At a restaurant with Renzo, a man I met online, the waitress deliberately spilled coffee on our table. As we left, she whispered a warning, slipping me a napkin note: “Google: Renzo DiLuca Sarasota 2019. Be careful.” At home, I discovered Renzo was an alias; in 2019, a man matching his description scammed women in Sarasota, promising love and fake investments before vanishing. Shocked, I returned to thank the waitress, Maribel, who’d been his victim years earlier, losing $14,000. Instead of blocking him, I played along, arranging another dinner. When
confronted about Sarasota, he fled. I reported him to the police, who noted his pattern as more women came forward. Later, another woman, Trini, contacted me—she’d encountered him too. We formed a network with other women, sharing stories in a Facebook group to warn others. Maribel joined, and we now meet monthly, empowered to stay vigilant. Trust your instincts, listen to warnings, and know that women supporting each other are unstoppable.
