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 News 5, "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.
