Received this email this morning:
Just wanted to let you know and to have you spread the word that this guy is among us! He gave my friend and I the whole story on Ryerson today and we unfortunately gave him a few bucks. We didn’t believe it so we looked it up and it seems he has been doing this in other areas for a while. Just trying to get the word out.
The guy she’s referring to delivers a believable-ish spiel about how his mother has just had a stroke while driving and crashed her car. He needs money for a tow truck and it’s an emergency. He also claims to work in film/tv and offers to get you tickets to Letterman, or some rock concert.
He definitely approached me once and I honestly didn’t have any cash on me. When he suggested I go to the ATM, I got creeped out and left.
A sneaky Daily Heights reader snapped this photo of him:
It’s really unfortunate that guys like this prey on our neighborhood. I have no problem with helping someone in need, but sometimes it’s hard to know when someone’s legit (and sometimes it’s glaringly obvious!).
Wow! I heard that story about two or three years ago on Franklin near Jefferson. It must really be working to last that long!
he got me a year ago on Washington and Dekalb – same story. And he just needed $11 to get his poor mom out of the hospital.
I think every neighborhood has its version of a scammer. Years ago on the Upper East Side there was this soccer mom type with kids in tow who just needed a little money to get back to Long Island after her car died.
When I moved to the Village, there was the unemployed actor who needed to get to the Berkshires, where he had been offered a part.
Here in Brooklyn, there are multiple variations on collecting money for a beloved kids sports team.
It was always fun to be approached for the second or third time and finish the scammer’s story before they had a chance! All of the sudden they became very pissed off and got as far away as possible.
This guy has cried in my presents while telling this story. I swear if I ever see him again I am going to punch him in the face so very hard. If anyone else sees him please let me know so I can go and punch him in the face so very hard. Thank you.
I got duped by this guy on classon and greene about a year ago with the exact same story about nbc/mom with a stroke/car accident/etc. For some weird reason it seemed believable until my girlfriend’s roommate told me he also had approached her and that she couldn’t believe I was so gullible.
Oh yeah how could I forget, he also cried during his story when he was telling me.
Yeah he got me about 9 months ago too. He’s pretty good, I have to hand it to him.
I’d like to see him again though so I could tell him I know he’s a fraud. And then smirk. I win.
Hmm, kinda makes me feel a little better about the local panhandlers here on Myrtle and Washington. At least they don’t have some long fucked up story, just straight up. Although they annoy me too cuz after 5+ years of being here and seeing them and never giving them money you’d think they’d stop asking.
My favorite are the gypsies in midtown. The women walk around with their ankles and knees bent and twisted as if they’re a crippled. Later you can usually find them all meeting up for lunch walking normally into a restaurant.
There are enough social services in NYC that you should never give money to someone on the street.
Kyle yr right, my husband had to go to Brooklyn hospital for emergency appendix surgery, we now have a 15,000 dollar bill to pay. In order to get assistance, you have to make something like 350 or less a month. That’s why I don’t give them money, I got billzzzz to pay.
Adellevis, best wishes to your husband and your family.
guy gave us the spiel about a year ago 10Pm clinton and willoughby. offered us U@ tickets, same story, said it would be on the news. did not feel quite right, but he was convincing. didn’t give him cash, didn’t see it on the news (obviously). I think this guy probably has another gig and just tries out the routine when he sees potential prey.
There is also a woman in the CLinton Hill/Dowtown Brooklyn area. A short white woman usually dressed in business attire saying she lost her wallet or it was stolen and she just needs money to get home. She got me when I was a senior in high school, I saw her again, when I was in college, (then realizing it was a scam) then saw her not long ago when I was out with my husband. Mind you, I’m 30 years old now so this lady has been at this for YEARS.
This guy has approached me 3 times already! Same story too: Mom (or wife) in car accident on Classon. Lives in nabe. Needs money for tow truck. Dealing with racist cops. Will pay me back with Conan O’Brien tickets.
The first time on Fulton I gave him money. The second time on Grand I didn’t. And the third time, also on Grand, I called him out! Before he finished his story, I told him he’s done this to me twice already and then when he denied it I asked if was gonna offer me Conan O’Brien tickets next. He angrily stormed away!
The question is, who HASN’T the Gaffler met in the last 10 years?
i have never come across him, but i have come across the lady that asks for a money to get a bus several times. i prefer it when people just straight up ask you for money, don’t give me some BS and ask me to beleve it, it is insulting….
Does anybody know about the guy who says he and his daugther are both HIV positive, and asks for money? He’s been around for about three years now, and I usually give him money. Anybody know anything about him?
My favorite is the couple on the 6 train that come through saying their house caught on fire and that their daughter died and they need money to help pay for the funeral. They then offer to show you the death certificate as proof. The first time I witnessed this, almost everyone in the train reached into their pockets. The next time (3 years later), I called them out on it in front of the whole train. They weren’t too thrilled about that.
I ran into this guy four years ago, you’d think he would have exhausted the neighborhood already – but apparently not.
here’s how you know it’s a scam – when someone asks you for money, then they keep piling on the tear-jerking reasons why they need it. if he had said, “my mother had a car accident”, that might be somewhat believable. but when you throw in stroke while driving, car is about to be towed, etc etc – it’s the multitude of terrible circumstances that should be the tip off that you’re being scammed.
Arnt late night talk show tickets free? !
I’ve never come across this guy, but there was a few years ago there was a man who had a story about how his son-in-law was supposed to pick him up and never showed, and now he needed money for the bus. After the third time, I said, “You need to stop counting on your deadbeat son-in-law!”
Thanks kyle : )
he got me for $11 in 2001. it’s amazing how little the story has changed after all these years! FG/CH is full of film people, why doesn’t somebody make a documentary about him (and all the other gafflers around town)?
how many of you use dishonesty in your daily jobs at some point or another? do you collect a paycheck at the end of the week? yeah, hypocrisy abounds (tempered in layers) and Lesterhead loves promoting the FEAR and SUSPICION.
Lie at your daily jobs? I don’t know about everyone else, but yeah sure: saying the boss is in a meeting when really he/she’s eating lunch or saying you’re going to a dentist appt. only to go on another job interview. And yes, we still get paid at the end of the week despite all these little lies. But telling a long, fake, tear-jerking story to exploit people’s kindness and make some money is just flat out wrong. I’m not really concerned about the fact that this guy finagled 11 measly bucks out of several people who were kind enough to probably stop listening to their $200 iPods to lend and ear and offer some money and kindness. My real concern is that scammers are fucking over the people who actually are in need of some kindness and charity: someone who could use that same 11 measly dollars to put towards a room to stay for the night or a bite to eat. Instead these people who are really in need of some help get the cold shoulder from most people who are skeptical of getting scammed. I think it’s wrong to place a scammer in the same category as someone who’s begging because they have no other options right now. People need help and charity every once in a while and I think most people can afford to shell out a few dollars here and there to help their fellow neighbor, however I think it’s quite another thing to be lied to and manipulated for money. I’d honestly give this guy some money if he just flat out simply told me that he needed it because he doesn’t have any. I don’t need a whole fake tear-jerking performance.
hey 41, i hear you that it’s too bad that scammers are more often than not taking money from folks who really need that money, as opposed to the monied suit who won’t even take the compassionate moment to hear another’s story. that said, this thread is full of judgmental remarks put forward by people who lie all the time to either a) get that paycheck, or b) move further up the ladder in the hopes of getting a larger paycheck. the world is full of exploiters, it just comes in different layers. in the grand scheme, and you’ll excuse the expression, it occurs to me that we’re all part of the same hypocrisy.
flavah – are you seriously defending this guy? Did you forget to take your meds today? Seriously? ? ?
Flavah, can I get a buck for some coffee? Thought so. Thanks.
Hay “flavah”, I think everyone has thr right to be judgemental about some scammin the same story for years!
FYI. I dont use dishonesty in my daily job at some point or other. No need to. Sorry you seem so pesamistic, but then again, some people get off on that.
I told him to contact the social worker in the hospital for help and he became enraged.
nope not defending him. you suckahs don’t seem to be getting the point. what i’m saying is, it’s easy to single this guy out because his scamming isn’t societally sanctioned. and it isn’t pessimism, it’s honesty, suckahs.
He got me too! And in PH no less. I told him I hoped he was telling the truth otherwise something bad was going to happen to him for making a story like this up. He got my $5. But I dont feel bad. He will get his. Maybe now or maybe later- but shitty behavior like his will have punishment one day.
That is the guy! He got me at least 2 years ago. I was on Gates, between Cambridge and Grand, during a snow storm. I was trying to get home as fast as I could and he approaches me with a similar story. He left out his mom and just said his car broke down. I gave him a few bucks and he wanted my address so he can send me Letterman tickets. There was no way I was going to give a stranger my address. Thanks for confirming that the whole thing was a scam. Live and learn.
Let me help you out Flavah. This scam artist is a topic on this blog because he is in Clinton Hill. This is a blog about Clinton Hill. If Jeffery Skilling or President Bush, etc. lived in Clinton Hill I’m sure there would be a post about their lies.
Anyway thanks for enlightening all of us.
He got me once about a year ago on my block… Told me he just moved here with his mother, she was driving on Myrtle and she had a stroke, hit a couple pedestrians. He needed money for a tow truck/hospital something or other and the cops were less than helpful. He even told me that the cops called him a n*gger. He told me his name was Oscar.
The second time I saw him a few months ago, he tried to do the same thing. This time I wasn’t so nice to him. I started screaming at him telling him that he wasn’t going to pull that sh*t on me again. He started arguing at first and I didn’t back down… he then got scared and started walking away (and I’m a small dude, I was just pissed). I then decided to go back and ask him why he does what he does to hardworking people. He told me he had a nervous breakdown 8 years ago and has been homeless ever since (somehow he keeps himself pretty clean though) and makes up stories to get more than just a few bucks. He was visibly shaken up that I actually came back and asked him about it.
I saw him once again trying to scam a couple… I called the cops on him but I knew it was pointless.
I’m an extremely (sometimes overly) sympathetic person to people who most wouldn’t give the time of day. He’s obviously a disturbed individual and can’t be all that intelligent if he’s been doing this for 8+ years and hasn’t changed the story. He obviously needs some kind of help. Nevertheless, he needs to be stopped. Getting this out there to people will surely make a difference.
Lesterhead loves promoting the FEAR and SUSPICION.
*stares*
…so, flavah, are you saying that you are afraid and suspicious of the Live Music at Le Grand Dakar restaurant this month? Because….Lesterhead’s promoting that too.
no Kyle, not talking about Skilling and Bush. Talking about you! You’re the hypocrite of the day so wear it! Wear it with pride baby!
Kim W, not sure what you mean.
You people are soooo easy to rile up. But seriously, the dude has a mental illness (don’t ask me what I do for a living and wear I work), and is doing shit that isn’t too nice at the same time.
It just sucks that none of you suckahs can see the glass houses we all inhabit.
Peace in the Big East.
OK “flavah”, it’s obviously a happy place there in flavah land…scamming = honesty. Whatever the case , I gotta say this scammer sure seems to have longevity.
Also as for living in a glass house flavah, you seem to be throwing a few stones as well as showin your self by calling everyone “suckahs” and acting as if you are so cocky & in the know. I don’t see anyone being riled up besides you shaking your fist at ,”the world is full of exploiters” and “we’re all part of the same hypocrisy.”
We could use a GROUP HUG about now as well as some Chamomile Tea.
Peace, out.
ps… here is some sad ‘hood news…
http://www.ny1.com/Content/Top_Stories/84798/male-model-shot-near-brooklyn-club/Default.aspx
hey brewprez,
note that i said “we’re” living in glass houses, as opposed to “you’re” all living in glass houses. not stop being such a hater and start being a dater: find someone to take you out for a burger and a milkshake, cause it’ll be hmmm hmmm good.
(and beware the nasty man asking for loose change. he is evil and should be stamped out george bush style)
He got me in Brooklyn Heights in 2006 and his performance was so good I think it was actually worth 20 bucks. I realized he got me as soon as I got home but he was so convincing I didn’t really care.
“Kim W, not sure what you mean.”
You said that “Lesterhead loves promoting the FEAR and SUSPICION”, but two posts below this one, Lesterhead was actually promoting a local music event. So — that either means that a) Lesterhead DOESN’T always “love promoting fear and suspcicion,” like you said — because a music event at Le Grand Dakar sounds like a good thing — or b) you think music events at local bar are “promoting fear and suspicion.”
So either a) you were wrong about lesterhead, or b) you’re afraid of music.
or c) lesterhead is perfectly capable of having more than one motivation in this world. for example, if i say, “i love milkshakes and burgers,” it does not mean “i do not love macaroni and cheese and r.c. cola.” does that make sense? another example. “i am tired right now,” does not eliminate the fact that i might also be a homicidal maniac IN ADDITION to being a little sleepy.
Now go on Kim, go get you some milkshakes and burgers. It’ll taste so good!
“or c) lesterhead is perfectly capable of having more than one motivation in this world. for example, if i say, “i love milkshakes and burgers,” it does not mean “i do not love macaroni and cheese and r.c. cola.” does that make sense?”
No, it doesn’t make sense, and that is why I am so confused that you are acting as if it does.
To use your example: you’re acting like Lesterhead has said “I like cheeseburgers, but I also like macaroni and cheese,” but you’re saying, “You like macaroni and cheese? EEWWWW! Burgers are so much better, what’s wrong with you?” And I’m saying, “but….she also likes burgers. She said that.” And you’re saying, “But she likes macaroni and cheese! That’s gross! Lesterhead is EEEEVIL!”
Or, to dispense with the silly analogies: yes, I do know it is possible for a person to have more than one motivation, but you accused Lesterhead of having only a SINGLE motivation. This tells me that you are actually NOT trying to make some kind of blow against “hypocrisy”, but rather, that you just have a bug up your butt the size of an emu about this blog and you just wanted to mouth off.
…So now I”m wondering who’s the hypocrite, here.
ok, kim for the purpose of your argument, let’s say i have a bug up my butt the size of an emu about lester’s blog. let’s just say that’s true. if i then went on to rail against people who criticize blogs about neighborhoods, then that would make me a hypocrite. but i didn’t. i had a problem with people driving evils (the same evils which exist in all of our hearts) into a man scamming on the street.
i hope that makes sense to you. i’m not a busy man, in fact i have a lot of free time on my hands, but i’m not going to explain it again.
and don’t worry lester, i like your blog, i just think you’re a little alarmist sometimes – you know, the way soccer moms in jersey are.
kim, carry on.
“i had a problem with people driving evils (the same evils which exist in all of our hearts) into a man scamming on the street.”
What does “driving evils into one’s heart” even MEAN?
“and don’t worry lester, i like your blog, i just think you’re a little alarmist sometimes – you know, the way soccer moms in jersey are.”
Oh, I get it. You’re one of those “ooh, New York isn’t ‘real’ unless everything’s ‘gritty’ types.”
Whatever. Yes, there is good and bad in the hearts of all men, but warning people of the known foibles of a particular person does not make one “alarmist” and doing something to combat the bad does not make one “alarmist” or “a soccer mom in Jersey.” It makes you “someone who doesn’t want crappy stuff to happen” and “someone who is watching out for their neighbors.”
….Hell, it makes you “a part of the community.”
Flavah – it seems to me that your job is checking on the progress on this thread every half hour. And you say that WE are easy to rile up? ? ?
Seriously, you need to get back on the zoloft, get off the computer at Tillies and GET A LIFE. Try some interaction without using a computer. MAN, I bet you are probably that guy your defending!
you gotta find something to do. read a book. watch the olympics. go to the park.
$50 says your the guy scamming people on the street. back to olympics now.
50 dollars says you never learned what a contraction was in elementary school.
Just kidding JD, I love you baby. Stay gold.
hit a nerve there flavah? Thank you too for confirming that this thread is probably the only thing going on in your life. I’m sure I’ll get a response from you in an hour.
Jd, as a matter of fact it is the only thing going for me in my life. But for some reason you seem to think this is bad. I for one, do not harbor guilt about my inclinations to stay close to the internet. In fact, i love the internet, and I love Clinton Hill Blog! Yeah Lester!
JD, you’re a real peach.
(note: not: your a real peach, but:
You’re a real peach!
and you are.
JD, you better quit while you’re ahead. You’re being made to look bad …
awww, clintonhillgirl, look at you, swooping in and being all lovely. whoops! here i am again, back on this thread … life is just so lovely.
This guy deserves a medal of some sort. He’s been scheming people out of dough for a while now. He shafted an old room-mate of mine for $200. That’s rights folks, $200 bucks. I will say this though, my room-mate wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. The way he makes money sucks but damn, I can’t hate the guy for getting his. Remember folks, he’s not forcing you to give him a dime…just say no and walk away!
Abita7: yes, the guy with the story about his daughter having aids has come to me with the same line a few times. not sure if he’s for real or not.
“awww, clintonhillgirl, look at you, swooping in and being all lovely. whoops! here i am again, back on this thread … life is just so lovely.
Comment by clintonhillgirl — August 21, 2008 @ 8:58 pm”
Flavah, here’s a tip to become a more effective troll: If you’re going to make up a second sock-puppet account to defend yourself with, DON’T FORGET TO LOG OUT AND BACK IN before you try posting as yourself again.
Kim, I refuse to dignify that treacherous assertion with a comment as I’ve moved on to a completely different thread altogether. Now c’mon girl, let’s go out and get us some lunch.
that’s awesome.
Kim, I refuse to dignify your treacherous assertion as I have moved on to a completely different thread. Now c’mon girl, let’s go out and have some lunch.
don’t make me say it again.
I ran into him about 3 months ago-he gave ms the same spiel-I actually sort of believed him, felt sorry, but had not a dollar in cash on me. When he suggested the ATM-I walked away. Very creepy indeed! And yes, it is a shame that able-bodied people are so willing to scam hardworking people and/or university students such as me.
BTW, I ran into this character on Cambridge place (just moved from there after 8 years)btw Fulton and Gates.
He seems to like to operate at night-it was 10pm which freaked me out even more.
2 Brian # 20- Late Show tickets are definitely FREE!
I’m so upset by this scammer, especially the fact that he was quite intimidating late at night, that I posted the photo on facebook’s Clinton Hill page on the neigbourhood appliacation.
http://apps.facebook.com/neighborhoods/Photo/View.aspx?PhotoID=34778
Just ran into tow truck scammer for the second time in 3 months. First time was on Dekalb by south oxford. His story was that he just moved here from LA and that his mother just got into an accident and he needed information on how to get a tow truck. He said I could validate his story with the cops at the end of the street. I didn’t let him get to asking me for money, I just told him that his best bet would be to walk down to Fulton and ask the car service people for Tow truck information. I walked away and said good night. Then I saw the cops at the end of the street but no car accident. Tonight, he approached me with the same BS story on Greene and Washington. I said I don’t know the first thing about tow trucks and leave me alone. then I turned onto St James and there were two cops parked in their cruiser. I thought was enough strange.