'AITA for exposing my sister to our parents after finding out she’s been lying about needing money for 'medical expenses'?'
"AITA for exposing my sister to our parents after finding out she’s been lying about needing money for 'medical expenses'?"
I (32F) feel sick even writing this, but I need to know if I went too far. So, my sister (29F we’ll call her Emma) has always been the “golden child” in our family. She’s the baby, the one who could do no wrong.
For the past year or so, she’s been telling our parents that she’s struggling with “medical bills” and needs help financially. She’s always so vague about it she’ll say things like, “Oh, my insurance doesn’t cover this specialist” or “I need this medication that costs hundreds of dollars every month.”
And, of course, my parents always give her money. They’re retired now and living on a pretty tight budget, but they love us and would do anything to help. Here’s the thing though:
Emma doesn’t look like someone drowning in medical debt. She’s constantly posting pictures online (not where our parents can see them, of course) of herself at fancy restaurants, wearing designer clothes, and even going on vacations.
I tried to brush it off for the longest time because maybe she’s just “treating” herself despite being stressed out. But the more I thought about it, the more it just didn’t add up.
Last week, I ran into one of her friends at a coffee shop. We started chatting, and out of nowhere, this friend was like, “Wow, Emma’s life seems so amazing lately! I wish I could afford half the stuff she buys.”
She even mentioned Emma’s plans to go to Europe in the spring. I was like, “What??” because my sister had JUST told my mom she needed $2,000 for some medical test.
After that, I couldn’t let it go. I checked her social media , and it was all there designer bags, nights out, receipts from luxury stores, even photos from a spa weekend. There wasn’t a single hint of anything remotely related to medical problems.
I confronted her when we were alone, and she tried to deny it at first. But when I pushed harder, she finally admitted it. She laughed and said, “It’s not like they can’t afford it. Besides, I deserve to live a little. They’d just waste that money anyway.” That was the moment I saw red.
I went straight to our parents. I showed them the photos, all of it. My mom was devastated she actually started crying and my dad looked so heartbroken. They’d been sacrificing for her, even dipping into their retirement savings. My dad said something like, “I thought we were helping her stay alive.” It absolutely crushed me.
Emma, of course, found out what I did. She’s been blowing up my phone with texts calling me a jealous b*tch and saying I’ve ruined her relationship with our parents. She’s also been telling mutual friends that I’m “vindictive” and just looking for a reason to “take her down.”
A few friends have even said I should’ve handled it differently, like talking to her first or minding my own business. But how could I just let her keep lying and draining our parents dry? They’re not rich—they’re retired! What if they’d run out of money because of her?
Now the whole family’s a mess. Emma isn’t speaking to any of us, and my parents are heartbroken. Part of me wonders if I went too far by exposing her like that, but I felt like they deserved to know the truth. So… AITA?
Here were the top rated comments from readers in response to the OP's post:
NTA! Your Sister is the AH lying to your parents that she needs help with medical bills she should be ashamed of here such an AH
Thank you, I just could not hold it back anymore after finding out that she has been lying to them this hole time. They deserve better as they always supported us and loved us they don't deserve that I just had to tell them the truth about it.
She scammed her own parents out of money by making them believe she was dangerously sick. Your parents honestly thought she’d die if they didn’t give her money. That is scum of the highest order. You did talk to her first, she admitted her con. Staying silent meant more distress (emotional and financial) for your parents.
You don’t support scamming old people out of their money by claiming medical expenses, especially for someone so pathetically shallow they spend it all on luxuries. Sister made her bed, she can lie in it all alone with everyone side eyeing her wondering when she’s going to try and con money out of them. NTA.
Artistic_One_3402 (OP)
I just could not watch it anymore here scamming my parents out of money! They are the most loving people i know the don't deserve that and I will never let anything like this ever to happen again to them.
What she's done is criminal, and she's done it to her own parents. That's abhorrent. She deserves what ever happens to her.
NTA. Your sister was lying to your parents in a horrible way, and stealing money from them under false pretenses.
NTA Your sister knew what she was doing by trying to bleed your parents dry and she's only upset she got found out.
Send sister a total of money she bilked from your parents and their monthly total income and expenses. Parents were likely going without for her lifestyle.
NTA. Emma played FAFO and lost big time. The only one responsible for ruining her relationship with your parents is her. Next time she (or her flying monkeys) harass you, tell her she's lucky you don't bring her up on charges for elder abuse. (No idea if this would actually count as elder abuse, but I doubt she would know that either, and the threat might be enough to shut her up.)