Spare Change bait, Boston Now switch

[mmancuso.livejournal.com]

Hi all-- This is less a gripe and more of a "social splinter" I was pricked with the other day. Maybe someone with quicker reflexes will be spared some awkwardness. In Davis Square train station, often there's a guy asking a dollar or more in exchange the Spare Change newspaper. I'm sorry I don't know his name, but he's somewhat tall, and always wears a kind of beret-like hat and big dark sunglasses. His voice has a practiced, smooth cadence to it, which is nothing if not engaging.

The other morning I was in a generous mood and handed over my dollar. What he approached me with was a Spare Change newspaper, but what he slipped me was a Boston Now. I didn't catch on at first. I'm slow enough that I had time to find it surprising that the Spare Change newspaper had gotten fancy headlines and color photography. It was a few seconds later that he was gone and I realized what had happened.

Since by that time I was paying attention, I noticed that he pulled the same bait-and-switch on another commuter, who, it didn't seem to me, had even noticed.

It just left me feeling weird. I don't regret giving him the dollar, but I also know that I'm likely to ignore him for quite a while.

Comments

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

He did that to one of my roommates a few months ago.

[vicster76.livejournal.com]

He's been hanging out at the Porter T stop too in the mornings.

[frederic.livejournal.com]

I first witnessed this sort of scam (sometimes not even having a copy of Spare Change but using the same speech) when I was a perspective grad student visiting here in 1993. That time it was the political comics newspaper that was around back then.

Oh, and I recognize you from your icon. My lady bug whistle is sitting here next to my computer!

[teratomarty.livejournal.com]

If this is the same guy I've seen, he is (of course) not an official Spare Change hawker. They always have their Spare Change badges prominently displayed, either pinned to their coats or on a lanyard around their necks.

It's the same basic scam as the kids selling candy bars for "the basketball team" or "the Boys' & Girls' Club" (always a conveniently out-of-town branch) who hang out in front of the Porter Square shopping center. They have something either stolen (candy bars) or of low value to sell to support an ostensibly good cause. They'll often angle for cash without handing over the goods- the kids by soliciting donations, this guy by handing out papers that are given away free.

This scam really pisses me off. It trades on people's goodwill toward organisations that are actually doing something productive. It siphons off actual charitable donations for personal gain. It tarnishes the image of the real organisations by associating them with the dishonest strong-arm tactics that the scammers use. Scams like this are only one of the many reasons that I prefer to make charitable donations to an organisation rather than giving spare change to street beggars.

[mmancuso.livejournal.com]

Frederic--Thanks for mentioning the ladybug. I'm pleased it keeps you company!

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

That happened to me once at Downtown Crossing. When I realized it wasn't Spare Change News that he gave me, I asked to see his Spare Change badge. When he didn't have one, I asked for my dollar back. I think he was so stunned, that he gave it back, no hassles.

[damsel-ophelia.livejournal.com]

The Spare Change folks usually have their badges in full view. FWIW, it's the strong-arm behavior give me no real enthusiasm about giving away cash to *anyone* unless it's an actual organization and the person can prove they are affiliated with the same. And this particular guy? I'm sorry, but if he really wanted my money he could at least not smoke in the damned T station. That's one law everyone can afford to obey.

[jadelennox]

Ditto. I'll buy spare change AND I'll give money to panhandlers, but that guy -- who I see at various Red Line stops -- is a con artist and a criminal and should be removed from the T. He's hurting the legitimate and hard working spare change hawkers.

[inahandbasket]

yeah, that guy's pretty well known for this stuff.

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I think the Spare Change program is wonderful, and it pisses me off that jerks sometimes take advantage of it that way.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Ohgod, I HATE that jerk. He did the same bait-and-switch on me my first week in Boston.

[kelmit.livejournal.com]

That guy is awful. Once when I called him on it (not giving me the paper after I paid my dollar-- his excuse was that it was his last copy and he needed it to continue selling papers... hm...) he followed me around the entire station, and then onto the train, and then around the station on the other end. CREEPY.

[mmancuso.livejournal.com]

Well, folks--Thanks for the responses. I see that I'm not alone. Another friend of mine suggested I contact Spare Change to gauge their response about this guy and his behavior. I think I will.

best,
Marc

[xjustquietx.livejournal.com]

Ooh, how infuriating. I remember someone posting about him awhile ago, with the "this is my last copy" ruse. And since then I'd kept an eye out for him. Sometimes he lurks at the end of the station, doing who knows what. I had resolved that I would take a picture with my cameraphone and send it in to the Spare Change folks, but then I would see him (what looked like) legitimately selling their newspapers. Next time I am DEFINITELY taking his picture.

[taxine.livejournal.com]

I see that guy all the time. I've never seen a badge on him, and he rarely if ever has more than a single copy, when he does, I guess they must be the Metro or Now. I always thought he looked particularly creepy so I never fell for it, but I've seen a few people give him money then get the "this is my last copy" spiel. He will also follow people around, as someone else said. I really hate that guy.

[righteousness-1.livejournal.com]

Once he lit up beside me. I told him to take it outside and amazingly, he did. He went out the emergency door that's supposed to be alarmed.

[ron_newman]

I bet it's the same guy I posted here about, 19 months ago. Tell the Spare Change office about this, again. I'm sure they'd love to have the guy locked up.

[ron_newman]

There's an emergency exit in the Davis station?

[mihmo.livejournal.com]

those kids who sell the candy in porter are cruel!!! they sit there with the candy bars right in front of the healthworks gym exit!

[rosiewoodboat.livejournal.com]

Tell the Spare Change office about this, again. I'm sure they'd love to have the guy locked up.

Doubtful, Ron. Do you honestly think the Homeless Empowerment Project would really love to do that? Why not tell it like it is? "I, Ron Newman, would like to have that guy locked up. He scares me and my bourgeois police-loving ways."

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

If it's Beret Guy, he's been doing this forever. He pulled this over on me well over a decade ago with that political/comics freebie and guess what, he's never received another penny from me since then.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I, Ron Newman, would like to have that guy locked up. He scares me and my bourgeois police-loving ways.

What a patently idiotic thing to say. You know nothing whatsoever about Ron.

I'd tell you to go sign over your entire paycheck to your beloved Fake Spare Change Guy, if I thought for one second that you actually earned one.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Yes, at the inbound end of the platform.

[rosiewoodboat.livejournal.com]

I know plenty about Ron, having interacted with him on numerous occasions. You, on the other hand, flaunt your ill manners brightly. Perhaps you should introduce yourself before spewing such nonsense? This old monkey is appalled!

[ron_newman]

OK, I engaged in hyperbole. However, the Homeless Empowerment Project/Spare Change News is definitely not well-served by people who use their name to defraud, and that's exactly what is happening here. I'll quote their official response to my earlier post:

If you ever have any sort of concern or situation such as the one in the above post, do not hesitate to call us and report it (617-497-1595 ex.16), or email it to us as Ron indicated above...We do not want you to get scammed, and we want to know about it if it happens.

(Here's the form for sending them such e-mail)

[ron_newman]

I know plenty about Ron, having interacted with him on numerous occasions.

We have? When & where?

[rosiewoodboat.livejournal.com]

When & where?

You brought your brokey-broke "Susan-repaired" cycle into our shop and waited out on the sidewalk while I repaired the myriad damage. We also interacted several times at the Somerville Bicycle Committee, and at other cycling-related venues.

[ron_newman]

You were in for Tyler that day? Thanks for fixing the bike.