Another photo of the fake Spare Change guy

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

I took a photo of the fake Spare Change guy at Kendall last night. (For those of you who haven't heard about this before, here's the Boston.com article about it.) I noticed that the photo anomie666 posted here in March isn't available anymore, so I figured I'd post mine.

Needless to say, he wasn't happy I took his photo. He came up and yelled at me, calling me a "skinhead" and saying, "You couldn't even sell yourself, because you're bald!". For the record, while my hair is very short, I am neither bald nor a skinhead, in any sense of the word. ;-) I was a little worried he was going to try to take my phone, but he didn't make any moves to touch me or my stuff.

Please pass this photo along to anyone you know who rides the Red line in Cambridge/Somerville. What do folks think: Is it worth it to email it to the local newspapers or the MBTA? It seems like the Spare Change people are well informed about who he is, so I don't think they really need a photo.

Comments

here is my crappy cell phone picture

[anomie666.livejournal.com]

[shaxxon.livejournal.com]

I see this guy a lot at Davis in the morning and after work in Kendall Square.

I read the article, but is there anything else we can do other than spread the word?

Odd you had to specify

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

That you are not bald... Did this guy make you feel insecure or something with his comment? :)

[comicnrrd.livejournal.com]

I find the most off-putting aspect of this "vinnie" guy's scam to be that he is incredibly pushy and rude. I have been verbally assaulted by this guy several times for not wanting his dingy, tattered copy of last week's spare change news that he peddles in the Davis T-Stop. I'm just glad to know that his scam is public knowledge, and hopefully other spare change vendors aren't getting a bad rep because of this guys actions.

[taxine.livejournal.com]

You should crosspost to b0st0n, he will occasionally do this Park St. too. I think it's worth sending to the Metro and any MBTA or Spare Change contacts you can dig up too. I really hate this guy, he's been doing it for years. He's also chased me at least once.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

I always say, in a loud voice, "No, thank you. I only buy Spare Change from authorized vendors."

[whaler.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of skeeved out by how this man is being photographed and monitored by this community like a tagged striped bass. Sure he's done some unscrupulous things, but he's still a human being.

[smammy]

It kinda turns my stomach how bent out of shape you guys get over this man.

[pureacrylic.livejournal.com]

ugh...this thread is gross