I too have just been caught in this scam. On holiday in Torrox Spain, walking back to the car from the supermarket aroung midday I cross a side street and a smart looking guy pulls up in what appears to be a hire car. He pops his head out of the window and say in what I now believe to be a fake Italian voice, ' can you help me?'
He says he is a rep and he has just been to a fashion show and he has some goods left. He doesn't want any money but can I just take the goods off his hands. The fatal move, I allow him to show me the two free jackets and I am hooked, a gonner!
He shows me a leather and two suede jackets, extra large supposed to be my size. Coats are on hangers covered in plastic. He gets me to feel the quality and proceeds to tell me they are a present, a gift and to think of him when I am wearing the coats. He tells me he is on the way to the airport and he cannot take the goods back for tax reasons and airport costs, so will I help him and releave him of the goods, present, a gift he says. Armani, quality jackets work over 1000 and I'm falling for it!
Then he says what can you give me? I tell him I have very little money I am a pensioner. Somehow we end up talking a lot about money, that he doesn't want and yet I seem to want to give to him. I can't take 3 jackets for nothing, he knows that and he plays on it. I tell him to try someone else and tell him he will get more than I can possibly give him. He persists his flight goes at 3pm and he hasn't the time. Why am I falling for it? Eventually I part with about 80 for three jackets. Hooked and Landed!
I get home and apart from the fact that the jackets are really of man made materials and not real leather or suede confirms the scam. The jackets aren't bad and would probably cost about the price I paid, they look ok and feel ok. It's just I wasn't looking for a jacket, or a bargain especially three and I really didn't want to spend 80 this morning.
The jackets are not Armani surprise!
What a fool I now feel!
David
Welwyn Garden City
United Kingdom
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