Post by AARP

Lori wasn’t looking for anything unusual. She was on LinkedIn, like many of us are every day—working, connecting, building relationships—when a message came through from someone she didn’t know. At first, it felt harmless, just a simple conversation that gradually turned into emails, then phone calls, and before long it started to feel real, like she put it, “we developed kind of a nice banter… and I thought, yeah, we’re striking up a new friendship.” Over weeks and then months, they stayed in touch regularly, sharing stories, building trust, and creating a connection that felt familiar and safe. And then, slowly, something shifted. A problem came up—an emergency—and he needed help. At first, she pushed back, saying “I just couldn’t do that,” but there were explanations, documents, and reassurance, and in that moment, helping felt logical, even reasonable. Looking back, she describes it clearly as “masterful, professional, psychological manipulation.” By the time it was over, nearly a million dollars was gone, and what stayed with her wasn’t just the loss itself, but the impact it had on her confidence and sense of judgment, explaining that “I couldn’t trust my own judgment about anything. It was really a frightening time.” Lori’s story is a reminder that scams today don’t rely on obvious warning signs. Instead, they build over time through trust, credibility, and repeated interaction, often in spaces where we already feel comfortable doing exactly that. Today, she’s speaking out so others can recognize these moments before it’s too late, sharing that she’s “going to use this for good.” ▶️ Watch the full conversation on YouTube, link below.