Woman loses $12.5k trying to save marriage, later borrows money to shower male livestreamers with gifts
A woman in Malaysia who lost RM40,000 (about S$12,570) to a supposed feng shui master while trying to save her marriage later turned to male livestreamers for emotional comfort, eventually exhausting her savings and falling into debt.
The woman, who lives in Selangor, reportedly suffered total losses of about RM100,000 (about S$31,400) through scams and her spending on virtual gifts.
According to a report by Sin Chew Daily published on Nov 8, Selangor DAP Public Complaints Bureau deputy director Li Wenbin said the woman had sought help after finding herself struggling to make ends meet.
Lost RM40,000 trying to save marriage
Eight years ago, the woman discovered that her then-husband was having an affair.
Desperate to save her marriage, she turned to a feng shui master who claimed he could help her win her husband back.
But she ended up losing RM40,000.
She later met a man online, only to fall victim to an investment scam.
Borrowed money to buy virtual gifts for male livestreamers
Li said the woman eventually turned to online livestreamers for emotional comfort, regularly buying virtual gifts for male hosts in the hope of getting their attention.
She spent so much that she eventually exhausted her savings and even borrowed money from loan sharks to continue buying gifts.
According to Li, the woman lost about RM100,000 in total through the scams and her spending on livestreamers.
Most of her monthly salary now goes towards repaying her debts, leaving her struggling to afford even basic meals.
Woman hopes to find part-time work to repay debts
Li said the woman was in such financial difficulty that she could not even afford transport to meet him for help.
He eventually arranged for an e-hailing ride to bring her to meet him.
The woman, who is currently employed, hopes to take on part-time work on Sundays to earn extra income and gradually pay off her debts.
Ideally, the work would be near her home.
Li appealed to employers to give her a chance to get back on her feet rather than judge her for her past mistakes.
He also urged the public not to become overly dependent on livestreamers for emotional support or trust strangers online who claim they can save relationships or change their fortunes.
This article was written with the assistance of AI.
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