The Love-Con Scammer-Man

I’ve been scammed before for cold, hard, cash. And I lost it to them without thinking. Lesson learned, I thought, until another scam happened my way.

I’d been on online dating for the better part of 2 years and I hated it. Finding guys, meeting them, not/liking them, and then trying to not get physical right away. It sucked. I wanted more. I wanted romance. I wanted love and unconditional companionship. Sweet words of affirmation, confirmation, and mushy love. And this con artist gave it to me. Let’s call him Jack (who knows what his real name is?).

Jack found me on OkCupid and started swearing to the world that I was the one for him. If not me, then he would not marry again. After a bad divorce that ended 6 years prior to meeting me, which he stayed celibate during, he worked hard and made his way out of XiaMen, FuJian, in China to Hong Kong to work for Lippo Securities Ltd. (Yes… apparently, most of them do).

We talked about his hopes and dreams matching with mine, personal preferences, and the moon and stars. We talked about getting married, having a kid, and how his parents and my parents are. We discussed our families, and him being an only child, how happy he would be to have so many more family members all at once just by marrying me. He wanted to elope when my family first questioned him but we talked it down and he agreed to meet me about two months after first contact.

He was the first message I read in the morning when I woke up, and because of the time difference between LA and HK, he was the last message I read at night, before he trained me to sleep at 9 pm, his 12 pm the next day. We talked about my moving over there to live with him, talking through the night, and even sexual needs and preferences. There was a lot going on and yet, that fateful day came when his company suddenly had an opportunity to invest and profit was guaranteed.

I initially said no, because I’d always been told NOT to toy with the stock market, especially since I didn’t know anything about it. But he assured me that he would be my guarantor and watch my back as long as I was able to have the starting capital, the least amount, $5k. So, I borrowed money from people without telling them the truth as to why I needed it, and I added it to my own funds (my savings), so that I could send it to a shell company his company set up under a name of a man I didn’t know. And since it’s a personal account, I can never ask for it back. How convenient, eh?

He urged me to invest more but I don’t just have thousands laying around, nor was I able to ask to borrow from anyone else. Anyways, he eventually gave up when he found I wouldn’t, and after about 3 days, he reported that we’d made more than $600k. … Um… no, that’s not normal. Anyways, it was time to cash out! Which meant, the company would take 30%, half of the 70% was taxed, so the remaining $370k was my profit. And when the company went to go send the money to me, there was an issue with the Internal Tax Revenue Department (YinHuaShui) which demanded I pay 0.05% before I can get the profits. And that amount was $19k.

IMAGINE MY SURPRISE!!

I barely scraped together $5k and now, they needed $19k to get out my profits. And, so I talked to a money guy I knew who told me to consult my CPA. So, I went to EVERY CPA I knew in LA, HK, and Taiwan, and got the same response. Whenever you have to first pay money for money that’s already yours, IT’S A SCAM. And so, that’s when I realize that, as my Uncle advised, if I took my emotional connection out of it, IT’S TOTALLY NOT RIGHT!! To have money transferred before even meeting this guy, and all that, is just wrong! But I ignored the flags and kept searching for answers.

I emailed Lippo Securities and they replied that they didn’t have anyone by his English and Chinese name working for them. My Uncle sent Lippo Securities a document with the Lippo heading on it and Lippo confirmed that the documents were forged (and were sorry for my loss). He kept telling me not to go to my parents or family about this when a man who is not trying to con you would suggest the opposite. He kept urging me to add to the funds because he was embarrassed to have only put in so little when the other guarantors put in so much more. My Uncle wanted his work number so they could chat but Jack kept avoiding it, saying the lines were recorded and he signed a confidentiality agreement, which meant he couldn’t talk about the event. (… forged, too?)  

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Cue the entrance for the F4 (“Boys Over Flowers” or Kang cousins “Cinderella and the 4 Knights”) to come save my skin. Where is the “City Hunter” or “Black Butler” when I need to be saved and avenged for this terrible crime that has made me, once again, a victim? And you better believe I am so angry and I feel so betrayed right now while writing this. In truth, first came the numb feeling of denial, and then an overwhelming sense of sadness and hurt… now, I’m in full-on American-bitch mode, putting together my materials for my police report. And, since it’s an international crime, I think the FBI, too?

I talked to some friends who I’d been talking with about Jack and most of them said they chose not to say anything about their suspicions because of how happy he made me. To have someone love me, unconditionally, from afar, and continue to pursue me with marriage intentions, it’s everything someone of my age and career wanted. At one point, I was even willing to give up my career for him. … I was willing to have a kid with him.

However, knowing all I did and yet, I let him be the one to break it off with me because I wondered how he would do it. And, as it was, he accused me of letting my family get between us and said we could only be friends. But, if I ever went to HK, he would be willing to meet up. So, for the rest of the night, we were very quiet. The money guy called once more and I turned him down, and then he slipped up. He said he didn’t see Jack at work all day and then mentioned how he looked pale. Interesting what they can see over phones, eh? 

So I checked on Jack, who told me to get away from him.

And then, he unfriended me. That’s it. THAT WAS HIS MASTER PLAN?! GEEZ!!

Why take the submissive approach? Well, he didn’t know I reported him to the authorities and FBI. He didn’t know I found out much earlier on and pretty much WATCHED him play me… as if he was in charge. When I refused to pay the larger amount was when he started getting angry and aggravated. The fool thought he was manipulating me, but, in truth, I got some fun in for myself.

I've had time to clear my mind since it happened. It's been about 3 weeks, and today was supposed to be the 3rd day of his LA-trip. Hehe. For someone who didn't exist, he sure made a ripple on my life... LOL!!

New Meditations (07.14.16)

I'm taking part in the new meditation series hosted by Oprah and Deepak... It's intense and taught me that I'm a terrible meditator because my brain wanders like a baby Ibex on a cliffside looking for water. I'm a good breather but my brain wanders, that's all it is. And, I've noticed just how stressed I am. Dude, I am so bad at this... but I'm getting better... this new self I'm inventing at the moment. Woot!

But, man, HE IS GOOD! Well, God is good, but this man, wow! Deepak from Getting Unstuck is really awesome. I was pissed this morning, angry because... well, the awards shows always had the issue of being TOO WHITE and though the Emmys are including Black people now, they're forgetting there's a SPECTRUM OF PEOPLE out there between Black and White. It's never been the issue of White people against Black people, it's ALWAYS been the issue of a colorblind Hollywood and entertainment industry.

I had a friend who asked, "Why don't the Asian people just try harder for the roles?"

...

MOST ASIAN ROLES ARE CAST TO WHITE PEOPLE for BUDGET purposes. Just because there hasn't been a popular Asian show doesn't mean they won't be popular. It probably means that when there is a good drama out there, they will WIPE OUT ALL COMPETITION because they are more determined to succeed!! And I've been in cable networks pitching rooms... THEY KNOW IT and yet, they're too scared to be the first. Even AMC, which took a risk with 'Mad Men'...

So... there's nothing left to do but to keep writing and pitching and pray that my AWESOME shows can be picked up. Because, I CAN GUARANTEE a steady audience and high ratings... cuz I'm THAT MUCH MORE determined to succeed.

Ya feel me?

My Experience With SLEAZE

As stated in the Urban Dictionary: sleazy, here's my experience with a particularly trashy situation. 

Money. Power. Women. Control. Once it gets to your head, there’s no coming off it. Most music producers can’t resist it. I once interned for a man who called himself a music producer. He wasn’t terrible but he wasn’t great either. I wanted to see what the industry was like, so I took on the paid internship. And after a month of working for him, I quit when I realized two very important things; they lie and are dogs.

If you find a good producer who makes good music and is willing to work with minorities, most of them are simply aiming to sleep with them and then toss them aside. It’s sad, but true. This guy had the nerve to ask me to recruit talent. And when I mentioned a friend who was actually a good singer but pursuing acting, he had me bring her in. His audition of her was different from when I was in the office. And when he tried to climb on top of her, she bolted. Our friendship has never been the same. I’m ashamed that I actually trusted this dog with my friend. Never again.

And, after all the talks and work I did on his behalf, working with him, his connections, and talent, I was never paid. To this day, he owes me $3000 but because I never got it in writing, I didn’t think he’d go back on it, I stopped working for him when I realized he would not pay me for my time, gas, and work. Although he often still asked if I was looking for work, I simply “junk mail”-ed his messages. I hope I never see him again. Because, if I do, I’m more than likely to beat his skull in with whatever is around.

For lying to me. For nearly raping my friend.

So, even when you have an iron-clad legal contract like how Kesha did with Dr. Luke… it means nothing if all he sees you as is a victim.

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