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A Cruel Scam Took Mum’s Savings — Your Kindness Can Help Restore Her Independence

  • A Journey From Shock to Support

      15 May 2026

    When Mum was scammed, it shattered her confidence & independence. Losing that money was devastating, & for a long time she carried the weight of shame & worry. But when her story was shared, something incredible happened, people cared. People helped. People lifted her back up.

    The Givealittle page originally closed once donations reached the amount she lost, but the kindness shown by so many meant it was reopened. This update is to share how your generosity has changed Mum’s life.

    Thanks to you, her mobility chair is now fully paid for, giving her comfort and independence every day. She also has a tablet that’s easier for her to use than her phone. She’s been learning new knitting and crochet skills. Security cameras are being installed soon, helping her feel safe again.

    She had hoped to get a mobility scooter, but after thinking it through, she decided it wasn’t the right choice for her now. What mattered most was having the option, something she didn’t have before.

    For the first time in years, she can afford her annual eye check‑up. One of the most special moments was buying her grandson a birthday present. She was glowing with pride.

    Since sharing her story, a huge weight has lifted. She is no longer ashamed. She talks openly about what happened. She is smiling again. She is living again.

    To the 7 Sharp team and the incredible people of New Zealand, thank you! Your kindness didn’t just replace what was stolen. It gave Mum back her confidence, her dignity, and her life.

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  • Schedule Change! Mum’s Follow‑Up Story on Seven Sharp Tonight (Monday -20 April)

      20 April 2026

    I wanted to share some exciting news I’ve just received from the fantastic Seven Sharp crew, that Mum’s follow-up story will be airing tonight on TV1 at 7pm during Seven Sharp!

    If you’re interested, tune in this evening to catch the segment. It’s wonderful to see Mum’s story getting more attention, and I’m sure it will be a great watch.

    Hope you enjoy it!

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  • Thank you, New Zealand ❤️🙏❤️

      18 April 2026

    Thank you to everyone who has donated money, shared our story, offered support, or reached out privately. Going public about how my mother was scammed by a person previously convicted of scamming elderly women was an incredibly difficult decision, but one that was long overdue.

    The kindness shown by New Zealanders has been overwhelming and has confirmed that speaking out was the right thing to do. If sharing Mum’s story prevents even one person or one family from experiencing what she went through, then it will have been worthwhile.

    A huge thank you to the Seven Sharp team for airing mum's story & for their professionalism and compassion towards mum. We also owe the success of this page to them.

    I also want to sincerely thank a long‑time family friend who encouraged us to go public and suggested contacting Seven Sharp.

    Sharing Mum’s story has helped her greatly in coming to terms with what happened and in knowing she is supported, believed, and cared for. Any excess funds will go towards Cecily's living costs to support her after this stressful time.

    Once again, thank you to everyone. Thank you, New Zealand! We are incredibly lucky to live in a country with so many caring, compassionate, and generous people.

    There will be a follow up story on Seven Sharp on Tuesday night (21 April)

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  • Our story is on Seven Sharp - Speaking Out to Protect Others!

      15 April 2026

    Tonight (Wednesday 15 April), Mum’s story will be shared on Seven Sharp.

    This wasn’t something she wanted to do, but she chose to speak out to help raise public awareness about scammers who deliberately target elderly people.

    We are incredibly proud of her courage and strength. Her hope is that by sharing her experience, it might help protect others from going through the same ordeal.

    We also want to acknowledge the Seven Sharp team, who were kind, respectful, and wonderful to work with throughout the process.

    If there’s one small thing we encourage everyone to do, it’s this: please check in on your elderly whānau, neighbours, and friends. Have open conversations about scams, offer support with online or financial matters, and remind them that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.

    Thank you all for the continued support, messages, and generosity. It truly means so much to our whānau.

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  • This Is Why We Need to Talk About Elder Fraud

      28 February 2026

    For those who couldn’t access the Herald article due to the paywall, here’s a free link covering the same story via Stuff:

    👉 https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360928200/serial-scammer-swindled-91-year-old-womans-life-savings

    We were incredibly grateful to be offered a very generous at‑cost deal from a retailer for Mum’s lift chair, which we accepted. I’m paying that off on my credit card. While we truly appreciate the donations received so far, they haven’t yet covered what I still owe.

    Mum is coping, but with her savings gone I’ve had to pick up the shortfall for some recent, necessary home maintenance as well. That’s the part that hurts her the most, someone who carefully planned her life to remain financially independent now has to ask for help, and she feels like a burden because of it.

    Please keep sharing this story. Awareness is one of the few ways we can help prevent this from happening to someone else.

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