BE SURE BEFORE TRUSTING ANYONE
This month, I have been sharing lessons from moral stories and one of the stories was about not believing everything someone says to you.
That story reminded me of my own story.
A guy came to make an inquiry at my office and in the course of our discussion, he said he works with Jumia and they have a need to recruit someone urgently.
“Do you have anyone to recommend, he asked.”
“Yes. I have a lot of friends who are job hunting. I will like to recommend one of them.”
“Okay, let me give you my number so you can give your friend. Also, give me yours in case.”
I should have suspected that something was fishy (like the wise Jackal in the story: the moving tail) because this guy kept calling me to say I should give him my friend’s number. I told him to be patient because; I need to speak to her first.
I should have noticed the sense of urgency and the overly and unnecessary niceness that I know scammers with. Why is he the one calling and pushing? Is it not supposed to be the one in need of a job that will be doing all that?
“She will call you,” I promised.
That was how I called a dear friend and excitedly told her about this job offer. I told her to let me know when she is invited for the interview so we will confirm the place is actually a Jumia office because a lot of bad things have been happening to job seekers in this country.
She called the guy and they started communicating. He told her to bring her CV somewhere at the bus stop since he is on his way to the office, so she doesn’t have to pay transport fare to their office which is a bit far.
We were okay with that because there is no possible harm that can come from meeting someone at the bus stop.
Afterwards, my friend did not tell me anything again. I had to call her some days later to ask whether she has been called for the interview and she said no. Her mum even saw me at the market and thanked me for having the good of her daughter in mind. She prayed for me and I was overjoyed. Helping others has a way of bringing happiness.
My happiness was cut short a few weeks later when I met with my friend and she told me this story: She gave the guy her CV, and he told her that she needs to submit a stamp along with it.
He followed her to the bookshop to buy this stamp but it was nowhere to be found. So he decided to get it for her when he gets to their office. He gave her money for the stamp.
The next day, the guy called to say that the money she gave him wasn’t enough that she should send more money (three times the original amount she gave him). She told him that she doesn’t have more money to send and he said, “Okay, I will find a way to return your CV later.”
My friend felt as if she was being ungrateful. “This guy is only trying to help,” she thought. So she sent him the money. That was how the guy became unreachable until today.
She didn’t want to tell me so I don’t feel bad. But when she told another friend, the friend asked whether she is sure that I wasn’t in on the plan. My friend defended me because she knows I will do no such thing and the amount involved is actually nothing to me. So her friend suggested that she let me know so I don’t fall victim again.
I tried the guy’s number and it was switched off. I kept asking myself why I believed this guy in the first place. I have been scammed before and that is how it always ends. It ends with you asking yourself, “how come I didn’t realize this was a scam until now?”
Kaycee Bliss
Comments
Post a Comment