The year was 2003, sometime in July I think. I was still running my restaurant then. I had a little bit of savings, but most of the money at the time went into the business, even the profits. How I was so generous with a person whom I had only known for a few months still irritates me till this day. Nonetheless, it was a good lesson.
How did it happen?
I had known her through a mutual friend. I was immediately impressed with her. She dressed well, and she worked for the Pierucci Fashion chain. Or so I thought. She liked to party and was fun to be around in a nightclub. She liked to dance and she was sexy and vivacious.
I was at a stage of my life where I just wanted to have fun when I’m off work. Though the business was good, it was stressful as you can imagine. She would come out whenever I’d call her to come out; she’d buy me drinks and dance with me in a way that boosted my ego. Add to this that I was single, at the time I was very beguiled by her feminine charm and company.
I liked being with her even though there weren’t any feelings involved, sexual or romantic. When she asked me for $400 I didn’t think twice about it. Just so you can see how stupid I was, a few weeks before that my car was broken into while I was out with her. So I was already out of pocket a couple of hundred of dollars to cover the insurance excess.
That $400 was a lot of money to me then but I was willingly giving it to her. She had said that she will pay me back a month later, and I think you can guess what happened next. A month went by without any phone calls or me seeing her. I tried calling but she’d never answer my calls or messages.
When I finally got her, she said she’ll “definitely” give me the money in another week’s time. This went on for a few more weeks before I realised that I’m not going to get my money back again. And I found out later that I wasn’t alone. Another mutual friend of ours said she suffered the same, though her lost was a dress that she had loaned her.
Perth being the size it is, I had bumped into her a few times after that. Her thick-skin and brazenness were quite unbelievable. She’d talk to me like nothing had happened, hugged me a few times and even grabbed my phone once to key in her number.
It’s my new number. We should catch up more again!
Pfft. Of course not. Think I’m stupid? 
The moral of my story: friends and money do not mix well, much less with acquaintances.
14 Responses to “The time that I got conned”
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I had the SAME experience in uni ….. IN PERTH! Hmmm …. might be the same person …
ah a pretty face and little charm are a dangerous mix. we men can’t help it. its a fatal attraction, stroke our ahem… ego and our brains stop working. at least you’re smart enough not to go in for a second helping.
2 words: wah lau.
Snowflake: how long ago was it? If you are around 30-32 now then it might be the same person.
Rob: yes once bitten twice shy and all that. All that uni education gotta come in useful one day. Hahah!
mf: indeed. on the bright side, at least it was *only* $400.
Well count yourself lucky it’s only 400 and not 4k! my fren i think worse than u. Gave everything to the gf then turn out in the end kenak dump lagi. But what u can earn back it’s not that bad i presume.
I’m lucky not to have uncounted such a case yet. Maybe that’s because I don’t have that kind of money to lose. Hehe.
Such a cases happen to ladies as well. (Guys cheating girls)
Yeah, I totally agree with you: friends and money don’t mix. That’s why, even when I’m strapped for cash, I am very reluctant to borrow money off a friend. I’m also very reluctant to lend big amounts of money to friends. 10 bucks is fine, but when a friend is asking to borrow a few hundred dollars, I’m not so cool with it. nothing can ruin a friendship faster than money.
And the nerve of her to see you and act as if nothing had happened! You should’ve said, ‘hey what about that $400 you owe me, biatch!’
Actually, she probably acts like nothing has happened because she cons people all the time. It’s second nature to her.
DeV|LisH: oh boy. I’ve heard cases where cars and houses were bought even. Evil people these are.
TenthOfMarch: hahaha. well hopefully you can learn from my experience and others that you will never experience this.
girlstar7: I’ve long given up on the money and I was indifferent to her the times that she had come up to me. If anything I pity her, but that’s stretching it because I honestly don’t give a shit about ppl who’ve crossed me.
bunnygoeszen: true that. Which is probably why I always see her with different ppl – use up one circle of friends, move along to the next.
I think the only person I will borrow money from is my parents.I will be hard pressed to invest/borrow money to friends – I’d rather ‘give’ it away willingly.Well, if I have it of course…so sums of $10,$20 is ok, but anything above 50 I will be quite unhappy.
Maybe I am just selfish….I dont know.But stories such as yours makes me so apprehensive whenever friends ask for financial help.
sourrain: yeah small amounts are usually ok with me. This was the first time that I had lent out so much. But in hindsight, I’m glad it was also a relatively minor amount.
i agree that acquaintances and money don’t mix. at all. but friends? I would help if it’s a close friend. Just take it that I am giving out of my heart. Then it will be a bonus if he or she returns it. If not, take it that I helped a friend in difficulty. After all, it will only be that once, if they don’t return the loan.
Rachel: I guess it all depends. If they would return smaller amounts every time, then I’d be more comfortable with lending them more. Even then, it is something that could easily break the friendship.
I will also be caught dead lending people huge sums of money, which I don’t have any to begin with.
I can treat you lunch, I can lend u some amount with thinking.
But once I found out you are a bad debtors, that’s it.
And BTW, I hate borrowing money also, except “advance-payment” from momsy.