One sunny afternoon, I was heading home after a trip to Madina to buy some items—though I can't quite remember what they were. This was about 10 years ago, maybe even longer. Madina, a bustling part of Accra, doesn't get enough credit for being a hub of petty theft and other minor crimes. We often focus on Circle, labeling it the hotspot for shady activities, but Madina? It’s far worse.

As I made my way to the bus station, a 'well-dressed' man approached me. At first glance, his appearance was neat, his outfit sharp, but there was something off, something unsettling about the way he looked. It wasn't his clothes or his demeanor, but an air of unease that lingered, the kind that makes your gut tell you something isn't right.

He approached me with a sense of urgency, "Young man, do you know where the forex bureau is around here? I’m trying to find it but I can’t."

I shook my head, a bit puzzled. I had never heard of a forex bureau in Madina, and even if one existed, I wouldn’t advise anyone to exchange foreign currency there—it wasn’t exactly the safest place for such transactions.

“I’ve never heard of one around here,” I replied.

But my answer didn’t deter him. He pressed on, "Please, can you help me find one? I beg you in the name of God. I’m carrying a huge amount of money, and I’m scared someone might snatch it. Please accompany me."

Looking back now, I don’t know why I fell for it. Maybe it was my youth, or maybe I was just trying to be helpful. A good Samaritan, I thought. Just as I was about to respond, another man approached us, radiating confidence.

"I overheard you asking about a forex bureau. Let me show you where it is—I’m headed there myself," he offered.

At that moment, I should have walked away. That should have been it, right? But no. The first man insisted that I go with them.

"Please, I have a huge sum of money on me, and I can’t walk alone with this stranger. You look trustworthy—just go with me."

Again, I don’t know what possessed me to agree. Maybe it was the way he flattered my sense of trustworthiness. So, I followed them.

We wandered through the bustling streets of Madina until we reached a quieter, more secluded area. The two men suddenly claimed that we had arrived. I looked around, confused. There was no forex bureau in sight, just a deserted stretch of road with nothing that resembled a place for currency exchange.

How on earth had we "arrived"? Something felt off, but I couldn’t quite place it. If the 'rich' stranger was satisfied, though, who was I to complain?

Just as I was about to leave, the man called out to me, "I'm really happy and thankful that you came all the way with me. You’re a good person, and I can tell you fear God. When I said I was scared because of the money I had, someone else might have tried to rob me, but you didn’t. Because of that, I want to reward you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small plastic bag. "These are diamonds," he said, lowering his voice. "They have some mercury in them." He took something out of the bag and gently touched my hair with it.

"Do you feel it gripping your hair?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yes."

"Great!" he exclaimed, as if something magical had just happened. "Now, give me any large currency you have. I’ll wrap it with this diamond. The mercury in the money will make the diamonds grow bigger."

This was around 2014, and back then, 20 cedis still had significant value. It was all I had on me. I took it out and handed it to him. He looked at the note and asked, "Don’t you have more?"

I shook my head. The rest of my money was just coins meant for my transport back home.

He sighed and said, "It seems you don’t like money, young man. Well, let me wrap this diamond with your 20 cedis. When you get home, put a stone in water and wash your hands in it, then unwrap the diamond. It will have doubled in size."

He prayed over me, handing me the wrapped "diamond," and told me not to open it until I got home. I nodded and went on my way. I kept quiet, resisting the urge to check the bag, but as I neared home, curiosity got the better of me.

I stopped at my cousin’s shop, where she sold clothes and shoes. "Can I have some water?" I asked. She thought I was going to eat something and quickly brought it. I dropped a few stones I had picked up earlier into the water and washed my hands, just like he said.

My cousin looked at me, clearly confused. "What are you doing?" she asked, but I was too focused on the "miracle" I thought I was about to witness.

I opened the plastic bag—and there it was. Not diamonds, but paper and ordinary stones. My 20 cedis was nowhere to be found. I had been scammed.

I wasn’t even angry; I just couldn’t stop laughing. It was ridiculous! Turns out, there are no rewards for helping a stranger who can’t find a forex bureau!