LONGMONT, Colo. — John Clark from Longmont reached out to Denver7 Investigates after losing thousands of dollars in an investment-turned-romance scam.
In an email, he wrote, "I have reported the incident to the police, who have confirmed that it is indeed a scam. Two additional investigations are underway."
Clark is proud of his work, family, and the strength with which he's faced early-onset Parkinson's for the past six and a half years. However, right now, he's feeling nothing but shame.
"Why did I play into it? That's been ringing in my mind all month," Clark told Denver7 Investigates.
It all began with a phone call from someone claiming that a high school friend referred Clark for an investment opportunity.
To prove their legitimacy, the scammers sent Clark two checks, which his bank initially reported as having cleared. The would-be investor even sent a photo and a Social Security card to gain his trust.
At that point, the scam evolved from an investment opportunity to a romantic interest.
"He was going to take care of me, and that it was going to be a lifelong thing. And I had shared that I had young-onset Parkinson's, which maybe gave him more ammunition," Clark said.
Clark's bank eventually discovered the checks were fraudulent, but it was too late. He had sent two payments of $1,500 each through Apple Cash.
Despite filing multiple reports, recovering Clark's money is unlikely.
Consumer
Colorado man now warning others after losing more than $100,000 in romance scam
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warnings about such scams, emphasizing in a video, "If an online love interest asks you for money, walk away, no matter how compelling the story."
Josh Kern, who lost over $100,000 in a similar scheme, shared the complexity of walking away from such situations. He told our sister station in Colorado Springs, "I still questioned for weeks afterwards whether or not she was actually involved. I mean, that's how good of a hook she was."
Clark hopes warning others will restore his sense of pride.
"They preyed on my loneliness. And looking back, I should have seen that and gone, 'What the hell was I doing?'" he said.
