A Lakewood resident today wants his experience of being scammed to be a lesson for others.
The resident (Avi*) tells TLS he was driving back to Lakewood yesterday, when in the area of the Verrazano Bridge he saw a driver standing outside his luxury vehicle frantically attempting to flag somebody down.
“I literally thought someone was dying in his car and needed help,” Avi told TLS.
Looking to assist in what appeared to be a serious emergency, Avi pulled over to the side of the road to assist the middle-eastern-looking man, approximately 30 years of age.
At that time, the driver began telling Avi that he desperately needed to get somewhere and needed some cash. He then offered jewelry he was wearing in exchange.
The driver took off a gold chain necklace, along with a ring, and told Avi to take this jewelry and just give him a couple hundred of dollars.
Avi pulled out some cash, and when the driver saw he had cash on him, the driver then pulled off his ‘Rolex’, and stated he would give it to him for just $2,000.
When Avi told him he did not have more than the few hundred dollars on him, the driver offered to follow him to the bank.
“That’s when I realized I was being scammed,” Avi said. “For all I knew, he had a gun on him. I literally feared for my life.”
Avi handed the jewelry back to the driver and quickly fled.
“I’m usually quite aware of scams, but here I fell for one myself,” Avi said. “I want people to be aware of this so it doesn’t happen to them.”
Avi added, that “I was thinking afterwards, you never know if that watch had a tracker in it, or even a bomb.”
*Name changed.
This is why I dont like hitchhiking
This scam is so old & done all over the world that Avraham Avinu almost fell for it.
Whether it’s shady characters having gold chains wrapped in a newspaper at the gas station or convenience store or more often a driver in a luxury car (to make having a lot of expensive jewelry more believable) that “desperately needs money to buy gas” it’s always the same scam. The jewelry is fake & worthless.
p.s. Let’s not get frantic. The chance of the Rolex having a bomb (or tracker) or being real? 0.0000000001%
These are low level con artists looking for some quick cash. Not professionals with a sophisticated multi-step strategy or agenda.
I would have just offered “Avi” the Verrazano for a few hundred dollars and call it a day.
Why didn’t u call 911
because he didn’t want to deal with the shop chasers
from lakewood
LOL
Similar thing happened to me, middle eastern guy saying he needed cash, i told him if hes stuck he can call 911 and they’ll help him, he then offered me his gold necklace and ring, thats when i drove off and called the police myself…
someone i know was scamed at a gas station and the guy told him he needed money for gas and he offered him to sell new apple airpod and watch for cheap and he did ,but it was fake product
2 weeks ago I was on the Garden State Parkway South coming down from Upstate NY when I saw a darkened car on the side of the road, protruding partly onto the right lane, around Exit 141, with a guy outside of it waving wildly to flag someone down.
I almost pulled over. I say almost, because I slowed all the way down immediately but then decided against it and kept going. I didn’t have a good feeling about it, having not been able to see the guy’s face or surroundings even though he looked desperate.
Instead, I quickly noted what the very next mile marker was and called 911 to report what I saw and the mile marker it was closest to on Garden State Parkway South.
They said they would send a State Trooper immediately.
People should do that too. You will either be helping someone who really needs it, without getting yourself into a dangerous situation, or you will be shutting down a scammers ambush.
I would give him directions to the diamond district where he could easily off load it,
Obviously its all fake
This is nothing new. They play desperate and offer fake jewellery. Has been around for a long time. I know someone who actually got sucked into it and gave away hundreds of dollars at a rest stop for fake jewlery that the guys wife took off her wrists and neck.
Excellent solution, you sent them help while keeping yourself safe as well. If only everyone thought these things through there might be fewer casualties.
I was one approached by a character who said he was stuck and needs my phone to call his friend for a lift.
I asked him what his friend’s number was and he didn’t know…
I consider myself very weary but fell for something similar years ago at a rest stop outside lakewood quite a few years ago….. He was waiting outside and claimed he needed to get to brooklyn but left his phone and wallet and ezpass in lakewood and would mail me the money. I was in a rush and was very skeptical, I thought to tell him if you have none of the above with you you shouldn’t be traveling go home at get your stuff, than again I was in a rush wasn’t much money maybe $40 but I feel stupid until this day,
yep i gave the guy money in the rest area as well, he sold me the same story-we are a compassionate nation, and at times people take advantage of us
Unless you know who it is. Call the police for assistance
A crazy story,
I almost got scammed by a Frum looking man. He gave me the same shpeil telling me he learns in Kollel so is very poor & needs a few dollars for gas.
Instead of jewelry he opened his trunk & showed me plenty of expensive food he said he just bought that he could give me for gas money.
After looking at the food I realized it was a scam because many of the products were dairy but NOT Cholov Yisroel!
I asked him if he was really Jewish? He confessed he was not but had worked in a Kosher Cholov Yisroel restaurant for many years & they often received Non-Cholov Yisroel products at 3am so he thought they were ok. It seemed strange to him but he didn’t ask questions.
I asked which restaurant & I informed the Hashgacha what I was told. The Hashgacha sent a mashgiach undercover
(he tied his Peyos up & wore a B&H baseball cap) to try & sell the restaurant Non-Cholov Yisroel milk. They bought several cases & transferred the milk to Cholov Yisroel containers. 4 days later the regular Mashgiach figured out what was going on & busted the case wide open. When asked how he knew, the Mashgiach explained, “I knew something was wrong when on the 4th day the milk was still good. Cholov Yisroel milk is always spoiled after 3 days!”
Nothing personal you’re an idiot. You teach your kids don’t talk to strangers. Did you forget that basic lesson. If someone was dying wouldn’t 911 be an easier option.
Actually, speak to yourself. People make mistakes & learn from them. Good people share their mistakes although degrading, so others (like you) can learn from them too.
Calling him names is cafoi tov & a chillul Hashem.
Either thank the poster or keep quiet. I hope you teach your children to have good middos even when you are annonomous.
If i saw someone like that I just keep on driving my vehicle thats it
Fell for it too on the highway right before the outer bridge…..cost me $50-$60