THESE WOMEN'S tactics are simple: they befriend and then take you for all you're worth when you least expect it. If given even the slightest opportunity, they will leave you with nothing - and with no remorse.
Police have issued a warning to the public to be on the lookout for these smooth-talking bandits, but if that doesn't push you to keep an eye out, maybe this story of one trusting female entrepreneur who fell victim to a con woman's cunning tactics will.
Near the end of May this year, Melissa Jonesplaced an ad in the newspaper of an apartment she had put up for rent in the Constant Spring, St. Andrew area. She had decided a few months earlier to try her luck at the fast- growing bed-and-breakfast business.
A day after the ad appeared in the paper, Melissa received a phone call from a woman who gave her name as Julia Henry. The caller said she was from Negril and was interested in renting the apartment for a week. Julia said her daughter, who was a patient at the University Hospital, was to undergo major surgery that week. Julia explained that she would therefore need a place to stay in Kingston.
How Melissa was connedArrangements were made for Julia to go to Kingston the following day. When she arrived, the tenants who had rented the apartment the week before, were still in the process of moving out. To pass the time, Melissa took Julia up to her own apartment on the same building. There, the women talked up a storm, quickly becoming friends. During the conversation, it was revealed that the two had something in common. Julia said she owned two bed and breakfasts of her own in the country. What luck! Melissa was thrilled that she would be able to get advice on the very business venture she was getting into. And from and expert!
Julia seemed like the model tenant. She paid the week's rent and security deposit up front, with no hesitation.
The following day however, Melissa received an early morning phone call from her new tenant. Julia said she had a major problem. She had left one of her bags in the car that had transported her to Kingston - it was the bag with all the money she had to pay for her daughter's medical treatment, as well as food and toiletries for the week.
Having built up trust in the woman and thinking also of the girl in hospital, Melissa lent her some money from the rent she had paid, under the agreement that when Julia's husband picked her up in a week's time, he would repay the money. Melissa lent her the money and all seemed well, with both women getting closer as the days went by.
During the week Julia continued to give Melissa her 'expert' advice. Julia told Melissa that at night she often falls asleep reading her Bible. She said this meant that the lights were left on throughout the night. Julia suggested that Melissa get a small bedside lamp so that people who rent the apartment later on, would use it and so Melissa would save money on electricity bills.
So Melissa went out and bought the lamp. As time went on Julia suggested that Melissa buy a number of other appliances to help 'boost' business. These included a microwave, an iron and a standing fan.
One day Melissa confided in Julia that her daughter was embarrassed when she went to the hospital to visit, because of her outdated hairdo. Melissa decided to help her new friend out. She got one of her hairdresser friends to give Julia a fancy new coiffure to the tune of $4500.
On another occasion, Julia called up Melissa and told her that she had met a nurse at the hospital while visiting her daughter. She said the nurse lived in August Town and her home had been destroyed by fire. Julia therefore asked Melissa if she had any old clothes which would prove useful to the troubled nurse. "But don't make them too old," said Julia.
So the next day Melissa met Julia to drop off two large bags of clothes.
On what should have been the final day of Julia's one week stay at the apartment, the two were to meet up and go to lunch at Port Royal. Melissa called up Julia, but there was no answer. She did this repeatedly with the same result each time. Julia therefore decided to go over to see if Julia was alright. When she got to the apartment, the door was half open, so Melissa went in. It was here that reality struck the woman like a ten ton pile of bricks - The room was completely empty! Every piece of furniture and all the appliances were gone! From the fan and rug Julia had convinced her buy, to every cup and saucer in the kitchen, the place had been completely cleaned out!
With her head spinning and her heart sinking Julia stumbled out of the apartment and asked a security guard if he had seen a woman moving out of the room.
"Yes, she asked for my help," the guard said. He added that the woman told him that she was a lecturer in the Math department at the UWI and so she was moving some essentials to the campus.
Melissa could not believe her ears. She had been taken. And by someone she had grown to trust. In all, Melissa said she lost close to $200,000 worth of furniture.
A few days later she spoke with the Sunday Gleaner.
"This woman was no simpleton. She had a story that was impenetrable. She planned every detail of the hustle with precision. From the day I met her she was working the game. You can't beat her at her game,' she said.
Cops' tips on how to protect yourself
