Hi Scott,
I have just read your response to Craig regarding Robert Irwin and Trade 6000 Alrex. I just want to confirm what you have said and warn Craig to ignore this and any other get-rich-quick offers on the internet. I got sucked in by a deep-fake advertisement of Elon Musk and lost over $300,000 – plus at least five years of my life going through stress with the follow-up scams telling me it could be recovered. Without going into the whole catastrophe, just be aware that it starts off as such an amazingly easy process – you think to yourself “Why isn’t everyone doing it?” The answer is because not everyone is as gullible as me! Please do not use my name.
Anonymous
Hi Anonymous,
Thanks for sharing.
Scam losses are like cockroaches: for every one who admits it, there are hundreds hiding in the dark.
Your experience mirrors the hundreds of conversations I’ve had with other victims.
Losing the dough is financially shocking and in many cases life-changing.
And, as you’ve said, dealing with the follow-up scams (“We can recover some money for you … if you give us more money”) can go on for years and can give victims PTSD.
(Which is why anyone who has been scammed should go to IDCARE.org – call 1800 595 160 – and have them douse their online profile with hospital-grade bleach.)
The money loss is one thing, but by far the biggest losses I see with scam victims is with their mental health. Most of the time their self-confidence is shattered by the experience – their sense of shame and disgust eats away at them.
I totally understand why you don’t want to share this experience publicly. However, I’m pleading with you to share it with a counsellor, who can help you move forward. The scammers stole your money – don’t let them rob you of your future.
Scott.