'The stress brought the cancer on': 64yo woman scammed out of $223,000

Six months before Jenny Egan was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, she was scammed out of $223,000.
Ms Egan, 64, was diagnosed on her birthday on May 7.
She saw her doctor that day, who told her "there's a mass on your lung".
"I was devastated," said Ms Egan, of Fishing Point in Lake Macquarie.
She connected on social media with a man from the US last year.
"He basically tricked her into investing money in cryptocurrency," Jenny's daughter Brittney Egan said.
Brittney, 29, has set up a GoFundMe for her mum, titled "Jenny's lung cancer battle".
"My mum means the world to me. She's not just a parent, she's also my best friend," she said.
"She inspires me with her kindness and generosity. She's been knocked down many times and got back up. I believe she can do it again."
Ms Egan shared her story to raise awareness to prevent others from being scammed.
"He had my phone number and pressured me non-stop to add more money," she said.
"I was suicidal when I realised I'd been scammed. I just think the stress has brought the cancer on."
She was a smoker, but had never been in hospital before and felt healthy.
Ms Egan reported the scam to police and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
The security centre's scam portal sends such reports to the police and/or the ACCC's ScamWatch.
A National Anti-Scam Centre spokesperson said it had "referred the website to be assessed for takedown".
"We encourage all Australians to report suspicious scam activity via the Scamwatch service to support the disruption of scam networks."
A nurse for 20 years at Wyong Hospital and in aged care, Ms Egan now works in patient transport.
She was diagnosed with lung cancer after suffering from "pains in the right side of my chest".
"I thought I'd pulled a muscle," she said.
A doctor referred her for a CT scan.
"I had five days of pain and each day the pain got less and less and then went," she said.
She considered cancelling, but went because it was free.
Her doctor, based at Tuggerah where Brittney works as a nurse, phoned the next day.
She was referred to a respiratory physician in Gosford.
"I had to go to hospital for a biopsy and bronchoscopy," she said.
"The doctor said if it's not too bad, he'd do a resection of my lung.
"Unfortunately, it was bad. He rang me a week later with the results and said it's inoperable."
The doctor confirmed a tumour on her lung had spread to an adrenal gland and was a stage four cancer.
She will begin radiation on the adrenal gland at Gosford Hospital on Wednesday.
She will then have chemotherapy and further radiation for her lung.
"I'm a mess, but I'm trying to stay at work. That's the only thing that keeps me sane and stops me from falling in a heap.
"I try to think about other people and my job, rather than myself. I don't want to upset my kids."
Her children, including son Chad, want her to "stay mentally strong because they believe that helps".
"I'm a fighter and I'm not giving up," she said.
Lake Macquarie Police began investigating after Ms Egan reported she had been scammed from August to November 2024.
"As inquiries into the incident continue, anyone with information is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," a police statement said.
"Police urge anyone observing suspicious online activity and unknown solicitation of investment opportunities to be cautious and consider fraud prevention advice."
Six months before Jenny Egan was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, she was scammed out of $223,000.
Ms Egan, 64, was diagnosed on her birthday on May 7.
She saw her doctor that day, who told her "there's a mass on your lung".
"I was devastated," said Ms Egan, of Fishing Point in Lake Macquarie.
She connected on social media with a man from the US last year.
"He basically tricked her into investing money in cryptocurrency," Jenny's daughter Brittney Egan said.
Brittney, 29, has set up a GoFundMe for her mum, titled "Jenny's lung cancer battle".
"My mum means the world to me. She's not just a parent, she's also my best friend," she said.
"She inspires me with her kindness and generosity. She's been knocked down many times and got back up. I believe she can do it again."
Ms Egan shared her story to raise awareness to prevent others from being scammed.
"He had my phone number and pressured me non-stop to add more money," she said.
"I was suicidal when I realised I'd been scammed. I just think the stress has brought the cancer on."
She was a smoker, but had never been in hospital before and felt healthy.
Ms Egan reported the scam to police and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
The security centre's scam portal sends such reports to the police and/or the ACCC's ScamWatch.
A National Anti-Scam Centre spokesperson said it had "referred the website to be assessed for takedown".
"We encourage all Australians to report suspicious scam activity via the Scamwatch service to support the disruption of scam networks."
A nurse for 20 years at Wyong Hospital and in aged care, Ms Egan now works in patient transport.
She was diagnosed with lung cancer after suffering from "pains in the right side of my chest".
"I thought I'd pulled a muscle," she said.
A doctor referred her for a CT scan.
"I had five days of pain and each day the pain got less and less and then went," she said.
She considered cancelling, but went because it was free.
Her doctor, based at Tuggerah where Brittney works as a nurse, phoned the next day.
She was referred to a respiratory physician in Gosford.
"I had to go to hospital for a biopsy and bronchoscopy," she said.
"The doctor said if it's not too bad, he'd do a resection of my lung.
"Unfortunately, it was bad. He rang me a week later with the results and said it's inoperable."
The doctor confirmed a tumour on her lung had spread to an adrenal gland and was a stage four cancer.
She will begin radiation on the adrenal gland at Gosford Hospital on Wednesday.
She will then have chemotherapy and further radiation for her lung.
"I'm a mess, but I'm trying to stay at work. That's the only thing that keeps me sane and stops me from falling in a heap.
"I try to think about other people and my job, rather than myself. I don't want to upset my kids."
Her children, including son Chad, want her to "stay mentally strong because they believe that helps".
"I'm a fighter and I'm not giving up," she said.
Lake Macquarie Police began investigating after Ms Egan reported she had been scammed from August to November 2024.
"As inquiries into the incident continue, anyone with information is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," a police statement said.
"Police urge anyone observing suspicious online activity and unknown solicitation of investment opportunities to be cautious and consider fraud prevention advice."
Six months before Jenny Egan was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, she was scammed out of $223,000.
Ms Egan, 64, was diagnosed on her birthday on May 7.
She saw her doctor that day, who told her "there's a mass on your lung".
"I was devastated," said Ms Egan, of Fishing Point in Lake Macquarie.
She connected on social media with a man from the US last year.
"He basically tricked her into investing money in cryptocurrency," Jenny's daughter Brittney Egan said.
Brittney, 29, has set up a GoFundMe for her mum, titled "Jenny's lung cancer battle".
"My mum means the world to me. She's not just a parent, she's also my best friend," she said.
"She inspires me with her kindness and generosity. She's been knocked down many times and got back up. I believe she can do it again."
Ms Egan shared her story to raise awareness to prevent others from being scammed.
"He had my phone number and pressured me non-stop to add more money," she said.
"I was suicidal when I realised I'd been scammed. I just think the stress has brought the cancer on."
She was a smoker, but had never been in hospital before and felt healthy.
Ms Egan reported the scam to police and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
The security centre's scam portal sends such reports to the police and/or the ACCC's ScamWatch.
A National Anti-Scam Centre spokesperson said it had "referred the website to be assessed for takedown".
"We encourage all Australians to report suspicious scam activity via the Scamwatch service to support the disruption of scam networks."
A nurse for 20 years at Wyong Hospital and in aged care, Ms Egan now works in patient transport.
She was diagnosed with lung cancer after suffering from "pains in the right side of my chest".
"I thought I'd pulled a muscle," she said.
A doctor referred her for a CT scan.
"I had five days of pain and each day the pain got less and less and then went," she said.
She considered cancelling, but went because it was free.
Her doctor, based at Tuggerah where Brittney works as a nurse, phoned the next day.
She was referred to a respiratory physician in Gosford.
"I had to go to hospital for a biopsy and bronchoscopy," she said.
"The doctor said if it's not too bad, he'd do a resection of my lung.
"Unfortunately, it was bad. He rang me a week later with the results and said it's inoperable."
The doctor confirmed a tumour on her lung had spread to an adrenal gland and was a stage four cancer.
She will begin radiation on the adrenal gland at Gosford Hospital on Wednesday.
She will then have chemotherapy and further radiation for her lung.
"I'm a mess, but I'm trying to stay at work. That's the only thing that keeps me sane and stops me from falling in a heap.
"I try to think about other people and my job, rather than myself. I don't want to upset my kids."
Her children, including son Chad, want her to "stay mentally strong because they believe that helps".
"I'm a fighter and I'm not giving up," she said.
Lake Macquarie Police began investigating after Ms Egan reported she had been scammed from August to November 2024.
"As inquiries into the incident continue, anyone with information is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," a police statement said.
"Police urge anyone observing suspicious online activity and unknown solicitation of investment opportunities to be cautious and consider fraud prevention advice."
Six months before Jenny Egan was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, she was scammed out of $223,000.
Ms Egan, 64, was diagnosed on her birthday on May 7.
She saw her doctor that day, who told her "there's a mass on your lung".
"I was devastated," said Ms Egan, of Fishing Point in Lake Macquarie.
She connected on social media with a man from the US last year.
"He basically tricked her into investing money in cryptocurrency," Jenny's daughter Brittney Egan said.
Brittney, 29, has set up a GoFundMe for her mum, titled "Jenny's lung cancer battle".
"My mum means the world to me. She's not just a parent, she's also my best friend," she said.
"She inspires me with her kindness and generosity. She's been knocked down many times and got back up. I believe she can do it again."
Ms Egan shared her story to raise awareness to prevent others from being scammed.
"He had my phone number and pressured me non-stop to add more money," she said.
"I was suicidal when I realised I'd been scammed. I just think the stress has brought the cancer on."
She was a smoker, but had never been in hospital before and felt healthy.
Ms Egan reported the scam to police and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
The security centre's scam portal sends such reports to the police and/or the ACCC's ScamWatch.
A National Anti-Scam Centre spokesperson said it had "referred the website to be assessed for takedown".
"We encourage all Australians to report suspicious scam activity via the Scamwatch service to support the disruption of scam networks."
A nurse for 20 years at Wyong Hospital and in aged care, Ms Egan now works in patient transport.
She was diagnosed with lung cancer after suffering from "pains in the right side of my chest".
"I thought I'd pulled a muscle," she said.
A doctor referred her for a CT scan.
"I had five days of pain and each day the pain got less and less and then went," she said.
She considered cancelling, but went because it was free.
Her doctor, based at Tuggerah where Brittney works as a nurse, phoned the next day.
She was referred to a respiratory physician in Gosford.
"I had to go to hospital for a biopsy and bronchoscopy," she said.
"The doctor said if it's not too bad, he'd do a resection of my lung.
"Unfortunately, it was bad. He rang me a week later with the results and said it's inoperable."
The doctor confirmed a tumour on her lung had spread to an adrenal gland and was a stage four cancer.
She will begin radiation on the adrenal gland at Gosford Hospital on Wednesday.
She will then have chemotherapy and further radiation for her lung.
"I'm a mess, but I'm trying to stay at work. That's the only thing that keeps me sane and stops me from falling in a heap.
"I try to think about other people and my job, rather than myself. I don't want to upset my kids."
Her children, including son Chad, want her to "stay mentally strong because they believe that helps".
"I'm a fighter and I'm not giving up," she said.
Lake Macquarie Police began investigating after Ms Egan reported she had been scammed from August to November 2024.
"As inquiries into the incident continue, anyone with information is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," a police statement said.
"Police urge anyone observing suspicious online activity and unknown solicitation of investment opportunities to be cautious and consider fraud prevention advice."