The latter figure, of course, is the one he hopes you will focus on. Generally speaking, if an investment proposal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Obviously, the last thing a swindler wants you to think about is the possibility of losing your money. With this kind of put down, he hopes you won't bring up the subject again. There's usually some compelling reason why it's essential for you to invest right now.
Urgency is important to a swindler.
For one thing, he wants your money as quickly as possible with a minimum of effort on his part. And he doesn't want you to have time to think it over, discuss it with someone who might suggest you become suspicious, or check him or his proposal out with a regulatory agency. Besides, he may not plan on remaining in town very long. They sound confident about the money you are going to make so that you will become confident enough to let go of your savings. Their message is that they are doing you a favor by offering the investment opportunity.