I'm looking at outdoor light timers and I hear "how much money you gonna spend here?" This guy walks up, and he looks just like a shorter version of Armen Garo. He could be his brother. I don't know where this is going, so I quip "I dunno, probably too much."

"They gave me this gift card, I can't spend it. Sell it to you for forty bucks, you'll make almost twenny dollahs on it."

I look down and there's a paper card in his hand with $57.28 written on it. Warning bells.

"No thanks, man, I'm good."

He doesn't say a word, and takes off down the aisle, makes a quick turn and disappears. He wasn't moving in a panicky way, just calm and determined.

Went up front and paid and told the manager "Hey, some guy who looks like he's straight out of a mob movie just tried to scam me." Told her what happened and her eyes got big and she said "no, and you can't even use that!" I left while they started getting on radios.

It's the holidays, and there had to be hundreds of people in that store. The parking lot was full. For a guy running a quick scam, that had to be prime hunting grounds. Go in, sell three or four of those in a few minutes, get picked up at the front of the store and be gone before anyone even tries to use one of those cards. "How much are you gonna spend" is a quick qualifier for someone who isn't done shopping yet, like a guy with three extensions cords in his cart, and twenty bucks off your purchase sounds great.

Pretty primitive scam. I pretend they are not even there and walk on. I saw plenty of that when I was living in Chicago. My other response is to throw up my arms and exclaim "I ain't got time for that". I usually use that on the street.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Pretty primitive scam. I pretend they are not even there and walk on. I saw plenty of that when I was living in Chicago. My other response is to throw up my arms and exclaim "I ain't got time for that". I usually use that on the street.

Well, it's the first time I've encountered anything like that.

He returned stolen goods and got a store credit, and now needs to turn the store credit into cash.

Most likely that's all there is to it. You could have gone with him up to any cashier and scanned the gift card to confirm it's value.

But, if he's on loss prevention's watch list, they will issue the card to avoid a scene and then cancel it soon after.

That's how the buyer of it can get screwed - if the store cancels the card before you spend it.

This is why I don’t buy anything or go to stores this time of year unless something breaks and I have to. Groceries, gym, church, work, haircut, and nothing else. The stores and society are just a clusterfuck.

Several years ago I had a guy try to run the same scam on me in a home depot or Lowes. I politely declined his offer and he moved on.

quote:

Well, it's the first time I've encountered anything like that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That was endemic in my neighborhood. Selling stolen goods was pretty big too. Not much where I live now.

There was one incident where a very sunburned couple pointed out the my tire was low. They had the sunburn of somebody who lived outside. I said thanks and they immediately asked for a ride. I suspected they let the air out of the tire.

I just do not have time for that shit.

A few days ago had a guy as I was about to leave Kroger’s parking lot try to pull the old “my car just ran out of gas and I don’t have money to buy any - can you help me out?” scam. Told him he should have planned his travel better, got in my car and left.

In 2009, I was gassing up a diesel box truck one night when a guy asked the person at the opposite pump for gas money. He obviously had a story to tell. I had observed him roll up in a car as a passenger with other sketchy dudes aboard and he seemed hinky to me from as soon as I put eyes on him.

I was relaxed and leaning on the truck, still filling it's huge tank with 5-6 dollar diesel. As expected, he approached me next. As soon as he started his spiel, I interrupted and said 'just walk away, man.' He paused for a very short beat, then walked to and clambered back into the car he arrived in and the yutes' were off and up out.

It's possible I was wrong but my 'spidey sense' was going off like a fire alarm.

^^^ Asking for gas money at the pump is always scam. You were not wrong.

Several years ago on the Electra Glide at a coin-op car wash I was approached by for lack of a better description a dirtbag. He starts with the “bro and brother” crap, telling me he’s a biker his bike is “in escrow” and on and on and asking for “a stake”.

First thing, the “bro” crap, apparently he watched too many 60’s biker movies. Having many acquaintances and friends over the years who are and some who were true patch holders the “brother” term is not loosely tossed around. Second thing, dealing with the public in the service industry (auto and motorcycle dealerships and gun shops) and public safety (fire and EMS) since the 60’s I have a pretty good B.S. meter and this guy’s output was pretty high.

His next line is he just got into town the night before, his housing arrangements fell through, hasn’t eaten and on and on. I told him I can’t help him but there is an emergency line in our county, he needs to call 211 for assistance from these agencies. I told him I’d make the call for him (not handing him my cellphone!) or he could go about two blocks away to the local P.D. And and they would assist him.

He wandered away saying “The bulls would only roust him anyways”……

Yep, the last time some sketchy character tried the gas pump scam I just replied 'Nope.'

If you get a merchandise credit at Home Depot now you have to produce ID so the credit is tagged with your name. When you use the credit they also ask for ID to be sure the name matches.