Should I Lend Money to Manipulative Family Friend? AITA for Saying No?

It started with a simple text and a “please, it’s urgent” sob story. OP, a 32-year-old guy, got hit up by Susan, his mom’s long-time friend, asking for a significant loan that she claimed she desperately needed right now.

On the surface, Susan looked like the classic family friend in trouble. At gatherings she was always around, and OP’s mom had bailed her out before. But when OP met her, her excuses felt rehearsed, her details did not add up, and the second he asked for proof and a repayment plan, she went straight into “just trust me” mode.

Then mom dropped the real twist: Susan allegedly has a history of manipulating people for money, and this was not the first time she burned someone’s goodwill.

Original Post

I (32M) recently found myself in a tough spot when my mom's friend, let's call her Susan, asked to borrow a significant amount of money from me. Susan has been a family friend for years, always joining us for gatherings and celebrations.

For background, Susan had a history of making poor financial choices, and my mom had helped her out multiple times in the past. One day, Susan reached out to me, tearfully explaining that she was in dire straits due to mounting debts and needed financial assistance urgently.

She spun a tale of woe, painting herself as a victim of circumstances beyond her control. Feeling sympathetic, I agreed to meet her to discuss the details. However, as she spoke, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Her story seemed rehearsed, almost too perfect. I probed further, asking for documentation of her debts and a repayment plan.

Instead of providing concrete details, she evaded my questions and insisted that I trust her. At this point, I hesitated.

While I wanted to help, I couldn't ignore the nagging doubts about Susan's intentions. I decided to consult my mom about the situation, hoping she could shed some light.

To my surprise, my mom revealed that Susan had a history of manipulating people for money. She had exploited their friendship in the past, taking advantage of their generosity without any intention of repaying the loans.

Armed with this new information, I confronted Susan, expressing my concerns and ultimately declining her request for financial assistance. I explained that while I sympathized with her situation, I couldn't overlook the betrayals of trust she had committed against my family.

Susan was furious, accusing me of being heartless and unsupportive in her time of need. So, Reddit, AITA for refusing to lend money to my mom's friend after discovering her history of manipulation and deceit?

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This is the same kind of bind as the AITA case where a person kept lending money to a borrowing friend.

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Susan showed up with tears and a story that sounded way too polished, right up until OP asked for documentation of the debts.

OP tried to slow things down by demanding a repayment plan, but Susan kept dodging and pushed him to trust her anyway.

The game changed when OP checked with his mom, and she revealed Susan had manipulated family friends before and never intended to repay.

After OP confronted Susan and said no, Susan flipped the script and called him heartless for not supporting her “time of need.”

How would you handle this situation? Let us know in the comments.

The family dinner might be awkward forever, because OP just refused to fund Susan’s latest performance.

Still wondering if refusing Susan’s loan makes you the bad guy, read this AITA post about saying no to a desperate friend.