When my son Xavier brought his fiancée, Danielle, home, I was excited—until I saw her face. She looked exactly like a woman who had scammed my friend’s son. I immediately locked her in the basement to protect Xavier.

Xavier, at 22, had never mentioned a girlfriend, so when he suddenly announced his engagement after three months of dating, I was suspicious. When Danielle arrived, I instantly recognized her from a photo my friend Margaret had shown me of a scammer who had stolen thousands of dollars.

I tried to keep my suspicions under control, but after dinner, I led Danielle to the basement, planning to call the police. Xavier was furious, but I wasn’t backing down. After I contacted Margaret, she sent me the photo of the scammer. I showed it to Xavier and Nathan, and the police soon arrived.

It turns out, Danielle wasn’t the scammer; she was her victim. Danielle explained that she’d been mistaken for the scammer before, and the officers confirmed that the real fraudster was in prison.

I was relieved, embarrassed, and apologized profusely. Danielle, ever gracious, made a joke about the situation, breaking the tension. Over time, I got to know Danielle better, and she proved to be a loving, wonderful partner for Xavier. The experience taught me not to jump to conclusions and to trust my son’s choices, though I’ll never live down the basement incident!