Lessons from a Ponzi Scheme: How I Lost $25K and What You Can Learn from It

Introduction: The Reality of Real Estate InvestingWelcome to Getting Real! I’m Monick Halm, founder of Real Estate Investor Goddesses, and today, I’m sharing how I lost $25,000 in a Ponzi scheme—and the eight critical lessons you can learn from my mistake.You often see the glamorous side of real estate investing—big checks, beautiful properties—but what you rarely hear about are the failures, setbacks, and costly lessons. My goal today is to help you avoid the mistakes I made.I was introduced to Shamane Van Gundy, the self-proclaimed “Queen of Mobile Homes,” by two happy investors who vouched for her. She had a compelling success story and had previously delivered returns to investors.I invited her onto my Real Estate Investor Goddesses Podcast and later included her in a book project. Over time, she spoke at my events and seemed credible and successful.In 2020, I was launching a women-led real estate fund and considered including her. Before involving other investors, I decided to test her model by investing $25,000 in one of her mobile home deals.🚨 No Deed Provided – My investment was supposed to be secured by a deed, but I never received it.🚨 Late Payments – My first interest payment was months late—and it was the only payment I ever got.🚨 Ponzi Scheme Exposed – Soon after, I learned she was under SEC investigation for taking $18.5 million from investors. Just days ago, she was ordered to repay $14 million.I felt sick, embarrassed, and guilty, especially knowing that others had invested because of me. But instead of dwelling on it, I focused on the lessons I could take from the experience.This investment was a test—and it saved me from bringing in more investors. It’s better to fail small than fail big.Even the best investments carry risk. Never invest more than you can afford to lose.I should have demanded the deed before transferring funds. No paperwork, no deal.Reputation and past success don’t guarantee future results. Always do your own research.Never put all your money into one deal or one person. Spread risk across multiple investments.A real estate attorney could have flagged missing documents and prevented this mistake.The more you learn, the better decisions you make. Education is your best protection against scams.Successful investors make mistakes—but they don’t quit. I wanted to give up, but I didn’t. Now, I’m using my experience to help others avoid the same trap.Real estate isn’t just about winning—it’s about learning and growing. If my story saves one person from making the same mistake, then my $25,000 loss wasn’t in vain.💬 What’s your biggest takeaway from this episode? Comment below!Thank you for being here. I’ll see you next week for another episode of Getting Real!