I LOST MY SCHOOL FEES TO SCAMMERS.

Entering the digital world without guidance can be very risky, I know this because I started without guidance and I suffered for it immensely. Scammers are everywhere, always looking for means to rob people of their hard-earned money. Newbies especially fall victim to these heartless and wicked people, because of two major things; lust and greed. I have even fallen prey to them and realized how important it is to tackle lust and greed in not only the online space but also in business. Although one can not be too careful in these things, I'm quite sure one can be careful enough to a very large extent.

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In my second year in school, I was looking for a business I could venture into as a student, to help me get substantial cash flow coupled with the little I received from my parents then. It was the period scammers newly started their money-doubling techniques, and just like so many, I fell for it. I got part of my school fees that period, and thought if I could successfully double the money I would be able to have enough to learn forex trading, and also have the required capital to start up myself. The plan seemed easy and very much achievable tgen, I even convinced myself that I was ready to take the risk of business

I saw a platform on WhatsApp and joined, I decided I would start with 5,000 naira, (about $4.2 currently). I was seeing people drop screenshots of alerts which convinced me that I was going to get the money back. After I sent the money, I was expecting my money to be doubled within 45 minutes, but instead, I got a call that the organization needed to fix something in their system. I can't remember the entire details, but stupid me sent another 5,000 naira, they called again with another excuse and the very foolish me sent another 5,000 naira. That was when it became clear to me that these people were milking me dry.

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I was at peace at first because their voices sounded very mature and convincing like they were elderly and wouldn't want to jeopardize their integrity, but little did I know that it was all a scam. By the time I realized what was going on, I had lost 15,000 naira ($12.6) from my school fees and had to find ways to replace it. Luckily I received a weekly allowance of 5,000 naira, which meant I had to starve for three weeks and live on what I begged from people. Unfortunately, I ended up starving for a month and 1 week because my dad reduced my weekly allowance because he was having some financial challenges.

I learned the hard way what greed could do, although I had wonderful dreams, I needed to eliminate greed. I was stupid not to probe where the money they promised came from that would guarantee money doubling in 45 minutes and more stupid to have continued sending them more in a bid to make more. All I wanted was money, they simply saw my greed and took advantage of it. Ever since then, I became sensitive to probing whatever I saw online and wanting to know the validity behind every online business out there. Moreso I try to make a scale of preference, and only stake something I'm comfortable losing. Not that losing money is comfortable, but I won't put myself in a position where I would become helpless from a loss if at all I decide to take a stupid risk.

THIS IS MY RESPONSE TO THE HIVE LEARNER'S PROMPT FOR WEEK 85 EPISODE 2