Group Therapy ThursdayIt's Group Therapy Thursday time!
Dear Ted and Amy,
My 70 year old mother has been talking to a 40 something year old man who she believes is a businessman in Brazil. They have been in communication for 5 months and my stepdad caught her just a week ago.
This is a love scam. This man has different Instagram accounts, never Facetimes and they have never met. It’s pathetic and devastating. She admitted to sending him 3-4 thousand dollars in gift cards already. My stepdad is heartbroken and is trying to get her to believe it's a scam. He didn't want to tell us kids out of embarrassment but finally broke down crying to me about it this week. She doesn’t believe this is a scam. She believes he is real and is waiting to meet him on March 20th (which obviously will not happen and this will be the time he asks for more money and postpones the trip again). We are worried that she will empty her bank account and we have no access to stop her from withdrawing money.
My mom is a normal lady, smart and a wonderful mom. I have never seen her or my stepdad fight or even argue. My mom sells some art on Instagram and this is how the scammer reached her and got close.
I am distraught, embarrassed and am feeling helpless. What should we do?
Signed,
Hands Tied in Hannibal
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