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A few weeks ago I was caught out by a scam. I was trying to sell a bed on a well-known website. I wanted a quick sale, so I advertised the bed at a low price. I don’t normally use these kinds of sites so was surprised to see how many inquiries I received in just one morning. I went with a buyer who showed real interest, but unfortunately, what I thought was going to be a legitimate payment for the bed turned out to be a phishing scam. Thankfully, I lost only a small amount of money, but the shame and humiliation stayed with me for days. Because it’s not simply the money you lose. It’s the question that keeps going round in your head, `how could I have been so foolish?’ Perhaps, that’s the scammer’s double win – first the money and then to make the person who was deceived feel embarrassed.

When I went to the local police station to report the incident, the police officer seemed slightly bemused. As he took notes, he looked at me and said, `My advice, don’t trust anyone in life.’ I replied almost instinctively, `that’s no way to live. I couldn’t live like that, not trusting anyone.’ But as he went on to explain how easy it is to manipulate people online and in person, it dawned on me that what is being exploited is the human desire to believe and be believed.

I think that’s what bothered me more. Deception begins long before any money has changed hands. It’s often subtle and quiet and lures us in. Perhaps that’s why there are so many Qur’anic warnings against the power of deceit. I’m reminded of the story of Iblis whispering into Adam’s ear, the quiet but seductive promise of immortality if he just listens to him and disobeys God’s commands. Adam is deceived by a lie that he really wanted to be true.
A couple of days later, I arranged for a potential buyer to come round and take the bed. He was a young man who arrived on time, paid and seemed genuinely grateful. I felt relieved but also pleased for him. It’s easy to feel foolish and angry at ourselves to the point where we can forget that we didn’t do anything wrong. The shame lies with the criminal who will hopefully be traced. As the young man left with the bed, his gentle and honest demeanour made me realise that goodness can also come gently. It can restore our faith not only in others, but more importantly in ourselves.