Juana Cobo, a victim of the scam, shares her experience: 'Not only did I lose the money, but I got into a huge debt. I got my hopes up because they made me get my hopes up, and all I got was in debt.' She fell for a scam when approached on TikTok, believing she had won a cash prize but was asked to pay fees to access it.
Cobo recounts an additional demand: 'After I made the first payment, they had me pay 1,000 quetzales to cover supposed lawyer fees. Then they said there had been a misunderstanding and I had to pay more.' This highlights how scammers exploit victims through continual demands for more money.
The scheme is more extensive than a single incident: 'Dozens of accounts impersonating her have emerged, targeting victims globally, especially in Latin America. These fraudulent profiles use AI tools to appear credible and attract followers.'
A significant aspect of the scam is revealed when Cobo states: 'I thought it was true.' The manipulation of hope and trust leads many victims into severe financial distress. She ultimately lost a total of 5,800 quetzales to the scammers.
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