A few days ago, I fell prey to a scam, an elaborate scheme to steal my Instagram account and Facebook page, and any private information they contain, including financial data.
The experience unsettled me more than I would ever have anticipated.
It all started with an email from the events manager of a reputable personality (I’ll call him “Personal Growth Guy”) in the personal growth space I didn’t know about. He was inviting me be a guest on an Instagram and Facebook Live, part of a series to showcase others spreading inspirational journeys and ideas. Or so he said.
This is interesting.
Intrigued, I check out Personal Growth Guy and am quite taken by his mission and vibe. He’s no Mel Robbins or Tim Ferriss, yet he’s certainly ten levels above me. He’s obviously legit, a real person. Plus, unlike other scammy promo emails I’ve received, this one landed in my Inbox.
Heck, this looks like a nice opportunity.
After a few back-and-forth emails with Personal Growth Guy’s events manager to learn more about the Live, we schedule a Zoom to review the technical details.
I hop on the call, excited to meet and speak with the nice person I’ve been exchanging emails with.
Greetings are exchanged, and then he begins to walk me through the steps to join the social media event.
“First, go into your settings. Then click on all tools, then business suite…” he says.
Boy, this is more complicated than I’d imagined.
“Open a new window. Search for business.facebook/abcdefg.com and then Meta this, Meta that,” he continues, sharing his screen.
“Can’t I just click join the day of the event? Why is this necessary?” I ask.
“Oh, this is because it’s also going to be broadcast on the Podcast platform and on YouTube and on this and that hijklmnop. We need to create the event this way so it can all be brought together.”
OK. I guess.
“So,” he goes on, “now go to Pixels, and Create Event and All Tools, and then People. No, go back, open a new window, and go to My This and Your That.”
“Wait, wait, wait. I have no idea what I’m doing,” I say.
I end up sharing my screen and going through the fifty remaining click-this and click-that steps until, finally, we’re done.
He gives me a few more tips for the event. We end the call.
I swear to you, the moment the Zoom screen disappears, a thick fog that had blacked out a section of my brain lifts.
RED ALERT! RED ALERT! This was a freakin’ scam, and it was obvious all along.
First, the man had a thick South Asian accent. Go ahead, zap me for profiling, but the guy had said his name was Michael John, and this was no Michael John. His accent was so strong I repeatedly had to ask for clarification, which is one of the reasons the call lasted over one hour.
Second, he didn’t show his face but a banner with the face of Personal Growth Guy instead, and when I asked him why he didn’t turn on the camera, he dove into a convoluted explanation about his setup and device.
Third, and most significantly, nothing he had me do is necessary for a Live!
I quickly get to work to try to undo the damage. I open ChatGPT and plug in the emails we exchanged. AI deems them to be credible. But when I share the originating email address and the screen sharing, AI rules it a scam, a definite scam, complete with the red exclamation point emojis ChatGPT loves to use.
I go into my Facebook. I cancel the event. I change my Facebook password. I change my Instagram password. I follow all the steps ChatGPT suggests.
Did you give admin access to anyone? Did you share any payment information? ChatGPT asks.
No, thank God and all the angels.
The Chat’s reassurance that no harm was likely done gives me a measure of relief.
I get up from my desk and think back to the call.
I had felt uncomfortable throughout, in a sort of trance, hypnotized, as if I were a puppet or had swallowed an obedience serum. It was an unpleasant feeling I’d never experienced before.
I cry. I feel violated, truly. I am the biggest fool in the world. For two days, I feel as if the word stupid were tattooed on my forehead, in red letters.
I think about my elderly parents and how easily they could be taken advantage of.
I think of my loving son Diego, who’s 32, autistic, intellectually disabled, and how vulnerable he is.
Had the scammers succeeded, it would’ve been a small tragedy for me. I’ve worked hard to build my social media and online community in the special needs parenting world. I care about the lessons on hope and change and love I’ve learned from my son.
The scam felt personal and left me feeling disappointed in humankind. We can be such a sad, cruel species.
Still, I know I got lucky. It could have been a great deal worse. Also, I need to move on to what’s good in us, because getting stuck on humanity’s darkness is no way to live.
Would you have known?
Dear Daniella,
I’m Michael John from Personal Growth Guy team. We’ve been following your incredible work and believe your journey embodies the resilience, creativity, and leadership that deeply resonates with our global audience. We’d love to invite you to a 45-minute Instagram Live stream, hosted by Personal Growth Guy — founder of BLANK BLANK BLANK.
This session is part of a curated series where exceptional individuals share powerful, real-life stories — highlighting personal growth, overcoming adversity, and thriving under pressure. Personal Growth Guy will lead the conversation and share his own insights on mindset, purpose, and leadership.
We believe your voice would be a powerful addition to this event. It’s also a prepaid opportunity as a token of appreciation for your time and contribution. Beyond visibility, this is a meaningful chance to connect with a like-minded community and create lasting value through your experience.
Let us know if you’re interested — we’d be happy to share more details.