So this all started with a friend of mine whom I had actually trusted with my money. What started with helping someone in a difficult situation ( favour) turned into the most stressful experiences I’ve ever dealt with

Ps- I still haven’t received any money yet with multiple promises/ follow ups and assurances.

Here’s a more polished Reddit-style version that keeps the storytelling element:

To be completely honest, I already knew he had a history of betting and financial issues, which is why I was initially very hesitant to help. Had he simply asked me for money without any explanation, I would never have agreed.

What changed my mind was the story he told me. He said his parents were going through an extremely difficult time and that the money was urgently needed for family-related reasons. It sounded serious, and like many people would, I decided to help.

The irony is that I didn’t even have the money myself. To arrange it, I had to borrow through online lending platforms. The process itself was strange. We kept trying application after application because many of them weren’t working. Looking back, the persistence with which we kept trying different platforms should probably have been a red flag.

Before transferring a single rupee, I tried to protect myself as much as possible. I spoke to his mother, obtained a written undertaking, recorded a video confirmation, collected copies of his Aadhaar card and PAN card, and kept proof of every transaction and conversation.

I genuinely believed I had done everything a reasonable person could do to verify the situation before helping someone in need.

[India] Money Dispute/ scam/ fraud/ revenge - 1