Hot take: That "lucky" encounter at the bus stop almost cost me $1,200

Last month I met this guy at the bus stop downtown who seemed super friendly. He talked about investing and how he'd made a killing on some penny stock. I was bored and he gave me his card, said he'd help me get started. I almost transferred $1,200 into his so-called trading app until my accountant brain kicked in and I ran a background check. Turns out he had three fraud complaints filed against him in the state. That chance encounter could have cleaned me out. Has anyone else had a random stranger try to sell them on something that felt too good to be true?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamesm3824d ago

Man, stories like this give me chills. I had a similar thing happen outside a grocery store a couple years ago. Some guy pulled up next to me in a nice car, starts talking about this amazing real estate deal he was putting together with a group of investors. He handed me a flyer with all these glossy pictures of houses and promised a 30% return in six months. I actually went home and looked him up on the state business registry. Nothing. No company, no license, just a name with a residential address. That flyer went straight in the trash. In my experience, if a stranger is offering you a golden opportunity at a bus stop or in a parking lot, it's almost always a trap. Your accountant brain saved you some real heartache.

sean_torres7123d ago

Yeah, and here's the part nobody talks about - those glossy flyers and nice cars are bought with money from people who fell for it before you. Its a pyramid that's already working for them.

keithbutler23d ago

Good eye @jamesm38, checking the registry is exactly what stopped me from getting scammed too.