The Betrayal at Home
It started with a friend request. Mrs. Higgins, a 78-year-old widow, was lonely after the passing of her husband. When a handsome young man in a Marine uniform messaged her, claiming to be stationed in Afghanistan, she felt a spark of hope. He was polite, charming, and attentive. They spoke for hours every day. He called her "his angel." He told her he wanted to come home and marry her, but the military was holding his passport.
Over the course of six months, the requests for money began. First, it was for a "secure phone line." Then, it was for "emergency medical surgery." Finally, he needed a "plane ticket fee." Blinded by love and a desire to help a hero, she liquidated her savings. She sent him her entire retirement fund, totaling over $150,000.
"He said he was coming home to me. I bought a new dress. I waited at the airport for five hours."
When he didn't show up, her family finally intervened and called the authorities. The Cyber Crime division tracked the digital footprint of the "Marine." They expected the IP address to lead to a scam center in Nigeria or Eastern Europe. Instead, the signal was coming from inside the house.
Police raided the property and headed straight downstairs. There, sitting in the dark surrounded by empty soda cans and high-end monitors, was her own grandson. He hadn't been deployed; he had been living in her basement rent-free for two years. He had used voice-changing software to speak to her on the phone. The money wasn't used for travel; he had spent every penny on video games, crypto skins, and online gambling. The woman who raised him collapsed in shock as officers led him away in handcuffs.
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