Have you ever been scammed before?

China
April 16, 2011 9:45pm CST
I'm sure many of the people at the age of 40 have been scammed,but they have them as their secrets and never dare to tell you! My small building was built in 1999.Since my parents didn't live with us,there were three free rooms upstairs. One day I was walking in the street in the county town when I glimpsed that someone was selling scorpions and woodlouses for breeding,then I thought of my free rooms! So I entered the shop and talked to the sellers.They handed me a glass of water and we began talking about the two tardigrades while drinking water.I listened to them and even accept what they said to breed scorpions and woodlouses! I came home with the two sellers by bus,they had to come to my home to take my pay.I cheated my relatives and the clerks that I wanted to breed some rhizomyids,then I managed to cash some hundred yuan(rmb) or more from the bank to pay them partly in the street,but when I got home followed by the two men my wife was shocked(I never told her!).She asked what had happen,I told her what I wanted to do,but she never see eye to eye with me,and she told the two men to leave with their scorpions at once! With my wife's suspectings,I bred some woodlouses,of course I gained no coin for lack of breeding skills! I admit that greed and carelessness or others made me puzzle,and I hope you'll be more smart. Have you encountered such a thing?
1 person likes this
11 responses
@babyanna (1216)
• China
17 Apr 11
Hi,Oldsix! Not really.I'm always cautious about this.But there are some times that I got cheated.Like some training classes.Like the one for TEM-4(Test for English Majors),the officials in our department just made me sick.They have got some relatives who are giving such courses to make more money.And before the TEM-4,the so-called "leaders" called us together and gave a lecture about how important a role these courses play in passing the exam.That our senior graders didn't take it and many of them didn't pass.You know how it works.I mean,it is at least a comfort.If we don't pass,we won't blame ourselves for not taking those classes.So we just handed in 280 CNY to attend.They are simply bullsh*t.I don't mean to use foul language but I am really furious about it. They care nothing about our benefits,about what we could learn,they simply want to win as much loaves and fishes as possible for themselves and their family members.And they are the ones who run our department!!! It's very brave of you.I would never buy those scorpions.Seem too scary to me.
@babyanna (1216)
• China
22 Apr 11
Yup,that's probably a good idea.Check those training classes out first before attending.Hope your son will do well in the college entrance exam. I'm just glad the TEM-4 is over.
• China
12 May 11
I'm very glad to hear of your good news.
• China
18 Apr 11
Hi,Anna!what happened to you is really unfair!I hate such leaders! My son will go to college in two years,I should tell him to watch out of the similar things later.Good luck with you!
@Sanitary (3968)
• Singapore
18 Apr 11
Most of us has been scammed in our life. It's only a matter of how serious it is. Where money is concerned, it's inevitable to be scammed because of greed. We can be scammed in many other little ways too, but what's more important, we don't lose more than money. Money lost can be earned again, but trust from relatives and friends, once gone might not be gained back again. The same goes for our life.
• China
13 May 11
Yes,greed always leads to your losing money.But we cannot lose the trust from the relatives and friends because of greed.
1 person likes this
@wongchoiyee (7413)
• Malaysia
17 Apr 11
Yes I have been scammed $100 from a local company in my country that promised to give me online job. After I paid him, he did gave me a job but did not pay me. So from now on I have been careful about these scam thing around whether it is from overseas or my country.
• China
13 May 11
Hehe,a scam always begins with a good promise or benifit so that you will invest your money into it.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
18 Apr 11
I cannot imagine breeding scorpions or louses. In the US, those are vermin that we might call an exterminator to clean them out of our house. Culture difference, I'm sure.
• China
12 May 11
Yes,that's extremely dangerous indeed since I want to breed them in the building,so my wife stopped me doing that.
@megamatt (14292)
• United States
17 Apr 11
Thankfully not out of any money to the best of my memories. However, there have been times where I dodged a very narrow bullet with a lot of things and had I not been as careful, I would have been scammed something fierce. Still that just proves that you got to be careful out there. There are a lot of deceitful, scamming people, both online and offline. Still there are times where a lot of time is wasted. Of course, I have a rule of thumb not to invest money when I don't have to and I am very particular about when I do. If I have to invest something, to get something back, then obviously, what you are doing is going to get mentally tagged as a scam in my mind. Or a chance to lose my head, even if it is not. There is some deceit going on regardless. Still I consider myself very fortunate that I have not lost any money.
• China
13 May 11
Yes,do be careful of all the things and the people appearing in front of us since there is deceit going on anytime.
@QeeGood (1213)
• Sweden
17 Apr 11
I have been scammed on $ 8000 last year by three men. I put myself in debts, which I am paying off as a bank loan. They had a very trustworthy approach. I fell for them. Being in debts has for me to have to live on limited finances long term consequence over several years.
• China
13 May 11
I'm so sad to hear that.But there are quite a few similar things like that around me.I hope we are smarter than before.
@GardenGerty (157050)
• United States
17 Apr 11
More than once I have signed up for something that seemed like a good idea, and I have lost money. I wish I had it back. Why would you breed scorpions and wood louses? Is there a market for those where you live?
• China
18 Apr 11
Hi,Gerty!You really come to the point.There's no market and breeding skills for me,how can I succeed breeding those things?But it was too late for me to be smart!So before doing anything we must think twice.Have fun!
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
17 Apr 11
I don't know whether what I went through was a scam or my foolishness. I am a collector for unique stones and I met this Indonesian peddling stones in a five foot way and stopped by to see what stones he was selling. I was immediately attracted to a ring with a red stone. The stone illuminate light when it is in contact with water and I immediately bought it as I was told it brings 'good luck'. I not only bought the ring with the light but bought two other stones from him. All in all I paid around $500.00 for 3 priceless stones which the seller told has special power for protection. When I reached home and looked at them, I regretted as I don't see any good about those stones. I kept them away in a box not knowing for what purpose.
• China
18 Apr 11
I think that if the greed is out of control,anyone will become foolish including you and me,hehe.
• United States
17 Apr 11
I feel that we really truly learn only after direct personal encounters. I have been scammed but not online and something completely out of my control and perhaps because of being naive. But to date as a more wiser individual I can say I read all fine prints and know that when it sounds too good it usually is.
• China
18 Apr 11
And I have found that once your greed is out of control,you'll be easily scammed.Good luck!
@Jlyn10 (11966)
• Malaysia
17 Apr 11
No, I have not been scammed before. Maybe almost got scammed but I didn't fall for it in the end. It's a good thing though that I didn't have the money at that time to get scammed, lol! After hearing so much about this scam thing, I guess now I am becoming smarter not to fall for it. You have to be more careful next time.
• China
18 Apr 11
You were smart and lucky enough not to be scammed. Yes,I became smarter later before any those things.In fact many people who seem to be very clever were scammed much more seriously than me,hehe.
• India
17 Apr 11
As per my thinking when I am in class X I am returning from school on the way one man have meet me and told about some data entry jobs from home just paying 15$ and gave me a visiting card and told me to contact at the given address as soon as possible. I reached there and payout the fees but after few days when I again gone there I saw that the office was no more present there...... So from that day I have learned a lesson and don't go for any type of jobs which require fees...........
• China
18 Apr 11
Yes,many crooks take advantage of young people's being hungry for a job to earn money by scamming.Good luck!