It was rather unbelievable but I believed it.
Amazing apartments in London being rented out at low rates. I made the payment. Then, I didn’t hear back from the agent. I emailed and called. Nothing. I soon realized that I had been scammed.
I filed a police report. I reported it to the bank. Then I accepted it. I emailed the scammer (See below). I felt an expansive, beautiful, light feeling after.
Our hearts go out to those who have lost money to scams. It can be devastating when the sums are huge. So let us be careful and take all extra effort to protect ourselves.
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Dear Pedro or whatever your name is,
It looks like you have taken my money without having any real apartments to rent to me so I write this letter from my heart. (If I am wrong, please correct me.)
I forgive you.
I don’t condone your actions but I forgive YOU.
You have your reasons for what you do and you are trying to meet your needs in the way you know to be best. There is a story behind why you do what you do and I wish I could hear it.
I can see your strengths in being able to appreciate beauty (through the beautiful pictures of the apartments), in seizing opportunities etc. Perhaps you could learn more about your strengths or simply watch this inspiring video, “Re-building your life through character strengths“.
Imagine how life would be if you used these strengths for a higher purpose where you served people and brought them happiness…
I hope you experience Truth/Conscience/Higher Power/God/Love, whatever makes sense to you that has the power to touch you with the transformative and healing power of love.
You have also helped me look at myself. Where have I said something and done something else? Where have I wrongly led people (or myself) on, whether intentionally or not? Those are for me to investigate and forgive myself for and not do again to the best of my ability.
I hope you will return my money. I am trying to do good with it through a project to bring people greater happiness. Oddly that’s what I am coming to London for – to learn about peace in everyday life and creating systems where people are happier.
Your actions, if they indeed are what I think they are, could be hurting many people.
May you be blessed one day with the amazing peace and joy that comes from bringing happiness to others… Vadivu
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When I share this, some laugh. Often they ask: “Did he return the money?” No. I got something worth more.
I had been a victim of crime before when someone had stolen a larger amount of money from me. All I could think about had been my money. Now, I could love and forgive when tested.
I had planted a seed in his heart. This was more than 10 years ago. I will never know what became of that seed. But I am still grateful I planted it for it has grown in a parallel world in my heart.
Vadivu Govind