family now faces financial strain, she believes that they’ll emerge stronger—together.
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