Everybody have one or two story to tell when the topic is about being scammed. I too have a handful of stories to share. Growing up in an African home, one scam we all faced is that of our moms. When a visitor visits, and leave a penny for us, we will innocently take the money to our mom in hopes that the money will be saved for our future expenses.
When the time has come for us to get back our money, the realization, disappointment and heart break of the fact that our money is no more, only dawns on us when we hear one question; where do you think i got the money to buy you food all these while? This question carries a lot of heart break with it.
Sadly, i have heard a lot of people complaining of being scammed online. Welp, have you ever been scammed offline with charms? Here is my story.
It start few years ago, i was still a fresh college student. Going back to school from Aba, i took a stop at Umuahia to catch another bus. I was hurrying to catch the bus when something else caught my attention. From no where, i heard, "get a smart phone of your choice for aas low as 5 thousand naira." I paid no mind to it at first, but they repeated the same words again. Then and there, i abandoned everything i was doing to find out more.
I got to the stand, it was a game play. If you beat the game, then you will go home with the phone, but if you loss the game, your money is gone. I know people may say that i gambled, i'm greedy and stuffs, but i call it - being scammed. Here's my reason.
Naturally, i am not the type to fall for such tricks. I know too well that it is not ordinary, but welp, my spirit was long gone, my body was just there doing what these people want me to do.
When they saw me showing interest, all of their attention shifted to me. Some persons that were playing the game as at the time i came, left, and started supporting me to play.
I decided to give it a test, i played twice and won, so, i decided to stake 5 thousand naira cash. I played another game and lost 5 thousand Naira. Upon realizing this, my heart entered my abdominal cavity. With shaky hands, i started thinking of the event.
I will not let this people eat my money just like that. I said to my self, so i staked another 6 thousand in hopes of winning back my 5 thousand. Welp, i lost the 6 thousand. Funny enough i had to withdraw the money from my bank account. Again, this is not something i would normally do.
After loosing a lot of money, please don't ask how much, I realize that my bank is empty. I had to beg the organizer for transportatioin back to my school. He was hesitant at first, but he gave me a thousand naira anyways. However, before he gave me the money, he took the red ribbon-like material and the pen we used for the game, and he placed it on his forehead, while he looked up. After a few seconds, he reached out to his pocket, removed a thousand, and handed it over to me and he gave a clear instruction not to look back while i go.
Trust me to be stubborn, i intended to look back, but after i collected the money, i totally forgot my intentions until i got to the bus park. When i reached there, i first got a cold sachet water to drink, then i began to ponder.
When i got to the hostel, i told the boys about my encounter, hoping for them to at least, help me through the situation, but their first reaction was to laugh at me. No cap, i was really annoyed but i miraculously joined them to laugh.
After having a good laugh, they began to explain what happened to me and tell me their own experience. They said that it was the new way of scamming people. They went further to tell me that i was charmed. The charm got me when i decided to learn more about the game. Welp, that explains alot. Ever since that event, if i'm passing umuahia, i always look front. Things like that don't get to me no more.
One lesson i learnt is that; "not all that glitters are gold," some are thorns, ready to pierce you."