No one thinks they’ll get scammed until it happens. No matter how many times people talk about it, if you haven’t experienced scam on your own you can never know what it feels like. I always considered myself lucky, having everything a person could ever need. Until the moment I had a little less. In a way, it was a necessary lesson. I think what happened was very needed for me because I have a big heart and I love helping people out, which doesn’t always go as imagined. I try to see the positive side of everything, believing that things happen for a reason. If this happened to me that means I needed the lesson that I wouldn’t have learned any other way.

So here is what happened…

As I was walking down a street in Bremen, a decent looking man approached and asked if I spoke English. The relief on his face when I said yes made it seem like he had been struggling to find help. He explained he was from the UK, traveling with his son ( who was standing on the opposite side of the street), and had lost his wallet and credit card. He needed cash and asked if he could transfer money to my account so I could withdraw it for him. The man kept emphasizing that people assumed they were begging, but that wasn’t the case—he had money, he just couldn’t access it. The way he spoke was polite, sincere, and utterly convincing. I had no reason to doubt him.

Grateful for my willingness to help, he and his son repeatedly thanked me. They suggested exchanging numbers, offering to return the favor if I ever visited the UK. “What goes around, comes around,” they said, making the whole thing feel even more trustworthy. It all seemed legitimate—until it wasn’t.

At the ATM, I gave him my account details, and he made the transfer right in front of me. Once completed, I explained that since it was an international transfer, the money wouldn’t arrive instantly—it would take a few days. He looked worried. After all, he had just sent me €1,000. I told him I could only withdraw what I currently had in my account, which wasn’t nearly that much. He said that it was his fault not asking me how much he can transfer me so he agreed that I take out what I have but made me promise to send him the rest once I received it. Naively, I pinky promised.

We exchanged phone numbers, and stupidly enough I withdrew everything in my account, handing it over. We parted ways soon after. After 10 minutes of our separation, I texted asking how long they’d be in the city. He called, assuring me they’d be around for a few more hours and in the meantime he will try to get his bank to speed up the transfer. Before their leaving, we agreed to check in with each other again.  That was the last time I heard from him—or saw my money. Without realizing it, I had willingly helped scammers scam me.

These are the key factors that made me convinced this wasn’t a scam:

1. 1. They were from the UK, vacationing in Germany in February. I doubted someone struggling financially would travel abroad mid-work year.
   2. I assumed only poor people ask for money. These men didn’t seem poor.
   3. They claimed people thought they were begging but insisted they had money. They said they could transfer it immediately for me to withdraw.
   4. They offered to exchange contact information and said they’d help me if I ever needed help in the UK.
   5. When I withdrew less than the supposed transfer amount, they looked genuinely concerned. They made me promise to send the rest later.
   6. We exchanged names and phone numbers, which made the interaction feel more legitimate.
   7. They said, “What goes around, comes around,” as if scamming me would backfire on them. Surely, this couldn’t be a scam… right?
   8. I thought scamming only happens anonymously online, because who would be bold enough to scam people face-to-face?

The reality is, scammers know exactly how to play their part. No matter how kind-hearted you are, never trust a stranger with your money. They may seem genuine, but deception is their skill, and the safest response is always to say no and walk away. Even if their story were true, caution is always better than regret. The world isn’t as bright and colorful as we’d like to believe—some people have bad intentions, and you never truly know who’s standing in front of you.