I am a victim Job Scam

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1

I never imagined I would be writing something like this. I never thought I would become a victim of a job scam — the kind that takes not just your money, but your peace, your dignity, your confidence, and your sense of safety. Losing $60,000 wasn’t just a financial loss. It was everything I had saved carefully, slowly, painfully, over years. It was the money meant for my new home, my renovation, and my children’s future comfort. It was the only safety net I had.

Right now, I am grieving. Not just grieving the money, but grieving the trust I lost, the time I spent, the hope I had placed in the job opportunity, and the belief that I was doing something good for my family. Every day, I replay the moment I realised it was a scam. The shock. The disbelief. The sinking feeling. The way my hands shook. The way I cried quietly because I didn’t want to scare my kids.

People often say, “Money can be earned back.” But they don’t see the real weight of what happened.

They don’t see the emotional damage, the sleepless nights, the fear of checking my bank balance, the humiliation when I have to explain what happened. They don’t see how hard it is to stay strong when, inside, I am breaking in ways I can’t even describe.

Right now, I need help.

I need financial help — although rebuilding $60,000 feels impossible on my own — also emotional help, practical help, and human understanding. I need people to understand that I’m not stupid, careless, or irresponsible. I was manipulated. Tricked by professionals who know exactly how to prey on hardworking people like me. I need someone to listen. I need support because every step feels heavy.

I’m a mother of 5 children trying to hold everything together. I’m trying to stay strong for my children, but the truth is I am exhausted. I am scared. I am grieving. I am hurting. If there is one thing I’ve learned from this, it is that healing requires more than time — it requires community, compassion, and real help. I am reaching out because I cannot carry this alone. I need support to rebuild what I lost, to stabilise my family again, and to slowly reclaim the sense of safety that was taken from me.

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Hey @user6744, thanks for sharing and I sense the vulnerability and how deeply it has shaken the foundation you were standing on.

You did not just lose $60,000. It is the meaning that you have tagged that is far greater than $60,000. You had an identity, your careful saving, your sense of responsibility you carried as a parent, the stability you were building for your children, and the safety net that you are. In our culture, savings meant for a home or our children’s future are not just numbers.

And you are right. Not many people see the emotional and psychological damage. Having said, nothing you wrote sounds “stupid”, “careless”, or “irresponsible”. You were manipulated by well-trained scammers who know exactly how to target hardworking parents. The fact that you saved that amount over the years shows discipline and responsibility, not foolishness.

Right now, you are grieving the loss of money, the loss of safety, the loss of trust, and the version of yourself who felt more confident and secure. And at the same time, you are trying to hold everything together for five children. That is an enormous emotional load to carry.

What stands out is that even in exhaustion and fear, you reached out for help. That is strength. It shows a part of you still believes that support exists and that there are some possible next steps (you choose what feels manageable):

  1. Is there one trusted person you can share the full story with? Someone who can sit beside you as you look at the situation together.

  2. You might consider reaching out to a counsellor or a Family Service Centre. They are familiar with scam trauma, financial stress, and can help you sort through what needs to happen first.

  3. If it ever gets overwhelming, or the thoughts get heavier, there is support you can reach anytime: SOS – 1-767, National Mindline – 1-771 or WhatsApp +65 6669 1771, Mindline’s “Get Help Now” page also lists options if calling feels too difficult.

What happened to you is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you were targeted, and you were harmed. And you are still here, trying to protect your children, trying to rebuild, and trying to seek community. If you want to, you can share what feels like the next manageable step for you, even if it is something very small. Sometimes that is where recovery truly begins.