Scam! The Full Story
For Those Who Think They Are Invulnerable56 total reviews
Comment from Ric Myworld
Jay, I'm so sorry that the criminals have got another of us with their scams, but I can assure you that you are only one of many, and it has nothing to do with how smart of dumb anyone is. I'm sure I'm not the smartest person in the world, but I'm street savvy and seen about everything. But a couple years back they got me twice in the same year. Thanks for putting yourself out their for the benefit of all of us who could be next, or next again. I was fortunate to get most of my money back, so I hope that is the case for you too.
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Jay, I'm so sorry that the criminals have got another of us with their scams, but I can assure you that you are only one of many, and it has nothing to do with how smart of dumb anyone is. I'm sure I'm not the smartest person in the world, but I'm street savvy and seen about everything. But a couple years back they got me twice in the same year. Thanks for putting yourself out their for the benefit of all of us who could be next, or next again. I was fortunate to get most of my money back, so I hope that is the case for you too.
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Nope. My money's gone (Our money). Thank you for your information. I'm finding out that I'm one of a fairly large family of exploited innocents. The warmth of all those bodies around me is comforting. We will get back to normal. But it'll take a while. Thank you for your support, Ric.
Comment from Father Flaps
Oh, Jay. I'm so sorry that this thing happened to you. Predators! That's exactly what they are. Thieves! They'll get their due soon enough. The very same thing pretty nearly happened to me last year. I was having issues with my computer, and you know what?... I think they did it to my computer. They had me on the phone, and digging for info. And I was obliging them, because I wanted my computer fixed. But I suddenly wondered if they were scammers... something he said... I forget now. He wanted me to go to the computer and do something. And I refused. He didn't like that. He was really after me to continue with the "fix", but I refused again, and again. Then he got upset, "Don't you want your computer fixed???" That's when I knew he wasn't on the up and up. A professional Microsoft agent wouldn't act like that.
We never answer the phone here unless we recognize the number now. If it's important, they'll leave a message. Usually, we don't even check the messages any more. There are too many scam artists out there. And your story just confirmed how careful we need to be, Jay. But I feel so bad that you lost all that money. If I could, I'd send you the whole amount.
But I worry... you say you've got to get away for a few months. Where are you going to go with no dough? This makes me feel sick. Is there anything we can do?
Your Pal,
Kimbob
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Oh, Jay. I'm so sorry that this thing happened to you. Predators! That's exactly what they are. Thieves! They'll get their due soon enough. The very same thing pretty nearly happened to me last year. I was having issues with my computer, and you know what?... I think they did it to my computer. They had me on the phone, and digging for info. And I was obliging them, because I wanted my computer fixed. But I suddenly wondered if they were scammers... something he said... I forget now. He wanted me to go to the computer and do something. And I refused. He didn't like that. He was really after me to continue with the "fix", but I refused again, and again. Then he got upset, "Don't you want your computer fixed???" That's when I knew he wasn't on the up and up. A professional Microsoft agent wouldn't act like that.
We never answer the phone here unless we recognize the number now. If it's important, they'll leave a message. Usually, we don't even check the messages any more. There are too many scam artists out there. And your story just confirmed how careful we need to be, Jay. But I feel so bad that you lost all that money. If I could, I'd send you the whole amount.
But I worry... you say you've got to get away for a few months. Where are you going to go with no dough? This makes me feel sick. Is there anything we can do?
Your Pal,
Kimbob
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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No, no, no! Not physically go away. I need to be away from FanStory for a while until I get a handle on our survival finances. Also, everything that happened is rather like a dream. I think I mentioned before, that my wife is going through PTSD and can barely function. She was the rock during the ordeal. But now, her rational mind has given up its prominence and she has trouble with basic functions. She knows it will pass and she's flowing with it, but there's a lot of anger of being violated going on because I didn't get in touch with her the moment the scam started. So we're spending a lot of time on the phone working this out. That's why I can't be thinking about FanStory at this time.
Jay
Comment from damommy
I'm so sorry this happened to you. I had the same experience, but when he showed me my online bank account with a zero balance, I panicked and hung up. Before I did, I said this is a scam, isn't it? He said no, ma'am, I'm not a scammer, I'm a hacker. He was so proud of himself. I immediately called my bank, and thank goodness, they hadn't got into my account. I would gladly send you money if you would accept it.
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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I'm so sorry this happened to you. I had the same experience, but when he showed me my online bank account with a zero balance, I panicked and hung up. Before I did, I said this is a scam, isn't it? He said no, ma'am, I'm not a scammer, I'm a hacker. He was so proud of himself. I immediately called my bank, and thank goodness, they hadn't got into my account. I would gladly send you money if you would accept it.
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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I know you would, Yvonne, and if you only knew how that warms my heart. I'll never forget your offer, but believe it or not, everything is in order. Prayers have been coming in abundance and I feel buffered by them. Our immediate needs now (My wife's and mine) are to heal from the emotional impact this had on us. Roseana is going through a form of PTSD and she is having difficulties in completing the most basic of functions. She tried to make an onion dip the other day and she tells me she spent about a half-hour trying figure out the order in which to add the ingredients. That's not her. She was a rock while the ordeal was unfolding, but once she found out I was alive, her emotional world started to unravel. That all happened outside the scope of my posted story. When I wrote it I had no idea of the collateral damage I had caused during my insanity.
Yvonne, you are an amazing, loving person. I'll never forget your offer. Thank you so very much.
Jay
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You're a lovely man, and should you find yourself in a financial tight at any time, please let me know.
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Bless you, Yvonne. I won't forget. You are one in a million!
Jay
Comment from eliz100
I got caught in the middle of one of these and a family member pulled me out before I lost anything. Sorry to hear about your plight. I do not see any room for improvement. Have a blessed day.
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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I got caught in the middle of one of these and a family member pulled me out before I lost anything. Sorry to hear about your plight. I do not see any room for improvement. Have a blessed day.
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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thank you Eliz(abeth)? for reading this. You were very fortunate to have family to pull you out before it was too late.
Comment from giraffmang
Flip me, Jay. That's rough as hell.
If it's any consolation, buggers like this almost got me about 10 years ago ( when I was in my forties!) pretending to be Microsoft. It's been going a long time because it works.
I also had my bank account wiped out earlier this year but I got that back.
Don't be embarrassed. They're thugs and predictors.
Fuck them.
You'll bounce back. Good folk do
G
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Flip me, Jay. That's rough as hell.
If it's any consolation, buggers like this almost got me about 10 years ago ( when I was in my forties!) pretending to be Microsoft. It's been going a long time because it works.
I also had my bank account wiped out earlier this year but I got that back.
Don't be embarrassed. They're thugs and predictors.
Fuck them.
You'll bounce back. Good folk do
G
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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I needed to hear that, G. Thank you for being here for me. Damn! This is such a vast and varied family we have here on Fanstory. And almost to a person they've been here for me.
I'm going to need to leave for a while -- perhaps 6 months -- to get things back to normal (if there is such a thing). I need to take care of my wife. It appears my insanity has given her a rather nasty case of PTSD and she's having trouble functioning on the most basic level. Collateral damage!
Thank you, G, for being who you are. I won't forget you.
Jay
Comment from Sanku
I am very sorry that you had to go through such a harrowing experience .But every cloud has a silver lining .You are blessed with a very caring family ...
Thank you for taking trouble and writing about this in detail .It is a warning for all of us
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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I am very sorry that you had to go through such a harrowing experience .But every cloud has a silver lining .You are blessed with a very caring family ...
Thank you for taking trouble and writing about this in detail .It is a warning for all of us
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Thank you, Sanku. I need the moral support you've all given me, more than you know. Yes, my family loves me. And I am also blessed by my Fanstory family. Thanks to everyone, I will get out of this dark place.
Jay
Comment from Paul Manton
You may think that I give you a six every time because of your reputation - NO! I give you a six because you write such outstanding articles.
Boy, was this a professional job! I might not have believed it possible had I not been scammed by an international FX company, based in Germany ten years ago. Luckily I threw away an amount that didn't wipe me out - but £1500 was a lot then - as now.
I seemed to be bleeding and weeping all the way through your story - the trust engendered by these monsters - the intelligence required to pull off such a complex crime - the clever way they isolated you and created a positive relationship. All classic 'mark' techniques. Is there a university where these people study criminology from the other side of the law?
Even the techniques used by the Czech mafia to relieve hundreds of us of our debit cards (plus PIN numbers!) were obviously rehearsed like Shakespearian actors - all one sunny afternoon in the West End of London. (At least, we all had our money returned.)
So, my dear friend, you are in the Majority, no doubt - not the only klutz in the box by any means! Thank God for your wonderful family - and (can it be true?) sympathetic policemen. They were right of course - your life is far more important than anything else.
Priceless, in fact.
Paul
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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You may think that I give you a six every time because of your reputation - NO! I give you a six because you write such outstanding articles.
Boy, was this a professional job! I might not have believed it possible had I not been scammed by an international FX company, based in Germany ten years ago. Luckily I threw away an amount that didn't wipe me out - but £1500 was a lot then - as now.
I seemed to be bleeding and weeping all the way through your story - the trust engendered by these monsters - the intelligence required to pull off such a complex crime - the clever way they isolated you and created a positive relationship. All classic 'mark' techniques. Is there a university where these people study criminology from the other side of the law?
Even the techniques used by the Czech mafia to relieve hundreds of us of our debit cards (plus PIN numbers!) were obviously rehearsed like Shakespearian actors - all one sunny afternoon in the West End of London. (At least, we all had our money returned.)
So, my dear friend, you are in the Majority, no doubt - not the only klutz in the box by any means! Thank God for your wonderful family - and (can it be true?) sympathetic policemen. They were right of course - your life is far more important than anything else.
Priceless, in fact.
Paul
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Paul, I read this before, and thought I answered it in full. I think it might have been for the smaller piece. Anyway, I do thank you for your being so supportive to me in my insanity. We will dig ourselves out and we've both learned a mighty big lesson and discovered, like Jimmy Stewart, that It's a Wonderful World, and one's own ripple in the sea of humanity does make a difference. Love you guys!
Jay
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Welcome Jay.
We all love you too.
Paul
Comment from WalkerMan
Jay, your detailed account of how the scam occurred and how you handled it enabled readers to feel as though right beside you the entire time. Some of us might have realized which instructions you received were suspicious, particularly not being allowed to discuss the situation with anyone, even face-to-face or via someone else's phone. The scammers obviously were so adept at their task that you were convinced that you were being helped rather than tricked into giving away the data the scammers needed to take your money.
You haven't said what's been done to remove the pop-up message that claimed your computer was hacked and the number to call, supposedly to "Microsoft Service Department" but actually to the scammers, plus any other malware installed with it. One well respected program which might have notified you about the attempt to install the malware and allowed you to reject it is Kerish Doctor, which is inexpensive and does not interfere with other anti-malware programs. It updates automatically more than once per day. Before installing that, either you or a technician should scan your computer with a reputable online anti-malware program to quarantine the existing code. Then Kerish Doctor can be installed for future protection. Just don't use more than one firewall or more than one anti-viral program at the same time, as they will conflict and reduce your protection.
This episode has been expensive and stressful for you, but what you have learned about your family's love for you, plus how much we at FS care for you, is worth far more than what you lost in replaceable dollars.
In the long run, you may eventually consider it all a blessing, as it could have been much worse. :)) -- Mike
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Jay, your detailed account of how the scam occurred and how you handled it enabled readers to feel as though right beside you the entire time. Some of us might have realized which instructions you received were suspicious, particularly not being allowed to discuss the situation with anyone, even face-to-face or via someone else's phone. The scammers obviously were so adept at their task that you were convinced that you were being helped rather than tricked into giving away the data the scammers needed to take your money.
You haven't said what's been done to remove the pop-up message that claimed your computer was hacked and the number to call, supposedly to "Microsoft Service Department" but actually to the scammers, plus any other malware installed with it. One well respected program which might have notified you about the attempt to install the malware and allowed you to reject it is Kerish Doctor, which is inexpensive and does not interfere with other anti-malware programs. It updates automatically more than once per day. Before installing that, either you or a technician should scan your computer with a reputable online anti-malware program to quarantine the existing code. Then Kerish Doctor can be installed for future protection. Just don't use more than one firewall or more than one anti-viral program at the same time, as they will conflict and reduce your protection.
This episode has been expensive and stressful for you, but what you have learned about your family's love for you, plus how much we at FS care for you, is worth far more than what you lost in replaceable dollars.
In the long run, you may eventually consider it all a blessing, as it could have been much worse. :)) -- Mike
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Mike, your clear-cut advice has been invaluable to me. The fortunate thing for me was that my son-in-law owns a business machine company (one of the biggies in the US), with its own IT department. It was his Dell Alienware Computer that he recently gifted to me that was hacked. It was immediately taken in and was put through their complete "cleansing" (to show how little I know of techy stuff). Before they gave it back to me, they added their own malware software program and my computer is backed up daily to theirs. He also warned me if I ever have the same "lightshow" and hack alert again to just shut the computer down completely and then bring it back to them just for cautions sake. I feel comfortable now with their care. And yes, Mike, the biggest boon was our family coming together with love and support. And my extended Fanstory family truly shown their love for this old codger! LOL, thanks for being one of them!
Jay
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You are most welcome, Jay. I'm glad your caring family includes your son-in-law who owns a business capable of helping you with your laptop, both now and if needed in the future.
You clearly are blessed with both loving family and caring FanStorians. I am happy to be in the latter.
Have you heard from Tom yet? -- Mike
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I just now sent Tom a message. We'll see. Thanks for the suggestion. Jay
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No go. Instead, Tom tried to sell me a Premier Shield which would preserve my writing here even when I'm gone. Of course that's $299!! No, on making exceptions to monied situations, Tom's pretty straight forward. I guess one must have a "Business is business" attitude to succeed.
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Jay, I understand. I can't afford the Premier Shield either.
Your Fans here will not want the treasure of your posts to vanish just because you'll be away for a few months. You already have multiple offers to help you keep your Premier status month by month. We (your Fans) can get together and each chip in a few dollars per month, which will not be hard on any of us while you are gone. That way, your full Portfolio will be preserved and waiting for you when you return.
If you accept that idea supported by your caring Fans (who would be very disappointed if not), I am willing to talk to Tom to set up that plan, with all donated funds going to your monthly dues until you return. If there is any excess when you return, you can return it in whatever ways seem best at the time. Please let your FanStory family here do this, so the treasure of your Portfolio won't be lost.
Other than my own, NONE of the funds will go through me. -- Mike
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You know, what you are suggesting is very touching and I thank you for your offer. If I had a debit card I would sign up for it on a month by month basis, but my card has been hacked (as you know). And I believe the only way Tom will accept monthly payments is through automatic deduction. The reason I don't think that would work was because when I first posted my story, I anticipated that someone would pay for my membership. So I contacted Tom and told him I didn't want anyone to do that. He told me the way it is done anyway is that a member buys a gift of the membership for the member, but the member has to choose to accept it.
Since I would subscribe monthly myself if I had a debit card, the ONLY way I would accept your kind offer would be as a loan that would be paid back as soon as I am back ... at which time I would pay for the full year.
You see, I'm still not going to be contributing anything, including reviewing, for roughly 6 months, when I am healed financially and emotionally (including my wife's PTSD).
I hope you understand.
Jay
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Yes, Jay, I understand. Okay, would you accept the following plan?
Only you can notify all your many Fans, so you would have to agree in advance. I can write a proposal to your Fans and send it via PM to you to post with NO promotion, so all your Fans will be notified at zero cost. In it, on your behalf but signed by me, I would explain that to save your Portfolio we must raise enough funds to cover a year's membership for you before your current membership expires. Those donations would go directly to FanStory as gifts to you for that purpose. Tom would not transfer those funds to your account as renewed membership until enough is donated. Then he'll ask you whether you accept. When you accept, your Premier Member status will be renewed for another year, thereby saving your full Portfolio. Then you can be away WITHOUT loss of your Portfolio adding to your stress. In my message you post to your Fans, I would continue by explaining your intent to refund the donations when you return. You can do that as proportional gifts to the donors as gifts of Cent Pumps, Lucky Leprechauns, or just FS cash. That way everyone wins and no one loses. I can write the message for you to post and PM it to you before I sign off tonight.
Will you accept this plan for the benefit of all? -- Mike
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I don't know, Mike. You have already spent so much of your time on this, and it's a labor of love, I understand. But I don't think there is anyone but you who feels the urgency of protecting my portfolio. There might be one or two a year who might (for what reason I can't imagine) want to read something from my portfolio. And yet, to put the request "out there" puts pressure on them to comply.
On the other hand I have already pulled (cut and pasted into word) the better pieces from my portfolio, so if it did get expunged, I wouldn't really lose anything of worth.
Also, there was over a year I was away from FanStory, Yet, when I returned, all my portfolio was there as though it never left.
So, Mike, while I hate to say this after all you've done, and especially from the generous place from which your solution originated, but I'm afraid I'll have to say no -- while bowing to you in all humility. Thank you, my friend. Now go post something!
Never forgetting,
Jay
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Yes, I understand, Jay. Thanks for telling me you have saved your best work; and, if you are gone for less than a year, it is possible your Portfolio will still be intact, as it was before. Just don't close your account; keep it as a Standard member.
Accordingly, I respect your decision. and do not regret the time I spent on this, as such efforts are what true friends do. You are most welcome.
If you want to know why I go the extra mile to help others, please read "Icy Blind Curve Encounter" in my Portfolio here:
https://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?hd=1&id=872244
I would appreciate your comments on that, either in a PM or a review, as your time permits.
The reason I rarely post now is that I am helping Susan (Susanjohn) to publish her third book. This is her second book of poetry. I helped her publish her first book of poetry in 2018 and a children's story book in 2021 about a rescued dog who helps cats in need. She is a true Earth Angel. Just one of her projects is an annual clothes drive. She collects and organizes clothing, footwear, etc., then holds a weekend giveaway attended by hundreds of families from a wide area around where she lives. (She sent me pictures of it, including one of the long line of families awaiting entry and others of the crowd inside going through the organized piles on the tables.)
There are other sites for writers, but FanStory excels in caring. -- Mike
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So ironic, Mike. I tried to load that post and got the message, "This post is only available to members of Fanstory.com. I'm surprised Tom is letting me read this note. Of course it isn't sent yet.
Jay
Comment from karenina
Oh, my dear friend, Jay...
About one year ago I went through a quite sophisticated scam... Like you, I'd read other accounts of people "falling" for such things and was so proud of myself that it was my computer security company that contacted me!
Just like you, I felt so relieved that the fraud specialist at (rhymes with Horton) "Had my back" and all I had to do was listen carefully and follow instructions to foil the hackers!
(Of COURSE they were not ever "Horton" employees)
They had me on my computer (where they somehow managed to gain access to my cursor -- and on my phone (a landline because, hah, who trusts a cell phone?"
Little did I know they were systematically tapping into every available bit of personal data and collating it to abscond with every last dollar...
While I was on my landline I got a "flash" from "call waiting" and saw it was my bank's fraud alert number -- I told the "Horton" people this and they were SO convincing, Jay!
"That's the scammers -- do not answer that call!"
Heh-heh. I was working hand in glove with these high-tech security folks to save my bacon.
Nope.
I was fried.
Burnt to a crisp.
Even my computer was fried!
I got a small fraction of money from an already small checking and savings account back -- Credit was destroyed. My respect for myself was in shatters...
Humiliating! A year later I'm still angry with myself for not having picked up on one of the hundred red flags!
It's not you, Jay.
It wasn't me.
These people are professionals. They know precisely how to gain our confidence and "loop us in" to the plot to "save" our money. ~~Even as they steal it with not an iota of shame!
You are beloved. By your wife, by your family, and by your FanStory family.
You absolutely have my prayers. You have always had my respect, but never more so than now, as you share what happened to you in the selfless hope that others will read this, share it with their family and friends, and be spared!
Some real angels here came forward and helped me. I, too, was not expecting it, nor did I want to accept it.
Sometimes, Jay, you bless others by accepting their help, be it prayers, well wishes, or otherwise.
Take your break, you've earned it! Spend a lot of time accepting the love and support of your family!
We're your other family...
Come back to us soon.
Stay in touch!
You have my email!
Love,
Karenina
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Oh, my dear friend, Jay...
About one year ago I went through a quite sophisticated scam... Like you, I'd read other accounts of people "falling" for such things and was so proud of myself that it was my computer security company that contacted me!
Just like you, I felt so relieved that the fraud specialist at (rhymes with Horton) "Had my back" and all I had to do was listen carefully and follow instructions to foil the hackers!
(Of COURSE they were not ever "Horton" employees)
They had me on my computer (where they somehow managed to gain access to my cursor -- and on my phone (a landline because, hah, who trusts a cell phone?"
Little did I know they were systematically tapping into every available bit of personal data and collating it to abscond with every last dollar...
While I was on my landline I got a "flash" from "call waiting" and saw it was my bank's fraud alert number -- I told the "Horton" people this and they were SO convincing, Jay!
"That's the scammers -- do not answer that call!"
Heh-heh. I was working hand in glove with these high-tech security folks to save my bacon.
Nope.
I was fried.
Burnt to a crisp.
Even my computer was fried!
I got a small fraction of money from an already small checking and savings account back -- Credit was destroyed. My respect for myself was in shatters...
Humiliating! A year later I'm still angry with myself for not having picked up on one of the hundred red flags!
It's not you, Jay.
It wasn't me.
These people are professionals. They know precisely how to gain our confidence and "loop us in" to the plot to "save" our money. ~~Even as they steal it with not an iota of shame!
You are beloved. By your wife, by your family, and by your FanStory family.
You absolutely have my prayers. You have always had my respect, but never more so than now, as you share what happened to you in the selfless hope that others will read this, share it with their family and friends, and be spared!
Some real angels here came forward and helped me. I, too, was not expecting it, nor did I want to accept it.
Sometimes, Jay, you bless others by accepting their help, be it prayers, well wishes, or otherwise.
Take your break, you've earned it! Spend a lot of time accepting the love and support of your family!
We're your other family...
Come back to us soon.
Stay in touch!
You have my email!
Love,
Karenina
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Ohhhh, Man! Karenina I don't know how to even begin to tell you how important your story is to me. My personal humiliation was, in my mind, unilateral. No one else shared my idiocy. I was alone and the whole world was pointing and scoffing. Now I find I have one loving sister whose insanity parallels mine.
Scammers have to be truly sociopathic. Otherwise, how could they sleep? knowing the lives they can destroy!?
I will be back. And I already sent you an email (or responded to yours).
Love ya,
Jay
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"They" are less than human...
Preying upon those who are NOT looking for evil around every corner!
Love your email...
Done deal!
:)
Comment from lyenochka
Oh Jay! All I can say is that you have a wonderful family who really loves you and you have family here on Fanstory, too. And with your writing published about this incident, I hope everyone who reads it will also be very careful about assuming that anyone who claims to be any company by phone is suspect. Yes, we will pray for miracles - God will provide and may He stop those scammers!
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Oh Jay! All I can say is that you have a wonderful family who really loves you and you have family here on Fanstory, too. And with your writing published about this incident, I hope everyone who reads it will also be very careful about assuming that anyone who claims to be any company by phone is suspect. Yes, we will pray for miracles - God will provide and may He stop those scammers!
Comment Written 16-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 16-Oct-2023
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Yeah, Helen, so far the hackers haven't found a way to hack into prayers. Thank you for reading, and for the high rating.
Jay