View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2008 > October > 31 > Entry
The scams just keep coming
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I spoke to a senior group this week and out of about two-dozen in the audience, three said they have been approached before by someone claiming to have found a bag of money. This is an old, old con that still plays out today. It’s a found-money scam also known as a “Pigeon Drop” scam.
It normally begins with a well-dressed woman approaching the victim, usually a female senior citizen who is either getting into a car or about to get out. She informs the intended victim she found the money and doesn’t know what to do with it. She gains the trust of the victim who, in most cases, gives her a short ride to her “office” or other location where she supposedly works. The con-artist gets out, goes inside, and then returns to tell the victim her “boss” said they could split the money if no one claims it.
Although the scam can go in several directions, in most cases the money is supposedly put in escrow for 30 days or so. During this time, the victim and suspect exchange phone numbers. The victim is usually called that night by the woman who exclaims that the bag contained a lot of money plus winning lotto tickets and whatever else will excite the victim. She tells the victim that in a month they’ll all be much wealthier than before. The point here is to instill some greed into the victim. (Something for nothing.)
Long story somewhat shorter—the victim is soon contacted by a man who is much more intimidating. He tells the victim that she should absolutely NOT talk about this to anyone or they risk not getting all that money. Soon the same intimidating man convinces the victim she should contribute money as “earnest” money or even “tax” money. The reason always varies but the con is to get the victim to start funneling money to the nice young woman. They meet several times and she contributes money. Sometimes it’s a bait and switch with a money bag or sometimes, like a case we had here, the bad guys allow the victim to keep the suitcase (locked) with the large sum of cash, while they all put up a few thousand dollars in cash. Of course, the only one putting up money is the victim.
Although this scam has many different variations, its foundation is to present the victim with an initial good fortune of found money. That should be the key that something is wrong.
Look for this scam to initiate in parking lots of shopping centers or other areas where seniors frequent.
PHISHING Scam
This victim received an e-mail from AOL stating he needed to update his account by the end of October or else the account would be terminated. The e-mail had a link to the billing department which took the victim to an area requesting personal information including a credit card number, SSN, DOB, and mother’s maiden name among other things. After the victim complied and provided this info, it was determined the e-mail was fraud.
Don’t be fooled by elaborate and legitimate looking e-mails and website designs accompanied by unsolicited requests for personal information. Contact the company via the legit website and inquire about this e-mail or any attempt, out of the blue, requesting sensitive information.
Some of the crime reports received recently by Sandy Springs police:
Bozo alert Two men went into the office building in the 5900 block of Lake Forrest Drive, representing themselves as office furniture salesmen. They spoke to an office manager who, by this report, was a whole lot smarter than they were. She asked for a business card and a catalog for which they had none. She asked which company they worked for and they gave her the name of a company in Canton, GA. The office manager contacted that company who told her they did not do door-to-door sales.
The two geniuses figured out things were not going well and left. The two men were videoed.
More clown news
A man reported that someone forced open his front apartment door and took his watch with a chain and clown-faced pendent.
People Needing Tranquility
Police were called to an apartment. They talked to Freddy who said Annie hit him in the head with a salt shaker.
And the crime beat goes on
A condo association purchased just under $1600 in roofing material. Later, a white van was seen in the area where the material was and later still, the material was stolen. Some time later a subject in a white van came by and offered to sell roofing material. The phone on the van was listed to a roofing company. Again, not too smart on the part of the suspects and arrogant to boot, but stolen material like that is hard to identify. Criminals do return to the scene of the crime.
Never do this!
A woman told officers that she was eating at a restaurant when she got up to go to the bathroom. She left her purse hanging on the back of the chair. She returned to find out the purse had been stolen.
Services »
Comments
By Bobba Louie
October 31, 2008 5:32 PM | Link to this
Scammers should learn how to earn an honest living so the rest of us can relax and not worry about their con jobs all the time….Bobba www.scamandfraudblog.com
By Lynda
October 31, 2008 5:53 PM | Link to this
What did the “office furniture salesmen” have in mind? Secondly, you would have to be an idiot to fall for the “found money” scam. Good to be reminded, though!
By melodie
October 31, 2008 8:25 PM | Link to this
It is so sad, but the people who fall for these scams the easiest are the old people on fixed income who really need the money. Or even the low income who need money. It makes me want to go beat someone up with a baseball bat and I am not a violent person.
By Omar
October 31, 2008 9:28 PM | Link to this
The easiest victims are the greediest one. I had a pair try to sucker me into a game of three card monty outside my job. I played along, feigning interest, until law enforcement arrived. I never handed over any money.
By Curtis
October 31, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this
Does law inforcement rank fraud by occurence in major cities? If so, where does Atlanta rank? I would assume from all I read Atlanta would be pretty high on the list.
By Curtis
October 31, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this
Does law inforcement rank fraud by occurence in major cities? If so, where does Atlanta rank? I would assume from all I read Atlanta would be pretty high on the list.
By Curtis
October 31, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this
Does law enforcement rank fraud by occurence in major cities? If so, where does Atlanta rank? I would assume from all I read Atlanta would be pretty high on the list.
By Stone
October 31, 2008 10:28 PM | Link to this
I haven’t worried about losing my money since the last time I bet money, 25 years ago on the streets of DC, some hommie took my $20 I was hoping to by something with in a shell game, suckered me good. I remember feelings like such a loser that I vowed never to let it happen again. I’ve never gambled, played the lottery or any of that since I lost my $20 to that street homie. Best twenty I ever lost.
By Anon
October 31, 2008 11:23 PM | Link to this
I recently received the AOL billing email mentioned. Not only did they request the info above, they also requested my bank name, routing number, account number, and PIN, with a comment not to change my PIN for 3 days so that they had time to “verify” my information. Additionally asked for my screen name and password - and printed next to this block was a statement that read: Please note AOL will never ask you for your ID and password. I reported to AOL and the fraud unit of the sheriff’s dept in my home county, along with my bank and the big 3 credit bureaus to add a fraud alert to my account. I knew it was a hoax since I don’t have a paid AOL account - only the free email. And the URL on the email contained some letters along with khaled restaurant / AOL billing dept service. I also ran all my security programs to be sure no spyware or viruses were downloaded to my computer. My sister just received a notice through the mail that she had won a sweepstakes for $180K, and enclosed was an advance check for $4700 to pay the taxes. She was instructed to deposit that check and once it cleared the deposit, the remainder would be credited to her account. The check was drawn on a Canadian bank - and of course this was a different kind of scam. She lives in FL and reported it to her local sheriff’s dept. who already had had reports of similar scams. We both recognized immediately that these were scams, and both of us are really p** off that there are people in this world who prey on others like this. Fortunately we both knew enough not to fall for these scams, but how many people are victims? These people who run these scams are scum!
By clyde
November 1, 2008 4:29 AM | Link to this
Women attending Chinese buffets invariably leave their purse hanging on the back of their chair when going to fill plates.Women in supermarkets leave their purse in the shopping cart, then leave the cart unattended while looking for some item in the store.Women put their purse on top of the car while loading groceries in the car.Women hang their purse on clothing racks while looking through the rack for an item of clothing.Women set their purses on the floor by their chair wwhile eating in restaurants.These are just some of the places I’ve noticed purses in the last few years.No wonder they get stolen.
By Sally
November 1, 2008 5:55 AM | Link to this
A man conned me once…….once.
By Dixie
November 1, 2008 6:13 AM | Link to this
Me too. But then I divorced him.
By jB
November 1, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
Crap, and I thought this was going to be a story about Obama…Now there is a scam!
JB
By Fred
November 1, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this
LOL Dixie. Queen of the one liners.
By joe
November 1, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
I see cops scamming people all the time with their radar and laser guns. Usually hiding late at night in the dark, at the bottom of steep hills waiting for the only person on the highway to come by, so they can be robbed. Be careful of these scamming cops as all they want is your MONEY$$$.
Joe
By joe
November 1, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this
I see cops scamming people all the time with their radar and laser guns. Usually hiding late at night in the dark, at the bottom of steep hills waiting for the only person on the highway to come by, so they can be robbed. Be careful of these scamming cops as all they want is your MONEY$$$.
Joe
By BILL
November 1, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
The Nigerian money scams are my favorite. Seems like there is an incredible amount of money in that country and no one can leave with any. It’s got to suck to have all that cash but never being able to leave Nigeria. Not to mention that awesome Canadian lottery that people win without ever buying a ticket. Of course it is even more hilarious when they send a very “official” looking email with tons of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
By Gern
November 1, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this
Joe, Get over it. You got a ticket and you’re mad at the world. “Joe got a ticket everyone!” There. The sympathy cards should start rolling in now Joe. Now move on and try to find a life.
By JOANN
November 1, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this
TO JB
GET OVER IT FOOL
By Tony
November 1, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this
Hey Joe, did you get a receipt when that officer “took” your money? All I can say to you is WAAAAAAHHHHH!! Get over it and slow down next time.
By Sally
November 1, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this
I was pulled over by two cops in a squad car in Detroit in 1971. I had just run to the drug store about three blocks from my girlfriend Esther’s house. You see, we had just made love and it was Valentine’s day and she gave me a Valentine’s day card, but I had none for her. So, when she went to the bathroom. I calculated that I had maybe three and a half to four minutes for her to get out of the bathroom and that was enough time to throw on my too small pants that burst open at the snap and zipped down at the slightest provocation, no underwear, a t-shirt, and shoes w/no socks and jump in the car and make it to the drug store, buy a valentines day card for Esther, and then make it back before she got out of the bathroom.
So, I made it to the drugstore okay. Got a nice card, wrote, “I lovey dovey you, booby wooby.” (true) I was 19, give me a break.
SO the cops pull me over, and I jump out of the car, and well, the snap unsnapped and the zipper unzipped and there was me and my alter ego in full monty, flagrant delecto, and I coulda gone all night with Esther, if’n you be diggin’ what I be intimatin’.
Well, it just so happens that there was a flasher working the area that night and the cops were on the lookout. I remember the cop asked for a description of the perp: “about 5 feet, wearing a heavy overcoat, 40ish, with greying hair, and 250 pounds”: The spectral opposite of me.
The cop says, “I think I got ‘im”.
I spent the next five hours explaining my full monty to a certain detective who didn’t believe a word I said. “We can help you with your problem, just tell us what you did.” I told him about the drug store and the card. “What did you write in the card, then?” I told him. His look of horror will stay with me forever.
I even managed to bum a cigarette off the good cop in the good cop/bad cop act I had to endure later.
Finally, they allowed me to call Esther, who also didn’t believe a word I said. She figured I ditched her. “No, I’m down the street at the police station. They think I’m a flasher. Please come down here and tell them I was with you at the time of the crime.”
I had to convince Esther that I wasn’t lying. She came down, and the cops corralled her, (she looked like Sophia Loren, so I dont blame them) and told her that I was the perp, definitely, because the cops had seen me in full monty jumping out of the car. “My pants are too small, they unsnap at the slightest thing….” I objected. I demonstrated it over and over, showing the detective how my too small pants came undone for nothing.
Finally, by a miracle, they caught the real perp and set me free. Esther never looked at me the same. We soon broke up.
That detective is certainly dead by now, he was easy late fifties back then. He knows the truth about me, if there’s a God in Heaven, and he now realizes what a p-hole he is. (I mean a-hole).
By catlady
November 1, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this
One of these hucksters tried to con our pastor who was selling his piano in our very small town weekly newpaper. Luckily the pastor recognized the scam and turned it over to police.
By Kennesaw Dave
November 1, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this
It’s amazing how well the old scams still work these days. But with the economy going up and down these days I could easily see an elderly person on a fixed income being very suseptable to that type of scam. Also, I can’t believe that peopl still fall for that e-mail scam asking for sensative information?! C’mon how many times have we heard, “If you recieve an e-mail asking for passwords, SSN, DOB, blah blah blah” it’s a scam?!
By the way Steve, 2 things: Did the officer(s) who did the report on the stolen purse say whether the victim was blonde or not? And does SSPD have a digital crimes unit. I’m working on getting my computer forensics certification and wouldn’t mind coming to work for you after I finish.
By Kennesaw Dave
November 1, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this
It’s amazing how well the old scams still work these days. But with the economy going up and down these days I could easily see an elderly person on a fixed income being very suseptable to that type of scam. Also, I can’t believe that peopl still fall for that e-mail scam asking for sensative information?! C’mon how many times have we heard, “If you recieve an e-mail asking for passwords, SSN, DOB, blah blah blah” it’s a scam?!
By the way Steve, 2 things: Did the officer(s) who did the report on the stolen purse say whether the victim was blonde or not? And does SSPD have a digital crimes unit. I’m working on getting my computer forensics certification and wouldn’t mind coming to work for you after I finish.
By Dixie
November 1, 2008 8:20 PM | Link to this
Now Fred - You’ve hanging around long enough to know that was likely the shortest post I’ve put on here.
Analchord - Stick to guy’s names if you’re going to give a story about yourself.
While I hate the thought of people getting scammed - I love Nick Cage in Matchstick Men.
Back in the late 70’s I was 18 and had a guy try to sell me some land in north Georgia. Problem was there was no title. He said I was guaranteed ownership by the contract. If not for my father getting involved I would have been out $3,700. (I did get to keep the steak knives & binoculars)
By Gram
November 1, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
Anyone that falls for this stuff, especially from strangers on the street, deserves what they get. Use your brain, people. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and NO ONE wants to share money THEY found with you. Why wouldn’t they just keep it all for themselves? I sure would! I wouldn’t offer half of it to a stranger. Gimme a break! Anyone that falls for “help me transfer my millions into your bank account” needs a lobotomy. I play along and tell them they will need to wire me $125.00 to open a new “secure” account for the money, and they all of a sudden disappear or say they cannot get their hands on such a small amount, when they supposedly have all these millions that they just MUST share with a total STRANGER! LOL Also, if you will contact the people (like yahoo, etc.) that say they want your sensitive info, they will tell you NOT TO DO IT! They don’t ask for this info via email! You are NOT going to win a foreign lottery. It is against the law, and all they want is for you to pay “fees” to get money that does not exist.
By GA Peach
November 2, 2008 7:01 AM | Link to this
Ain’t nothing free!
By Sally
November 2, 2008 7:12 AM | Link to this
Dixie, I just fell victim to another scam. I drove to a restaurant, and pulled up in front. A man in a red vest and bow tie opened my door, took my keyes and drove around to the back of the restaurant. So I went inside and ordered my Whopper with Cheese, small fries, and a coke. But when I came out…….
and dixie, never judge a schnook by it’s cover.
I have unwittingly found a flaw in humanity vs the universe. Everything we think is merely a reflection of the big bong.
We are not here. Everything is experienced in our minds only.
Our consciousness itself is all there is. Thus there is no universe and god is the formless, massless nothingness of our consciousness.
We cant blow it. There are no wrong answers. The illusion of existence is it’s own consequence.
The illusion of existence is it’s own consequence.
Christ was half man, half god, a hybrid. Now I declare that I’m a Christman. A half christ, half man uber-hybrid. Throw in a little Joe the Plumber and you see just how far I’m going to go in life.
Yes, I’m the first appearance of a new species. The Christman. Not a christian. A Christman.
The greatest commandment is to love God/ourselves. Christ told us that we are God; that we literally are God; God is our consciousness. that’s God. That’s all there is, that’s everything, so that’s God.
That’s all it takes 2B a Christman. To love ourselves.
Can you?
By mystery poster
November 2, 2008 8:17 AM | Link to this
That really is an old scam, I think I saw an episode of Dragnet where that scam was done. It had the sexy female cop, who gave Friday the secret symbol by touching her hair. I always thought she and Friday should have hooked up.
By Smiley
November 2, 2008 8:27 AM | Link to this
You do have to be stupid to fall for the found money scam. If the average person found a bag of money, do you REALLY think they are going to SHARE it with anyone else…DUH No. If these con artist spent their time on legitimate work as well as they do on trying to get something for nothing, we would have some great workers in this workd,
By barney frank
November 2, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this
Not to worry the biggest scams are yet to come.I will suck the life blood out of every working man!!
By librarian
November 2, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this
Why is amusing that a man got hit in the head with a salt shaker? Some are tall and could easily be substituted for a weapon, and some regular-sized ones are made from heavy glass that when thrown could cause serious harm. Just because a man is hit by woman doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a wuss or that she was a delicate hothouse plant.
By Lee
November 2, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
I think the salt shaker story is funny because of the very inventive title. “People needing tranquility” — I LOVE that!! I bet you see a lot of those.
By Larry
November 2, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this
Just remember that if it seems too good to be true……..
By FedUp
November 2, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this
The Nigeria 419 scam is the biggest thing going these days. However, it’s been around so long that most everyone with a t.v., computer or access to a newspaper has heard about it, and those that fall for it need to be whipped soundly about the head and shoulders region. I get hundreds of these letters daily in my free email account. Like Gram, I LOVE to play with them, making them run to Western Union as many times as I can under the guise of receiving “fees”, and to the airport several times (the farthest one I can find from where they are) in hopes of finding a gullible American they can murder and take their money from. This, we like to refer to as “scamming the scammers”. When every Nigerian writes the same letter, changing only the name and acount, then it’s obvious what’s going on. They will use Oriental, English, etc. names and addresses, but if you check the headers and look up their IP address, you will see they all come from AFRICA. Beware. If you haven’t gotten a “transfer my funds”, “you’ve won the lottery”, “stand in as next of kin”, “we want to compensate you because you were a scam victim”, etc., it’s just a matter of time until they steal your email from some site and start the deluge of spam/scam mail. If you fall for it, you have no one to blame but yourself. Use your brain. Would YOU ask a stranger to take care of YOUR millions of dollars?
By Dixie
November 2, 2008 7:16 PM | Link to this
Analchord - The guy in the red vest was me in drag. And, DUDE ! Sorry about the car - you should have warned me about the bad (no) brakes. BTW We are not here. Everything is experienced in our minds only. Are you sure you haven’t watched “The Matrix” too many times?
By The truth about cops
November 3, 2008 7:05 AM | Link to this
Hey Joe, watch out- big bad Tony is one of the piggies hiding out that you referred too! He’ll throw up those blue lights (do they make a cash register sound), provided he’s done pounding his second double whopper.
Where were the cops when that kid got shot on Halloween? Probably scratching out those last couple of citations- you know, got to meet those quotas!
Anybody notice a decline in drugs in our area? Gun crime? Cracking down on illegal aliens? Nope. Why deal with real crime? Much easier to doll out those tickets.
See folks, guys like Tony can’t cut it in a real job. So they settle for being a glamorized adult hall-monitor. Maybe we should focus on the real “scam”. Corrupt piglets are a far bigger problem than email scams.
By gadyke
November 4, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this
Truth - Please get a life.
By Ballard
January 18, 2009 6:46 AM | Link to this
Hello. You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him up to a heavy load. I am from France and know bad English, give true I wrote the following sentence: “The longer she waits, the more turned on she will become, which will in turn lead to a faster orgasms.”
8-) Thanks in advance. Ballard.
By Kane
January 18, 2009 6:47 AM | Link to this
Good afternoon. The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else. I am from China and bad know English, give please true I wrote the following sentence: “It covers everything you need to know including how to punch, block, throw combinations and footwork.”
Thank :-( Kane.
By Kane
January 18, 2009 6:48 AM | Link to this
Good afternoon. The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else. I am from China and bad know English, give please true I wrote the following sentence: “It covers everything you need to know including how to punch, block, throw combinations and footwork.”
Thank :-( Kane.