My mom met this family while she was teaching art in Ecuador around 10 years ago. Two years ago she was contacted by Jose, who says that his parents were taken hostage and the kidnappers asked them to sell their land as ransom. In order for this to happen, they said my mom had to send money immediately to pay the attorney fees for the sale. During this first big ask, my mom was in the hospital following a car accident that left her with a brain bleed. She was pleading with my sister and I to run to Western Union to help her send money. I felt really off about the situation and said no.
A few months later my mom was frantic again, asking me to send money to pay for Jose's tuition or he would be expelled from his graphic design program at university. Again I told her this sounded scammy. She was frantic, so I helped her pay via the school's online system.
Another few months pass and Jose's sister Isabella is now rushed to the emergency and immediately diagnosed with 'Stage 1 advanced cancer'. They need money to bypass the line for surgery, which costs $3200 and needs to be paid immediately. Once paid, she gets this surgery within 2 days and they find fibroids and 'cancer'. There is mention of leiomyosarcoma. Jose says that she will get chemo in 3 weeks to reduce the size of the fibroids. None of this is making any sense to me. In the meantime my mom has gone to her bank and they have helped her to set up a faster direct payment for Jose in Ecuador.
I just feel like this is all really wrong. My mom is 76, she has a history of helping people, but this just feels so off. Am I wrong?
What do you think?