Would You Lend Your Money to Friends Online?
By getbrowser
@getbrowser (1708)
China
November 14, 2009 3:26am CST
Let's say you've got some friends that you've corresponded with online for years. You are familiar with them and they keep in touch with you through IM tools all the time. In total, you are really enjoying a better time with these friends online.
However, one of your friends online want to borrow some oney from you. If you meet such a situation, would you lend your money to these friends online?
In my eyes, although more and more people regard the Internet as an important part of their daily life, it is difficult for us to believe friends online completely. Perhaps they should seek help in the real world other than on the Internet.
Are you interested in lending money online? If your friends online want to borrow some money and make a promise to you that they will pay back the money soon, what wii you do? Lend money to them or refuse them with a pretext?
10 people like this
57 responses
@zkapfo123 (319)
• India
14 Nov 09
that's a no no for me, even if i've been friends for 10 years online. in real live situation, that's okay, but online..........nah, nope. how can i be sure that my online friend will repay me? no security, no flesh and bone, nothing!
1 person likes this
@rg0205 (2636)
• Hong Kong
14 Nov 09
I wouldn't lend someone money just like that. I mean, it's hard to earn money as it is, so I won't just do something callous and risk my money. If I knew the person very well, I might. I mean, this is all the internet and if you haven't met in person and don't know much about the person it's hard to say. Anyone can be who they want to be online. I would be more comfortable if I'd met the person a few times. I would also wonder, that, why among all the people he/she knows, he/she would ask me - someone who is not so close to him/her? I would find it a bit strange.
@getbrowser (1708)
• China
16 Nov 09
Yes, if we leand some money to our friends online, then we have to undertake the dangers of being cheated.
For most friends online, we haven't met in person and don't know much about the person and it is difficult for us to get familiar with them just like our friends in the real life. So, if we have lent money to friends online, it means that we are doing somethingrisk our money. Be careful may be a wiser choice if we don’t want to take the risk of losing money.
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
12 Feb 12
Hi getbrowser!
I do not think I would dare take the risk. Trust is a very important element when lending money to other people. I believe that it's not easy to lend money to people we have just met online. 
@hmkoct5 (2065)
• United States
17 Nov 09
I don't think it's ever a good idea to lend a friend money, whether it be online or in person. Money issues can end a friendship. I would, however help them find ways to earn money and I would even help them earn money. I would do whatever it took to help them, but I wouldn't lend them money. If I were in the position that I happened to have an ample amount of money, I would simply give them money. I wouldn't expect them to pay me back. I give money to charity, so helping out a friend in need is even closer to me than giving to charity. Of course, if this person asked for money all the time, it would change things. Then, I would simply feel used. LOL - I guess it comes down to, it all depends on the situation.
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
17 Nov 09
the quickest way to lose a friend is to loan them money whether in real life or online. They will not pay you back. Then they are embarrassed to be around you so then you never hear from them again and they get mad at you for bugging them to pay you back.
That is what credit cards are for when you need a little extra cash from now and then. If the bank or credit card do not consider them trustworthy why should you?
If you have extra money then just give it to them with no expectation of return because you will be disappointed if you lend it. Do you realize of course people that mooch money like that never pay it back no matter how big the sob story is to get you to part with your cash. Better lose a friend by not lending money than lose both friend and money.
@yparson (581)
• United States
16 Nov 09
The only time I would or might consider it, is if it were a member in my downline who wanted to upgrade so i would pay it forward, or maybe if I'm running a contest, but that would be the only purpose for me to give money and it wouldn't be a loan. No loans here, buddy.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
15 Nov 09
I was told a long time ago to never lend more than one can afford to lose and have found this to be a good policy. I lend only small amounts of money and promptly forget about it. If the money is returned, that's fine, but if it is not, I've already forgotten about it anyway. No friendship strained. I would apply the same policy whether it was a friend online or my neighbor across the street.
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
16 Nov 09
Never, I'd prefer to lend money to my friends whom I can physically see, face to face, also so I know where they live! haha.
No, there are a lot of scammers that WILL correspond with someone for a good year or 2 before RIPPING their money away from this poor unsuspecting person.
And it this reason that if an "online friend" requests money from ME? I will stop talking to them altogether. The person MAY be honest, but then I sit back and think, I do NOT know this person at all...goodbye to them.
Why aren't they asking their banks/family/real friends for money if they need it so bad?
@kenjinakamura (39)
• Philippines
16 Nov 09
Nope! you don't even know if they are really sincere to repay you with the money you lend to them. i have experience on that kind up to now they don't bother paying me back what they owe me.
@tigeraunt (6326)
• Philippines
17 Nov 09
dear getbrowser,
a very good friend of mine who is also a mylot member have done that. he lend money to a fellow mylot friend. and guess what, it ruined their friendship.
in my opinion, it is not good to help a friend online by lending money. if you do want to help, dont expect anymore that the money will be returned back to you. i mean donate it without expecting anything in return.
ann 
in my opinion, it is not good to help a friend online by lending money. if you do want to help, dont expect anymore that the money will be returned back to you. i mean donate it without expecting anything in return.
ann
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
15 Nov 09
I am sorry to say that I would not lend them the money. It is good to talk with friends online but I feel that if anyone is in need of money they should ask real world friends and family first before asking me. Now if I have met this person personally I may feel more inclined to allow them to borrow the money, but that is only because I have met the person. If I met them and had gotten a bad vibe I would not let them borrow money, especially if I met them and only a few odd days afterwards they ask for the money, I would feel they only met me to ask me for money!
@liquorice (3887)
•
15 Nov 09
To be very honest, I don't think I would. Even if I've been communicating with them for a long time, I've never met them and probably never even spoken to them, so I would feel that it would be kind of wrong for them to be asking me for money in the first place.
Unless I've really got to know someone in person I don't really feel that I know them properly (no offence to my online friends, lol!) and, yes, there's also the worry that they might not be who they say they are - who's to know for sure?
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Nov 09
I have a few friends that I have been in touch with for several years, and if they asked me I would consider lending them money if I could afford it. They haven't helped me with money (I would never ask for that), but they have helped me in other ways, and if they needed help I would to happy to help them, too. They might not pay me back, but I am willing to take that chance in some cases, and I would be willing to give money to certain people if they needed it. If it was a new friend, it is a different situation, and then I would say no.
@mysticmaggie (2498)
• United States
15 Nov 09
I don't care how well I think I know them after years on line, no way would I hand over my hard earned money. I want to know where a person lives before I lay out cash for any good cause.
@cheriezhao (246)
• China
15 Nov 09
i think if i really turst him or her,i would borrow it to them,even they are friends online,because i know that proverb:a friend in need is a friend in deed,everyone would experience that time when they are in trouble,so i'd like to give my help to them!
