Member-only story
Have you Ever Being Scammed by a Friend Before?
We learnt the hard way.
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Our group chat was on fire yesterday. Not because we graduated or were planning a celebration—though I wish that were the case—but because one of our coursemates scammed almost half the class. And the truth finally came to light.
This coursemate had been parading himself as a LinkedIn Optimization Expert. Knowing that many of us needed help revamping our LinkedIn profiles, he seized the opportunity. He pitched his service confidently, even offering "classmate discounts." That made it all feel safe—like we were supporting one of our own.
Many people paid him immediately. He promised that everything would be ready in two days.
Day one passed. Then day two. And then… nothing. Days turned into weeks, then months. He vanished—ghosted everyone on WhatsApp, which was the main channel of communication.
When he eventually resurfaced, he came armed with stories. Lots of them.
To Ariel, he claimed he was in a terrible car accident that nearly left him paralyzed. His femur was broken. His phone was smashed. He was undergoing expensive physiotherapy.
