By The AsiaOne Techbot

A 46-year-old woman lent some $20,000 to a 20-year-old youth that she met on a chatline, only to have him disappear with her money.

Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: Wanbao)

According to a report by local Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao, Agnes first met the youth while using a chatline service.

She said that the young man first brought up the subject about money when he told her that he won a $500,000 lottery prize. He even told her that he had used the money to open two bars. Curious, she agreed to meet him.

"He told me that he had used $200,000 for his business, and left the other $300,000 in the care of his mother. However, his business failed and he said he is penniless now." Agnes told Lianhe Wanbao.

The youth then started borrowing money from her. "He gave me all sorts of excuses. He once told me that he was caught setting up a gambling den in Geylang and needed someone to take the rap. Other times he would say that he had no money for food, or owned money to loan sharks."

In the beginning, Agnes agreed to lend the money because she saw that they youth was around her son's age, and she believed the $300,000 in his mother's care was real and would thus be able to repay her.

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