This Dangerous Street Con is REAL — Know What to Look for to Stay Safe

A while back there was a photo circulating on Facebook of a car windshield with a xx dollar neb tucked under the wiper blade. The headline read something along the lines of "If you see THIS on your car windshield, DON'T do THIS!"

The accompanying article claimed information technology was a setup to become robbed, or worse, carjacked. Never having heard of anyone actually experiencing this, I wondered if at that place was whatever credibility to the article or if it was simply clickbait.

Often, I will pass over posts with sensational titles claiming to expose a scam or dangerous street con because I assume the mail service itself might be a scam. Nonetheless, afterwards a close family member told me about a scary recent episode, I'll never completely write off these "warning posts" shared on social media, and I urge you non to either.

Hither is the real-life story of a dangerous street con that could happen to anyone:

This relative was on his fashion to piece of work and was driving on a service road later exiting a busy pike. It was then that he noticed a rental truck pull up next to him with ii men and a woman within. 1 of the men began signaling frantically and pointing at his tire, as if something was terribly wrong.

My relative (I'll call him James to protect his identity) rolled down his window and the human yelled "Hey there's something actually incorrect with your tire!! Pull over!!" James pulled over in a chemist's parking lot, not in front, but along the side of the building equally this was closest to the road.

James got out of the car and examined the tire that the strangers had been pointing at. He didn't notice an obvious problem, but he did remember hitting a small piece of debris on the motorway a few miles back. It was possible this had caused an event.

The man who had yelled out the window of the truck got down from the cab and came over. "Hey man, you lot're lucky nosotros saw you! Your tire is really messed upwards — information technology'southward wobbling and could accept fallen off!"

"Actually?" James asked increduously.

"Really! But I'm actually a mechanic and I'll take a wait. I might be able to set up it right here." The man grabbed a tool of some sort and began fiddling effectually with the tire. "Yea, here information technology is! You ran over a screw." He was talking really apace. "I've actually got the part in my truck to fix it. I'll take care of it right now."

James still didn't run into anything visibly incorrect with the tire. But earlier he knew information technology, the stranger told him that the problem was fixed and he was good to go. James was relieved— he might yet exist able to make information technology to work on fourth dimension after all. "Thank you man, I actually appreciate information technology," he said, reaching over to open up his car door.

"Hey wait!" the strange man called out, his voice darkening. "That was an expensive function! You owe me two hundred dollars human!"

"What?! Two hundred dollars?" James was astonished. "No way! What'south the role called?" The stranger rattled off a name and James did a quick search on his phone. "This says information technology's a SIX dollar function."

The stranger became more agitated. He began yelling and moving towards James. "Are you lot trying to screw me over? I helped you out and I could lose my job because I gave you that part! Do y'all want me to get fired? I have a family to feed! You improve give me the coin!"

The other human being, who until at present had been sitting in the truck, opened the door and started to lean frontward as if he was going to join the argument.

James looked around. He was on the side of the building where there were no other people. He is a young, able-bodied man, but he is outnumbered. Things are starting to go bad speedily. "Hey homo, you're making me uncomfortable. I don't even acquit that much greenbacks on me."

The stranger motions for his friend to back off and return to the truck. "You're making him nervous!" He turns back to James, "There's an ATM inside, you tin can get the coin there." He inches forrard.

"No way!" James reaches for his phone again. "I'm gonna call the cops is what I'g gonna do." Finally he realizes he'southward going to have to become out of this situation chop-chop. He grabs a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket and thrusts it at his assailant. "Here'south twenty bucks— that's more than enough and all I'm giving you. Now get out of here!"

With that, James bolts into his car, slams the door and speeds out of the parking lot without looking back. He lost twenty dollars, but knows that he could accept lost a lot more than if he had not kept cool and acted apace.

When I heard this story, I couldn't believe it. You always assume that scammers are going to go after an "easy" target. James isn't the stereotypical victim. He's not a "piffling onetime lady" or someone who you would flick getting taken. It was frightening to me that these people would be desperate enough to go after him.

For the side by side few days after James told me his story, I couldn't stop thinking almost it. I wondered how many people have been the victim of similar scams. Maybe these victims didn't fifty-fifty know they had been scammed. They might have trusted that these men really were good samaritans and that they had really fixed a problem. Perchance they had paid them thinking it was a fair cost for the office and labor. Or maybe there were people who had been scammed only weren't brave enough to argue.

I asked James if it would exist ok for me to share his story, and to warn others of this dangerous street con. I can't say whether I would have fallen for it if I had non heard this first, but I definitely volition be more cautious now.

If yous are ever in a similar situation where someone asks you to pull over, or tells you lot there is something wrong with your machine:

• Bank check your gauges, scan your mirrors. Does anything feel wrong with y'all car? If there is an obvious problem you tin can see (smoke coming from your engine), then of course you'll want to stop immediately.
• If in that location is no obvious problem, merely you lot recollect it's possible that in that location could be (similar James where he remembered hitting a slice of droppings) keep driving until yous are able to pull over in awell-populated and well-lit area. James made the fault of stopping around the side of a building where there was no one else to see or to inquire for help. He should have parked in forepart of the store entrance.
• Crevice your window before rolling information technology down completely or getting out of the auto. What is the stranger's story? Does information technology seem apposite?
• Trust your gut. If you experience like something isn't right, drive away to a condom area. If y'all are followed for any reason, call for help and do not stop.

I don't desire to imply that anyone who signals something is wrong with your car ways you harm. I did desire to share a real-life experience in the unlikely event yous're ever in a similar state of affairs. You lot just never know, and it's always all-time to have your guard up. If someone seems to magically appear "in just the right place at the right time," exist wary. Information technology might audio cliché, only it truly is ameliorate to be safe than sorry.

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Stacey is the creator of The Soccer Mom Blog, a Houston Texas mom blog that focuses on positive living for women and families. She loves to share existent food recipes, money-saving tips, parenting encouragement, kids activities, DIY tutorials, home hacks, fitness, and and so much more than! To go to know Stacey fifty-fifty better, click here.

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