When our son Xavier brought his fiancée Cindy to dinner, we were thrilled to meet her. We’d prepared everything: “I baked my famous cherry pie,” and my husband Nathan bought steaks to make the night special. Cindy was exactly as Xavier described—petite, with striking blue eyes. But as I looked closer, a chill ran through me.

I recognized her as the woman my friend Margaret had warned about—a scammer who had conned her son out of thousands of dollars and vanished. Though I’d deleted the photo Margaret sent, I was certain it was her.

Unsure how to proceed, I invited Cindy to the basement to pick a wine. Once she stepped in, I locked the door and shouted to my husband, “Call the police!” Xavier was stunned. “Mom, are you crazy?” he asked, but I stood firm, convinced I was protecting him from heartbreak.

When the police arrived, Cindy wasn’t scared—she smiled. “Mrs. Fitzpatrick,” she said calmly, “I know who you think I am, but I’m not that woman.” Cindy explained she had often been mistaken for the scammer, who shared her name and similar features.

A police officer confirmed Cindy’s story, adding the real scammer had changed her name and was last seen in Mexico.

Mortified, I apologized. Cindy graciously forgave me, even joking, “At least I’ll have a fun story for Xavier and our future kids.”