Xavier’s announcement about his fiancée, Cindy, had us overjoyed. My husband and I planned a special dinner to welcome her into the family. But the moment Cindy arrived, my excitement turned to dread. She looked exactly like a woman our neighbor, Margaret, had described—a scammer who had tricked her son out of thousands by pretending to need money for wedding expenses.

I acted quickly, inviting Cindy to the basement to choose a wine. The moment she stepped inside, I locked the door and yelled to my husband, “Call the police!” Xavier was in shock, demanding an explanation. I told him, “She’s a scammer!”

When the police arrived, Cindy stayed calm and explained that she’d been mistaken for this scammer before. One of the officers even confirmed that the real con artist, with a similar name, was last spotted in Mexico.

Embarrassed, I apologized. Cindy was incredibly understanding, forgiving me with a smile and even joking that it would be a great story to tell their future kids.