My immigrant parents were scammed out of their entire life savings. I learned the hard way how it could have been avoided.

Thu, 12/07/2023 - 12:44

Eric Jiang and his parents — Eric Jiang with his parents, Amos and Yan, who came to the US in the 80s.
Courtesy of Eric Jiang

In August, 78-year-old Amos Jiang received a text from someone who would prove to be a scammer.
Jiang's son Eric said his parents lost their entire life savings through an investment scam.
Eric spoke with Business Insider reporter Yoonji Han about the scheme and how others can avoid them.

This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Eric Jiang, a 29-year-old startup founder and son of Chinese immigrants. The essay has been edited for length and clarity.