Spare Change Faker

[xjustquietx.livejournal.com]

Nearly a year ago someone posted this here.

Recently I saw the guy, at least I am 99% sure it is him, and managed to snap a photo with my cellphone camera. I've seen him before and tried, but it was always too obvious.

I'm wrestling with the ethics of this. He's never swindled me, but I'm pretty sure I've seen him swindle others. But that was a long time ago, and I'm beginning to question my memory. It seems like it's been awhile since he's caused any problems, and I'm wondering, does someone have the latest on this story? I don't think I should post the photo here, if it turns out he is just some random guy.

Otherwise I plan on just sending the photo to the Spare Change people, but I'm wondering if there's any more I should know or a better course of action, especially given that I can't ID the guy as someone who conned me personally.

Comments

[arrowintwolakes.livejournal.com]

It's been a while for me, too (probably because I've altered my commute). I used to hear all the time about friends of mine or people they knew trying to get swindled or getting swindled, but not since summer, anyway.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

he got me a few months ago, i think november or october.

[eanja]

He got me a couple months ago as well, before I knew what he looked like, so that's two of pretty recently.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Maybe have a couple people who've been conned personally look at the photo, have them sign statements that that's the guy who conned them, and send the photo with the statements to the Spare Change folks.

[houlette.livejournal.com]

I saw him do it a week or two ago. He also doesn't seem to have the Spare Change vendor badge, which I guess legimitate vendors are supposed to wear.

If you can get a picture of him smoking in the T (as he was this morning in the Davis stop), then you could send it to the MBTA.

[rikchik.livejournal.com]

Post the picture - I've seen him recently and he's definitely still at it.

[ilai]

Yeah, I think the same guy approached me a couple days ago also. He was pretty polite so I just declined politely, but I was tempted to take a photo of him as well.

[ron_newman]

Please do post the photo publicly, and send it to Spare Change News and the MBTA police as well. He's still doing this and will keep it up until he's stopped.

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

Sometimes he's polite, but I've seen him react more strongly and snap at people.

[noradeirdre.livejournal.com]

I think I've seen that guy working Main Street (Kendall Square) as well as the outbound platform of Kendall T stop.

Several months ago (hm, maybe more like a year), he came up to me on Main Street outside the Coop, where I was waiting for a buss. I gave him a dollar, he moved away, I was like, dude, don't I get my paper? He said "you're going to take away my only copy???!?!?" and I saw that it was old and crinkled up, as if taken out of the garbage.

I've seen him much more recently going up and down the platform, getting in everyone's face while waiting for the train.

[ron_newman]

He gets really upset if I start loudly telling people "He's a fake, don't buy from him".

[ron_newman]

"you're going to take away my only copy?"

Same excuse he gave me -- in 2006. I'd really like this guy to be taken out of circulation.

[plummm.livejournal.com]

Is this the same dude that lurks on Longwood Ave near the D Train stop? I see him most mornings and evenings, when there are a lot of commuters walking past...

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

I'm not exactly clear (from these comments) what his con is. Can someone explain? (I likely would have been able to figure it out if my brain wasn't so fuzzy with some germ I picked up..ahhhCHOO!)

Pls post picture

[winterhill.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see who this guy is. Also agree with the approach of having a few who have been swindled by him looking at the pic and signing a statement to that effect. Spare Change should care about this, but also the Somerville PD.

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

Me too, people are giving him money.

[wandelrust.livejournal.com]

I've never encountered the guy, but it sounds like it's someone pretending to sell the Spare Change Newsletter (a legitimate low-cost newspaper that supports the homeless and low-income), but he takes your dollar (and pockets it) and gives you Boston Now (a free newspaper available at many T stops).

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

That's too bad for him, but I wouldn't worry too much about his feelings.

I'm not sure if he is dangerous. This requires a huge assumption, but if he isn't, I think constant harassment may be one way to drive him at least out of Davis. Anonymity is his tool.

It's sad, because the other victim is Spare Change.

[chumbolly.livejournal.com]

Ron, you're awesome.

Probably Not

[hdaemon.livejournal.com]

I haven't walked that way recently, but in warmer months there was a big friendly guy who would stand at the corner of Longwood Ave and the Riverway. He's a completely legitimate Spare Changer seller, and I believe always had a badge stating so. I've seen him elsewhere as well, and he's always cheerful, and never in people's faces.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Apparently Ron has.

I've never seen him, because I work from home and he seems to focus on the commuters' hours.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

A) He is not an authorized Spare Change vendor.
B) He doesn't actually have copies of Spare Change to sell.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Spare Change vendors have an identification badge, which shows they've completed training. They also have other responsibilities in the distribution of the newspaper, and most of them work very hard and are very aware of customer service.

This guy is just profiting off other people's hard work. Not only is he ripping off passersby, he's ripping off the homeless and recently homeless folks who are legitimate partners in the Spare Change organization.

[ron_newman]

He was doing it as recently as 11:30 this morning.

[ron_newman]

Or, when he does have a copy of Spare Change, he won't give it to you after you give him the dollar. See my original post from back in 2006, and this, and this.