The Scam.
So for the second time since I have lived in New York (third if you count the time it happened while I was visiting many years ago) some dude tried to scam me.
I was walking down 1st Ave last night around 8:30 on my way to Hi-Fi to meet some friends (more to come on Hi-Fi soon) when a guy walking the other way said: “watch where your going”
I moved out of his way and keep walking (and for the record people should keep right on the sidewalk…he was on the left). To my surprise I hear someone talking to me, and I turn…the same guy turned around and started following me. Totally sketchy, and the this guy was a pretty big dude. Here is the conversation that took place:
guy: Did you hear me? Me: Yes, and I moved out of your way. guy: I was watching a bag for some people that were in the store, and you stepped on it and it popped! Me: I’m sorry man, I didn’t see your bag. guy: What am I going to do you popped my bag? I’m trying to be nice about this…what you do if I was yelling and screaming. (Totally implying that he wants money) Me: I didn’t see your bag. I have to go… I need to meet up with some people. guy: (getting a bit angry) You popped my bag! Me: Where is your bag? What did you do with it after I popped it? guy: I picked it up Me: And Where is it? guy: Right here (reaches into his pocket, and I’m totally sketched out…no bag is produced…he takes out a pack of gum…starts trying to talk to me about the bag again, but is very flustered now that I have started asking questions about the actual bag) Me: I have to go guy: (he starts mumbling…I walk away)I mean I’m really lucky…as Jerry said Gum is one letter away from Gun.
Has anyone else ever encountered this scam? This is the third time for me, same scam.
The last time it happened it was a guy selling incense on the street…and he followed me around the corner. He said I stepped on a glass vile of incense oil that he had displayed on the ground. I mean…glass bottles on the ground? Me stepping on it and not hearing it or feeling it break? Me not smelling like potent incense oil. I mean this one was as questionable as the “You popped my bag thing.”
The first time it happened I bumped into (we bumped into each other) as he was leaving and I was entering the subway. This was in Mid-Town before I lived here (like four or 5 years ago). And the guy was like “You broke my glasses.” The glasses fell on the ground and were broken. I ended up giving him a little bit of money (I didn’t have much). I was foolish, but how do you argue with broken glasses? I could have actually broken them, but after talking to other people (and after the other two experience), I’m pretty sure I got scammed…but for real to go into the scam with the foresight to have broken glasses on you…he really thought that one out.
I know this is something that most New Yorker’s have dealt with, but it’s total bullshit. I might not be a native New Yorker, but I know enough not to fall for this shit anymore. If you ever encounter this situation my advice is to ask logitical questions…it seems to have worked for me in every case expect the glasses.
