Sister Gets Scammed by Online Boyfriend, Her Big Brother Hunts Him down – Story of the Day

Emma met a man online and fell head over heels for him. It was perfect, except her brother, Max, suspected something wasn't right. When Emma refused to believe it, the big brother decided to hunt the scammer down alone and discovered some shocking secrets.

"Just a few more weeks to go before we meet, Mexico!" Emma squealed with delight as she collapsed on her bed, her gaze fixed on the vision board across the room. She'd mapped out her ideal vacation to Mexico—beaches, cenotes, marine life, and shopping!

Emma had been working part-time jobs since she was in high school to afford the exciting vacation. She didn't want to burden her parents with unnecessary expenses, so she began saving early. She had always dreamed of visiting Mexico, and she couldn't wait any longer.

The holidays were finally approaching, and she was only a few hundred dollars away from making her dream a reality. However, there was one difficult fact staring her in the face — she would be all alone on the trip.

Going solo on a dream vacation seemed like a cool idea in high school, but not anymore. So, while Emma was on a video call with her friends, telling them about her dream trip, one of her friends suggested getting a 'temp' boyfriend...

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

"I mean, you know, just for fun, you could find a hot guy online and ask him out for a trip with you? And wouldn't it be great if he's Mexican? I mean, EMMA, THOSE DUDES ARE HOT!"

Emma let out a sigh. "I'm not sure, Stacey," she said. "I'm not in the mood for a relationship and everything, and what if this guy ends up being, like, too clingy and stuff?"

"Relax, babe," Stacey said, laughing. "That's why I said 'temporary' boyfriend. No attachments…no feelings. Nothing. Just a fun trip! Once the trip is over, you both go your separate ways!"

Emma wasn't entirely convinced by the idea, so she joined a dating app with the sole intention of 'friending' Mexican locals. However, things didn't go as planned. Emma came across a guy named Kevin, who looked very attractive and handsome in his display picture.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Her first thought was that he was way out of her league. She was admiring the guy's photo when she accidentally swiped right on his profile. "No, no, no! How do I undo this thing?" She freaked out.

"What? Did he just...did he really do that?" Emma was surprised that Kevin would swipe right for someone as average-looking as her. She assumed he had done it by mistake, but he started texting her, and Emma didn't know how to react.

She went ahead and told him it was all a mistake, that she hadn't intended to swipe right. His response gave her butterflies. "An accident?" he wrote. "Hahaha! Then I'm so glad it happened coz you're stunning, Emma! Really! I want to date you!"

Emma's mind warned her that she was rushing things, but Kevin was such a sweet talker with a silver tongue that she completely forgot about all the caution. She poured her heart out to him about her vacation to Mexico and asked if he'd like to join her.

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"Oh, I'd love to! Of course!" he typed. "I mean, I'm Mexican, so yeah…seria un honor para mi! (it would be an honor for me!)."

From that day on, Emma and Kevin chatted every night, and before she realized it, she was madly in love with him. She kept no secrets from him whatsoever, and she assumed he did the same. Emma was terribly wrong.

When she called her elder brother, Max, and told him she was going to spend her vacation with a guy she'd met online, he was very concerned. He even advised her to take a friend along instead, but Emma just shrugged it off as her elder brother's over-protectiveness.

"C'mon, Max! I'm 20! I'm not a child! I can look after myself."

"You really trust this random guy you've never met, Emma? All because he said he'd love to be your tour guide and stuff once you get to Mexico?"

"I've SEEN him, and we talk every day, OK? Stop being such a bummer, Max!"

"Look, Emma. I just want you to be careful, alright? I won't stop you from living your life, but don't lose your wits over a random guy."

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"Yeah, whatever...So you're not going to ask me when the trip is?"

"Yeah, yes, yes, sorry…when is it?"

"I still have three weeks. And a of packing to do!"

Emma's excitement was cut short by Max's long, heavy sigh.

"Max, you sound tired. What's up? Is our family dinner plan still on?"

"Emma, I need to talk to you about something important. Come over on Friday…it's about Adam."

"What's wrong with my little champ? Is he all right?"

"We'll discuss it on Friday, Emma. I'll see you soon. Love you."

Emma was a college student, and she and Max met once a month for dinner. Max worked for a private firm and was a family man. He had a wife, son, and many responsibilities, while Emma was still single, enjoying her life.

When Emma went to see Max for dinner that Friday, he told her something that made her heart sink. Her little nephew was not doing well. Adam needed expensive surgery, and Max didn't have enough money for it.

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"I've consulted banks for a loan, but it will take time, Emma. I know I sound selfish right now, but...could you please help us? It's killing me to even ask, and I really don't know how to put it, but...can you please loan me the money you had set aside for your...dream vacation?

"Adam's reports came in this morning, and we must schedule the surgery as soon as possible. I know how hard you've worked for this vacation and how much it means to you, but my baby's life is on the line."

"Don't be silly! Nothing matters more than Adam!"

Emma really wanted to help her brother's family, but she no longer had the money with her. She'd loaned all of it to Kevin after he told her he needed to pay for his tuition or he'd be expelled from his university.

"And he said he was having some issues with his bank account. He's sent me the money, but it's yet to be credited. We'll have it before my vacation, for sure!" said Emma.

"Oh god!" Max sighed. "It's that guy again!? How do you know he's not making things up, Emma?"

"He sent me the screenshots and everything. Really. Relax, Max. We'll have the money in three weeks. We can wait that long. Right?"

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Max muttered a 'yes,' but he was becoming wary of Kevin. He could tell something wasn't right, even though he couldn't put his finger on it.

A week passed by. Time was running out for Adam's surgery, the banks hadn't sanctioned a loan, and Emma hadn't come back to him with the money either. Max called Emma to ask if Kevin had repaid her, and she said the money wasn't credited to her account yet. "It must be a banking error," she said. "We still have time, Max. Stop freaking me out!"

"Did he actually tell you that himself? He's deceiving you, Emma! Can't you see it!?"

"No, no, he didn't tell me anything. But that doesn't mean he's lying! C'mon, Max! I know you didn't like Kevin from day one!"

At this point, Max was almost sure the money Emma had loaned out to Kevin would never come back to her. He had his doubts that Kevin was not the right guy, and he started growing more suspicious of him.

So when Emma came to his house that evening to stay with him for a few days, Max decided to figure out Kevin's truth on his own.

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He knew no bank would take so long to credit the funds, especially when the process was initiated a week ago. So while Emma was stupidly laughing and texting Kevin all evening, Max was hatching a plan to save his sister from the apparent scammer.

When Emma was asleep that night, Max sneaked into her room and stole her phone. Luckily, the device didn't have a password, so he easily got through it. He couldn't believe his eyes when he read the correspondence between Kevin and his sister.

There were texts he shouldn't have seen or read, very private things, and things that angered him. Whatever Emma had told him about Kevin sending her the screenshots and promising to return the money on time was all true, but Max still didn't believe any of it.

"This guy must be scamming her for all I know!" he thought as he scrolled down their messages. Suddenly, a notification popped up on the screen. It was a new message from Kevin, and though Kevin deleted it right away, Max read it. And now he knew Kevin was scamming Emma! Kevin was fooling many chicks on the side, just like he was fooling his sister.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Max was so furious he felt like crushing the phone into pieces. But then, he noticed something. Max saw one of Emma and Kevin's conversations where Kevin promised to come down to the city and meet her.

Max knew he wouldn't get a better chance to expose Kevin! He returned Emma's phone, and when he got back to his bedroom, he created a fake profile on the dating app with the name Susan. He then chose a random image from the internet for the display picture and swiped right for Kevin's profile.

Max was disgusted when Kevin started flirting with him, telling him how beautiful 'she' looked and things like that.

"So you wanna meet up? I live…" Max composed a message wherein he told Kevin about their city and how he wanted to go on an actual date.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

"Oh, who wouldn't want to date you?" Kevin typed. "Look at you, OMG…I'm so sorry…I'm talking like a drunk, ain't I? But I can't help it…you're so…GORGEOUS, Susan! And guess what? I'm coming to your city soon for some work. How about we meet next week? You decide the time and place."

"Bingo!" Max's thoughts screamed. He knew he was successful in trapping Kevin. Max told Kevin to meet him at the cafe where he was supposed to meet Emma. The only difference was they would meet a few hours before.

***

On D-day, Max was at the cafe at the right time. He kept checking his watch and looking out the cafe's transparent ceiling-to-floor windows for Kevin. Moments later, he saw the man crossing the street and walking up to his table.

Max pretended to be engrossed in the menu. "Hey, dude," Kevin sighed as he took a seat. "I think you got the wrong table. My girlfriend is probably late. This is her seat."

"Girlfriend?" Max raised an eyebrow and looked up.

"Yeah, and you need to leave!" Kevin said stiffly.

Max grinned. "But which girlfriend are you referring to? Emma? Susan? Christine? Well, I'm the gorgeous Susan! So what should we order, BABE!?"

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Kevin's face turned pale. "Who—Who the hell are you?" he stuttered, slowly rising to his feet. "Are you… Damn! It was a trap, wasn't it?"

But everything spiraled out of Max's control when his wife Jennie stormed into the cafe. She thought Max was cheating on her with a man! "So he's the one, isn't he?" she fumed. "You stayed up all night texting him! I know what's going on here, Max! I—I didn't want to follow you here, but you didn't leave me with a choice!"

While Max was busy explaining everything to Jennie, Kevin disappeared from the cafe. "We lost him!" Max cried. "Oh, Jennie, what have you done?"

"Get out of my way, you fool!" he yelled as he shoved her and sprinted away, only to collide with a police car and be apprehended. The cops identified Kevin through his sketch, and he was loaded into the police cruiser and driven to the station.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Max got a call from the lead detective in charge of the case that they'd finally arrested Kevin. As Emma walked into the cafe and saw Max and Jennie, she was even more confused. She didn't understand what was happening.

"Why have they detained Kevin? What's the matter, Max? Jennie, what are you doing here, and why are you crying? What's going on?"

"Look, Emma, Jennie," Max said. "I'll explain everything later, but first, we must get to the station. Please! Just come with me!"

***

As they arrived, Max revealed everything. He admitted to checking Emma's phone, reading her and Kevin's correspondence, signing up on the dating app, and reporting Kevin as a scammer to the cops.

"No way!" Emma sobbed. "I can't believe it! A con artist? Oh god… What a fool I was! I couldn't even help Adam! You should hate me, Max!"

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

"Hey, hey," Max said as he wrapped his arms around his sister. "Relax. It could happen to anyone. He'd fooled so many girls! It wasn't your fault… Besides, I have good news! The bank approved a loan for Adam's surgery! So don't blame yourself, Em. And Jennie, I would never look at another woman, and certainly not at a man!" he laughed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, honey," Jennie cried as she joined Max and Emma in a hug. Kevin turned out to be a seasoned con artist who had duped several women, including Emma. Surely enough, he was eventually sentenced to prison. The court confiscated his property, and Emma and several other girls' money was returned to them.

When Emma got the money, she gave it to Max so he could repay the loan. "You have to accept it, OK? Look, you saved me from a huge problem, and as for my dream vacation, let's go together—you, me, Jennie, and Adam—once our little champ is all better!" she added, promising herself she'd never trust a person blindly again.

What can we learn from this story?

• If something appears too good to be true, it probably is, and it's always best to err on the side of caution. Kevin seemed to be a sweet, helpful guy who was madly in love with Emma, but once Max began investigating him, he discovered how sick Kevin was!
• Never trust someone more than those who love you and care for you. Max could tell something was wrong with Kevin the moment he heard about him, but Emma didn't believe him until she saw it for herself.

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