I got scammed...

Due to my way of life while growing I was very useful to almost everyone in my vicinity and it is really rewarding.

My mom trained me to be very hardworking and respectful, I don't deny errands as long as it is something I can do. I also engage in minor jobs like washing vehicles, water vendor, and others just to support my mother.

I became very famous and I got lots of tips every day from jobs and errands.

Flashback...

I remembered a day I had an accident while running errands for someone, mom was broke financially and I was bleeding. I passed out before any hospital could take me in due to the rate at which I was bleeding. 

When we finally got to the hospital, I was taken in immediately and mom couldn't stop crying because she had no money on her. Surprisingly, four people in my neighborhood cleared my bills individually.

We had enough money even after being discharged but I couldn't move around for 3 months. The experience never stopped me from being the usual helping boy in the neighborhood.

Back to the post...

Since I was earning some cash, I started saving up just to purchase my first phone in 2009 because I wanted to use good phones like my mates in school. I couldn't bother my mom for it because I knew how financially capable she was then.

I had a Multilinks phone then, it was a landline and all I could do with the phone was to make calls to mom and receive from her as well. My phone was boring, I couldn't keep up with the social media trends that were happening then, and all that made me desperate to get myself a browsing phone.

Finally, I was able to raise seven thousand naira after saving for four months. It wasn't an easy one because I had to go extra length at doing minor jobs for neighbors.

After making my inquiries about the phones I could get for that amount, I became very happy because I was going to own a good phone.

I set out for the popular phone market in Lagos, COMPUTER VILLAGE in Ikeja.

On getting there, it was my first time and the way I was walking around with my 7k clearly exposed me as a novice and everyone was just looking at me.

I went from shop to shop looking for something my money could afford and I saw different phones but my money wasn't enough but I didn't give up searching for something that would fit my budget.

After going around the market several times, a man spotted me and approached me. His words and approach were cool that I believed immediately that he was God-sent. 

We had a brief conversation.

Stranger:  I see you have walking around, do you need a phone? 

Me: Yes but my money couldn't buy all I have seen today, 

Stranger:  I understand, things are kind of expensive but I will help you out.

He continued, how much do have on you.

Me: I have 7k on me.

Stranger: Don't worry, I will get you something very big and you will enjoy it.

I was really happy

He told me to follow him, we were just going and going. I started feeling suspicious but I was too excited to ask him questions and was trying to be careful not to do anything that would make him change his mind.

We stopped at a shop and he brought out a Nokia phone from his bag, he told me to check it out which I did and it working perfectly.

I told him how happy I was buying that phone, he smiled and told me to bring the money.

I counted the money and gave him. He went inside the shop again to get be a pack for the phone, he came out and gave me the phone.

After the transaction, he said to me "That phone I gave you is worth more than the money you paid, you have to move very fast. If the thugs stop you, they might want to collect money from me for purchasing a big phone like that". 

Thinking I was smart, I just kept it in my pocket and started running back to the bus stop.

I didn't check the phone, I entered the bus and didn't check because I didn't want anyone to challenge me or ask me where I got such an expensive phone from.

While on the bus going home, various thoughts starting coming to me. I started thinking of how to surprise my mom about the phone even though she warned me not to go, my friends whose parents could afford one for them won't oppress me again.

I was still on the bus but close to the house when I decided to check the phone, it was then I got the shock of my life.

I tried to ON the phone and the ON button got stuck, I tried opening the back cover and saw a white substance. The phone didn't have a battery or an engine in it, it contained FUFU (pounded cassava).

I discovered I bought FUFU that didn't worth fifty naira for seven thousand, the shock made me started laughing and the Passengers thought I was crazy.

Without thinking twice, I threw the phone through the bus window and it landed in a fuel station

 People rushed to take the phone

The person who took it saw that it wasn't a phone and threw it away. Others went back and I started laughing again.

I felt bad but remembering the adventure kept making me smile.

I wanted to surprise everyone but I ended up getting the biggest surprise of my life as a teenager and it became a memory I laugh out loud whenever I look back at.

The lesson:

I have a habit of noting down the lessons I learned from every experience in life and I would be sharing the lesson I learned from why I was scammed.

"Many times we tend to achieve greatness and not wanting to pay the price. Every good/great thing in life comes with a price that must be paid. 

We end up losing out while trying to achieve great things through a short way. 

If it has worked for someone you know, it might not work for you. If it worked for you, it might not last because you didn't pay the right price "

I hope my experience made you smile but don't just laugh at my mistakes instead pick the lessons in it.

All line breakers were made by me...