Distraction Scams
Posted by Michelle Moquin on May 18th, 2014
Good evening!
Don’t even ask…:) Here’s tonight’s write. I haven’t posted something like this in a very long time.
Car Breakdown Distraction Ruse
We wrote last week about the tricks burglars use to get you out of your house, but there’s another sneaky distraction trick they’re starting to use that simply stops you in your tracks on your way in.
It’s particularly targeted at women who’ve been out grocery shopping and arrive home to find someone outside, in the street, with their car hood raised.
Seems like they’re trying to fix something and they wait till just the right moment, as the shopper unloads her groceries, to ask for water to put in their radiator.
The right moment, from the crook’s point of view, is when the shopper’s purse is left in a vulnerable position, either on their car seat or even on the door step, as the victim puts it down while they fetch the water.
It may seem incredible that a thief would go to all this trouble to set up a victim for theft but exactly this incident has been reported to police, most recently in parts of Canada.
It’s believed the trick actually starts in the supermarket parking lot where the thief scopes out his victim, follows her home and then quickly parks and lifts the hood on his car.
He may also have an accomplice in the car who actually steals the wallet while the front man distracts the victim with the water request.
But, of course, it’s merely one example of the wider crime of distraction that we’ve previously reported in How Crooks Use Distraction Scams to Trick and Rob You.
The correct action is never to leave your wallet unprotected while you help someone else — and, of course, never leave your home unlocked if you’re outside even for a few seconds.
*****
Readers: It may seem like you can’t trust anyone but better to err in your favor, and take all precautions. If you feel the hairs on the back of your neck start to rise, you know something is definitely up.
Bonet: This stats aren’t good, and I’m not surprised. All I can add is that I HOPE that Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen continues to be good at her life’s mission and that her charm, charisma, and just the right touch of persuasion prevails.
Alycedale: You crack me up. You are one crazy bad ass Bitch, and I mean that in the most complimentary, respectful way. Bring it on.
Got to run. Dinner is calling. Have a wonderful evening everyone! See you in the morning.
Peace out.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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May 19th, 2014 at 7:46 am
Leave it to men to come up with another devious way to commit crimes.
May 19th, 2014 at 7:49 am
Zen Lill, I like your take. Men claim women are reactive but they seldom call each other on their behavior.
May 19th, 2014 at 10:41 am
OMG. Michelle this happened two weeks ago to by BFF. The cops didn’t tell her it was a scam. We were told it was a crime of opportunity.
May 19th, 2014 at 10:43 am
What cowards. If I were that cowardly, I’d kill myself to rid the world of such lowlifes.
But they are young enough to change.
May 19th, 2014 at 10:45 am
Worthless….get some flippen jobs! Preying on people by appealin to their sense of decency…sick.
May 19th, 2014 at 10:48 am
Only freaking lowlifes think of shit like this.
May 19th, 2014 at 10:49 am
Nigger shit no doubt.
May 19th, 2014 at 10:51 am
Thanks Michelle. I will be very alert to this kind of scam.