In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
📝 Around 2000 pesos for one night was never used when I booked a room in a subdivision or condominium near SM Mall of Asia when we traveled to Manila several months ago. Another large amount of money was wasted when I booked for a hotel which had numerous branches around Manila (not mentioning its name so I wouldn't be a basher nor do I want to indirectly advertise it) and spent a considerable amount of money on a number of Grab cars because the first taxi went to the wrong branch and another sent us to another incorrect branch etc. so minus 200 and another 200 something etc. 300 or something pesos was lent to somebody who asked if they could borrow that amount but they only returned a tiny portion of it which triggered me to block them afterwards since they couldn't be trusted as they wouldn't return the amount they promised to send back despite my effort to help promote their pastils business.
Then this morning 200 pesos was sent to a person likely pretending to be a popular VA coach. It was my fault for not carefully analyzing their Facebook profile - after I sent them 200 via GCash I noticed they have less than 7 online friends and their English is terrible. A lot of virtual assistants and freelancers would avoid grammatical mistakes when speaking in English and this user didn't seem to be fluent in English at all. Whether they're a scammer or not, I've decided to avoid attending any more online workshops for VA training when there are loads of videos uploaded on YouTube for free with tips on how to utilize various websites and tools which many virtual assistants and freelancers utilize.
However, I still recommend the online courses of a Tausug VA coach brother Zoulkifli. Even if his training consisting of 12 sessions 3 times a week may cost 1500 pesos if one enrolls individually and 900 pesos for each trainee if one registers with a group of at least five members, his online workshop is worth the price, particularly it includes certification.
Those who are interested in enrolling can Inn-sha-Allah register through me so I can pay a portion of their registration fee (1449 instead of 1500 and 870 instead of 900 pesos) and they receive my sample answers to the module's activities to give them some ideas on how to answer the assignments.
📝Quick lessons learned to share (and these are probably so obvious to many):
1. Before sending any amount via GCash to any stranger, double check the number of the recipient and analyze the user's profile. Lack of online friends or low number of friends may generally indicate fake or dummy accounts.
2. To reduce the impact of disappointment or frustration whenever you're going through certain challenges in this temporary life, always remember that there are plenty of others who were also scammed and lost large amounts of money because of some greedy liars whom Allah the Most Wise will Inn-sha-Allah deal with justly at the most ideal timing in this world and the afterlife.
3. Wanting too much of something when you already have something similar to it could at times be detrimental or disastrous. We can Inn-sha-Allah apply gratitude and contentment instead of always wanting more - more online courses which aren't free, more attempts to buy products in other countries for reselling etc.
Note: Sometimes Allah the Most Merciful decrees some amount of money to disappear from our lives to check if we're attached to this temporal dunya or if we truly prefer Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala. May Allah the Almighty replace all the things we lost in the past and present with blessings of actual value, ease all our circumstances and grant us only what's best for us in both worlds. Ameen.
https://www.troid.org/understanding-wealth-and-poverty-in-islam/
Some lessons learned shared by AI:
Verify a person's identity before sending money.
Research online profiles carefully.
Be cautious of newly created or suspicious social media accounts.
Trust should be earned, not assumed.
Keep records of financial transactions.
Avoid making rushed financial decisions.
Plan travel carefully to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Confirm hotel locations before booking or traveling.
Double-check addresses before taking transportation.
Lending money always carries risk.
Only lend money you can afford to lose.
Broken trust often costs more than money.
Learn from mistakes instead of dwelling on them.
Small losses can teach valuable life lessons.
Free educational resources can sometimes be as valuable as paid ones.
Paid courses should be chosen based on reputation and proven quality.
Certifications have greater value when backed by credible instructors.
Compare alternatives before making purchases.
Avoid emotional spending.
Gratitude reduces unnecessary desires.
Contentment can protect against impulsive decisions.
Financial setbacks build wisdom when reflected upon.
Not everyone online is who they claim to be.
Scammers often rely on people's trust and urgency.
Patience helps overcome disappointment.
Justice may not be immediate, but wrongdoers remain accountable.
Faith / Imaan and strong connection with our Only God and Creator Allah the Almighty can provide comfort during financial losses.
Material wealth is temporary.
Every setback can become an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth.
