An unfortunate incident

Once inside I was distracted by a number of telephone calls made to our

phone. As she was talking to my mother, she also gave mentioned other people in the neighbourhood that she claimed to know. She the asked her to show her round the house. My mother took her to my parents' bedroom.

Five minutes later, I saw her hurriedly leaving the house while still talking to my mother. She said she needed to pick up her cousins and took the old man who works at our house with her saying she would be right back.

In the five minutes alone with my mother the girl had concocted a story about urgently needing money because her grandmother wasn't home and that she would return the money as soon as she returned claiming she had dollars she needed to exchange. My mother gave her the money.

As she left the house, my mother went next door and inquired about the girl only to discover that their granddaughter was still abroad.

We have informed the police of this incident and have discovered that three similar incidents involving the same tall, well dressed and well spoken female and private car had occurred in Uttara in the last two weeks.

This incident is not an isolated one and con-artists have always existed in Dhaka, but now they have background information about the personal lives of those who they con. Housewives should be alert and cautious about whom they let enter their homes regardless of who they claim to be.