First-hand experience of a Journalism Club student getting scammed in “the most beautiful place.“

Article by Lou Maunupau,

Contributing writer

Last semester, in the winter of 2025, I was getting ready for Christmas as a single dad and an older, returning student. I was looking for ways to budget my money and my time wisely. Unfortunately, this led me to ignore the red flags and get scammed out of hundreds of dollars. 

As a new student, I really wanted to see what was available and join any activities or clubs. After class, on my way to the old library, I saw a bunch of flyers advertising various events, clubs, and activities. I scanned the QR code to join the Journalism Club’s WhatsApp group. 

In the group, a woman named Rosa posted that she was moving. She had gotten a new laptop and wanted to see if anyone in the club could use her older one. She claimed she wanted to give it to someone who might struggle to purchase a MacBook, someone who could use it. 

I contacted Rosa and expressed interest in her old laptop. “Rosa” asked for my mailing address, so she could have it shipped to a FedEx office near me. She explained that I needed to Zelle her the shipping money rather than use PayPal. Thus, I lost my ability to create receipts. 

The first warning sign was that she had me Zelle it to someone named David K Sowards, not her. She then confirmed she had received the Zelle payment and would be at the FedEx store shortly. The issues began shortly after this initial contact. “Rosa” quickly became rude and began pressuring me, making me feel rushed. 

Then came the topic of sending the money via gift cards. This is another red flag to watch out for. 

The cost of the shipping kept changing, and fees began to mount. By the time the total reached  $417.37, I expressed that I wanted to cease the transaction. She became enraged and stated that there would be a cancellation fee.

We had a heated back-and-forth, and in the end, I was out of all of my money. I had fallen victim to a false sense of security. In the end, I do not blame anyone but myself. It was a lesson I had to learn. 

I notified the moderators, who then took steps to require additional authentication to be permitted in the group.

“As noted in Deloitte’s 2023 Connected Consumer Survey, the long-held stereotype of the tech-illiterate senior falling for an email scam is being turned on its head. The report reveals that Gen Z is actually three times more likely than Baby Boomers to be duped by online fraud.”

Be wary, my fellow Mariners, not only are old people like me vulnerable, but even the young people are vulnerable.

In the end, I’m responsible for what happened to me. Even in “the most beautiful place,” bad things can happen. 

Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene 2:

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves…”