Warning about a Bedstuy Con Man
I writing to let you know about a scam artist I came across this weekend.
He approached me on Stuyvesant between Myrtle and Broadway Sunday afternoon around 2pm seeming very genuine. He said he was a stylist visiting from Los Angeles and had just left his digital camera and blackberry in a cab and was distraught as the west coast is 3 hours behind and he couldn't contact his boss or whatever and needed to get to a shoot. He was so grateful I would talk to him, saying he'd send me make up, even hugged me and thanked me! We talked a little bit about the west coast. He said he was gay and was uncomfortable approaching the "thuggy" guys on the street. I said I would give him a few bucks but he said he needed 11 and all I had was 5--which I gave him. He then turned and walked the opposite direction of the subway--which I pointed out and he said he had to "go pick up some bags" first. I told my roommate the story when I got home and she said he pulled the same scam on her four months ago! He was a well dressed man in maybe his late 20s, African American, probably gay as he described himself, and well dressed. He approached her on Myrtle and Broadway. Watch out for this guy!
He approached me on Stuyvesant between Myrtle and Broadway Sunday afternoon around 2pm seeming very genuine. He said he was a stylist visiting from Los Angeles and had just left his digital camera and blackberry in a cab and was distraught as the west coast is 3 hours behind and he couldn't contact his boss or whatever and needed to get to a shoot. He was so grateful I would talk to him, saying he'd send me make up, even hugged me and thanked me! We talked a little bit about the west coast. He said he was gay and was uncomfortable approaching the "thuggy" guys on the street. I said I would give him a few bucks but he said he needed 11 and all I had was 5--which I gave him. He then turned and walked the opposite direction of the subway--which I pointed out and he said he had to "go pick up some bags" first. I told my roommate the story when I got home and she said he pulled the same scam on her four months ago! He was a well dressed man in maybe his late 20s, African American, probably gay as he described himself, and well dressed. He approached her on Myrtle and Broadway. Watch out for this guy!
Comments
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search 'proho gaffler'. your guy seems younger. the proho gaffler who has been in business for years is probably in his late 30's or so...
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Subject: Not the same guy as the proho gaffler
This guy was pretty slender, handsome looking not sure if he had glasses--I don't think so.
Wish I thought to take a photo with my camera phone!! -
I have been approached with this scam twice. Once a guy offered to send me free tickets to see U2 if I gave him some cash, the other guy offered to send me free tickets to Fashion Week if I helped him out! Another friend was offered Prince tickets.
I never gave any of them money. -
This is the second time in a few weeks I've read about this scam. The other incident took place on Fulton and Nostrand. Whether it is the same guy or not our neighborhood is getting a work-over by these scam artists. And it really sucks because I hate to be so pessimistic and question anybody when it seems they are in dire need.
This is basically a variation on another scam that I saw being run in Manhattan a few years ago. A very well-dressed guy laden with wardrobe bags would approach people in the morning in the Flatiron district, an area rich with commercial film production companies, editors, graphics/FX houses, etc. He used pretty much the same story every time and everybody has a story involving giving this guy $20. He was working as a stylist on a commercial shoot with _______ production company (one that had big name recognition) working for ______ producer and he'd forgotten his wallet in a cab but needed to get to _______ stage immediately. He'd send a check to them later on that day if he could borrow $20 for a cab. This scam was nearly flawless and it worked until he started using it on people he had already used it on. The guy even had business cards with a fake name and address that said he was a stylist. -
This is hilarious... I can't believe people actually fall for these cons.
Remember... This is still New York City. Just like you should never leave anything visible in your car you should also assume that anyone asking you for money is scamming you. I don't care what their story is or what they're wearing. If someone you don't know approaches you and asks for money 99% of the time it's some kind of scam. If you're naive enough to actually fall for it you should just respect their con game and take it as a lesson learned. -
I love it when people who have tried to con me in years past, try it again - with the same story. Happened recently. I stopped the guy mid fake sob story and told him he'd already tried the same story on me about his car being towed, trying to get to his sick mother's house, etc., a few months earlier. He just turned around and walked away. Pretty funny.
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The guy even had business cards with a fake name and address that said he was a stylist.
impressive -
Ha! That guy stopped me too! I knew it was a scam because...well, because I came of age in NYC in the 70's and trust nobody.
But also:
1. Who runs up to someone and says "I'm gay"? He was just TOO gay. Like phony gay.
2. He said he was a stylist but his clothes were kind of disheveled. A gay stylist wouldn't have been caught dead in that outfit.
3. I didn't get the Blackberry connection. I offered to make a phone call for him. He didn't say he lost his wallet. He said he lost his Blackberry.
I'm sorry if you were scammed but it feels kind of good to be validated in my choice to not give him $. I'm not such a heartless NYer after all. Just wise to these fools.
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Subject: Re: Warning about a Bedstuy Con Man
Anonymous wrote: I writing to let you know about a scam artist I came across this weekend.
I consider anyone who approaches me on the street for money a scam artist. I guess I'm just a heartless bastard.
However when someone ask for a specific dollar amount it sets off a few more warnings bells than normal.
I guess consider yourself lucky he didn't ask to borrow your car.
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I've been hit up by the 'towtruck scammer' THREE TIMES! Once he said he was a writer for Letterman and offered me tix, the next time I stopped him and politely reminded him that he'd tried the same scam on me 3 weeks earlier and if he was telling the truth that his Mom was a tough old bird and that he should carry the number of a towing company in his wallet and the third time I was...less courteous.
Still, i can imagine it must be hard to keep up with whom you've told what after a while. Thanks for the heads up on the West Coast Stylist scam! -
Subject: ugh + Attn: St James Infirmary
Well I won't get scammed again.
I guess cause my best friend is a total flake and loses his wallet and phone all the time and genuinely has asked people for a few bucks or a phone call to get home -- and this guy reminded me of him!-- I just totally fell for it.
Never again though. I'm a cold hearted, heartless New Yorker now. Thicker skin.
PS ST JAMES INFIRMARY: Are you From San Francisco?! -
Here's one: has anyone fallen for the Adephi Station scam? Young guy, white, longish 'rockabilly' hair, suit jacket, and ...wild eyes, I suppose would be the most charitable description. Walleyed might be more accurate, though. Stands outside the PO asking for change so he can mail a letter (which he is holding as proof of his intentions).
I got hit up and managed not to fall for it, but I saw a great many people hand him change in the time I was at the station. My friend mentioned him to me the other day, leading me to believe that this is a fairly profitable scam for him.
BK Leather- I lived in SF for around 10 months in 1999-2000 but found I wasn't teh SF type and scrambled back home to NYC in Spring of 2000.
Why do you ask? Do I type with a San Franciscan accent? -
I got hit up by the same guy a couple of years ago at the corner of Hancock and Nostrand. I forgot his sob story, but I never forgot him. I always wondered what happened to him. Thanks to everyone's info, I believe it's one and the same guy.
Young black guy, mid-20's, seemed gay, couldn't believe that 'my own people won't help me', was nervous about the neighborhood he was in. He was studying fashion and manned the guest list at some upscale club in Manhattan.
Gave me his name, and the name of the club he worked. I lost the paper, of course.
He was very grateful for the money I gave him.
What's sad is I heard the story of the young gay man who was killed a couple of years ago, Rashawn Brazell, and I really hoped it wasn't the same young man. I even wrote to his family for confirmation that it wasn't the same person I'd met. (It wasn't.)
Well, at least now I know I was definitely snookered.
Good con job, so watch out for this guy!
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