Kind helper was a scam artist

Last month, on my way home from work at around 3.40pm, I parked my car at a parking lot adjacent to a hypermarket in Ajman to do some grocery shopping.

It was a pay-and-park area. After shopping, I got ready to start my car when a well-dressed man knocked on my window. I wondered why!

He motioned to my left rear wheel and said: "Madam you have a flat tyre."

I was quite surprised. I got out of the vehicle and found that the tyre was, indeed, flat.

The gentleman said he would help me change the tyre and proceeded to do so.

After removing the tyre hub, he told me that he would charge me Dh40 for doing the job, as it required manual labour and he would be dirtying his hands.

I was in a fix since I had never changed a tyre. I told him that Dh40 was too high, to which he responded that it was the normal rate for changing one.

I finally agreed on the price. Within minutes, the tyre was changed and after paying the agreed amount, I went home.

A few days later, when I got the flat tyre repaired, I was shocked to hear that the tyre was not really punctured - the valve had been tampered with!

Thinking back to what had happened, I realised I had been conned. It must have been the quickest Dh40 earned.

By writing this community report, I hope to warn people about such happenings and urge them to be alert.

— The reader is a special needs teacher in Ajman