カテゴリー: English

The Subtle Shift Toward Trust

Our conversations continued smoothly on LINE.
Nothing felt forced. Nothing felt suspicious.

She shared more about her daily life, her worries, and her hopes for the future.
I responded naturally, without any sense of danger.

Now, when I reflect on this period, I can clearly see what was happening:

• She increased the frequency of contact
• She shared personal stories to build emotional closeness
• She positioned herself as someone who “needed support”
• She created a gentle, safe atmosphere

All of this was part of a carefully constructed process.

But at that time, I didn’t notice any of it.
There was no reason to suspect anything.
No red flags.
No warning signs.

This was the stage where the foundation of trust was quietly being built—
a foundation that would later be used to guide me toward the investment scam.

Moving the Conversation to LINE

One day, in the middle of our usual Facebook exchanges, she made a simple suggestion:

“Shall we talk on LINE instead?”

It didn’t feel strange at all.
In fact, I thought LINE would be easier since I used it more often.
Without hesitation, I accepted her request.

And just like that, our conversations moved from Facebook to LINE.

Once we switched platforms, our chats increased even more:

• Daily routines
• Work stories
• Meals and small moments
• Casual, harmless conversations

Little by little, the distance between us felt closer.

She also shared more about her personal life:

• Her mother lived alone in Japan and was getting older
• She wanted to return to Japan someday to live with her
• She had an uncle in Beijing who was a well‑known economist
• That uncle supposedly wanted to “help her build a stable life in Japan”

As I listened to these stories, I began to feel a sense of familiarity and closeness.

I didn’t know her exact age—probably late 20s to early 30s.
But I didn’t think much about it at the time.

One day, the topic of age came up.
When I mentioned that I was older, she replied:

“I think of you like an older brother.”

From then on, she spoke to me with that same gentle distance—close, but respectful.

Looking back now, I realize this was already the trust‑building phase of the scam.
But at the time, I had no reason to doubt her.

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The Day She First Talked About Investing

She continued explaining her situation:

“My uncle is teaching me how to invest.”

She said that the method involved using an app called MT5.
At that time, I had never heard of MT5 before.
When I looked it up, I found that it was a legitimate trading platform used worldwide.

I downloaded the app myself.
The app was real.
The interface looked professional, and everything appeared normal.

But the real issue came afterward.

She told me that in order to start trading, I needed to register with a securities company.
The company she introduced was called VelentPartner.

Once I registered, the MT5 screen allowed me to trade gold through that company’s server.

Back then, I thought:

“If I’m using a real trading app, it must be safe.”

I didn’t realize the truth.

Looking back now, I can clearly see the trap:

• MT5 itself is real.
• But the broker you connect to may not be.

Scammers often exploit legitimate tools to make their scheme look authentic.
I didn’t notice this at the time, and I moved on to the next stage—exactly as they intended.

Reflection

This was the turning point.
The moment I connected MT5 to the broker she recommended, the scam had already begun.

They use:

• A real app
• Real charts
• Real-looking trading screens

But behind it is a fake broker, controlling everything.

This experience taught me that:

“A real app does not guarantee a real investment.”

I hope this record helps others avoid the same mistake.

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The Day She First Talked About Investing

Our daily conversations on LINE had become a natural part of my routine.
She told me she lived in Hong Kong, with a Japanese mother and a Chinese father. According to her, she worked in China as a piano teacher.

Sometimes she sent short videos—playing the piano, or clips from her lessons.
She often talked about the challenges of living in China, the long work hours, and the stress of teaching. She also mentioned that her mother lived alone in Japan and worked as a music instructor.

As these exchanges continued, I found myself trusting her more and more.
Nothing felt unusual. Nothing felt dangerous.

Then one day, during a normal conversation, she suddenly said:

“I was studying investment today.”

Until that moment, she had never brought up anything related to investing.
I had done a little stock trading in the past, so I casually asked:

“What kind of investment?”

At the time, it felt like harmless small talk.
But looking back now, that simple question was the beginning of everything.

This was the moment the story truly started.

Reflection

Scammers rarely begin with money.
They start with daily conversations, shared routines, and emotional closeness.
Only after trust is built do they introduce the topic of investment—quietly, naturally, and without pressure.

By recording this experience, I hope others can recognize these early signs before they become something more serious.

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The Conversation That Continued on LINE

After several exchanges on Facebook, she said:

“I don’t really use Facebook much.
Would you mind if we continue on LINE instead?”

Without thinking too deeply, I gave her my LINE ID.
Looking back now, that was the first major turning point.

A Natural, Everyday Conversation

Once we moved to LINE, the conversation felt surprisingly natural.

• Morning greetings
• Casual messages during the day
• “Good night” before going to sleep

These small interactions continued day after day.

She gradually shared more about herself:

• She lived in Hong Kong
• She was half Japanese and half Chinese
• Her mother lived in Japan and used to be a music teacher
• She was currently living alone
• She hoped to return to Japan someday and live with her mother again

She even said:

“Since I’ll be living in Japan in the future,
I hope you can teach me many things.”

Hearing that, I naturally felt I wanted to support her.

The Piano Teacher

She also told me she taught piano in China.

One day, she sent me videos:

• Scenes of her teaching students
• Clips of her playing the piano herself

Everything looked natural and convincing.
I had no reason to doubt her.
If anything, I thought:

“She really is a music teacher.”

Stories of Her Life in China

She also talked about her daily struggles:

• Work
• The difficulties of living alone
• The challenges of life in China

As I listened, I found myself sympathizing with her more and more.

Looking back now, this was the moment when I began to see her not as
“someone I met online,”
but as
“someone I felt a little close to.”

My sense of caution slowly faded.

And Then… the Topic Changed

After some time, the flow of conversation began to shift.

It started subtly.

A small comment.
A casual remark.

And then it appeared:

“The topic of investment.”

That was where everything began to change.

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I first came across her profile on Facebook.
It wasn’t anything special at the beginning—just a casual friend request from someone who seemed to share a few interests. Her posts looked ordinary, and nothing about her profile raised any suspicion.

We exchanged a few simple messages.
The conversation was polite, light, and unremarkable. She talked about her daily life, her work, and small things happening around her. I replied in the same way, without thinking too deeply about it.

At that point, I had no reason to doubt anything.
It felt like the kind of harmless online interaction that happens every day.

Over the next few days, our messages became a little more frequent.
She would ask how my day was, what I was working on, and whether I had eaten. The tone was friendly, almost gentle. Looking back now, I can see how these small exchanges were the beginning of a pattern—but at the time, it simply felt like normal conversation.

There was no talk of money, no mention of investment, and no pressure of any kind.
Just two people chatting online.

But this was the first step.
A quiet beginning that would later lead to something I never expected.

Reflection

Romance scams rarely start with anything dramatic.
They begin with small, harmless conversations—messages that feel ordinary and safe.
This slow, careful approach is what makes them so effective.

By sharing this record, I hope others can recognize the early signs before they become something more serious.

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