possible scam?

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

as i was walking home tonight (about 10pm-ish), i saw a woman leaving a house with a baby in a stroller. i had just turned the corner and was walking away when she caught up to me and said that she just moved into the neighborhood and that she had just brough her baby home from the hospital because he was sick with an earache, and that she needed to go pick up his prescription, and her mother told her to ask a neighbor for money for it, and she then asked me for $35 (i was just walking down the street, there was nothing to identify me as a "neighbor"). i couldn't have helped her out even if i had wanted to, because i didn't have that much money on me, but i suspected it was a scam, too. as i walked away, i heard her approaching a man who was just coming out of his house with the same story.

if your baby had an earache, you wouldn't be wheeling him/her around the streets in a stroller after 10pm at night, would you? especially if your mother is around?

i dunno. just thought i'd let people know in case it is a scam. this was on highland a few blocks past the somerville hospital.

Comments

Re: Calling the Police

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

yeah, now that i think about it, i should have done that. i did see the house she came out of, though, so would it be worth calling the police with that information?

Re: Calling the Police

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

no, posting it here does more good than calling the police at this point. especially since you did not lose any money and it may not have a been a scam. However; If another incident occurs with the same MO, or whatever they call that, you should report yours too. But I bet they will find your report here if they need it. Word gets around.

Re: Calling the Police

[cleanup-davissq.livejournal.com]

>>>"i did see the house she came out of, though, so would it be worth calling the police with that information?"

Yes, report it to the police.
How about posting the address of the house?!! Let's get tough on crime.

Re: Calling the Police

[hauntmeister.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, I don't think advocating vigilantism is appropriate here, or anywhere else for that matter.

What if the house she came out of was a house she'd just tried her "I'm locked out" scam on? You'd start harassing an innocent person. In fact, maybe she'd just scammed the person in that house, and now that poor victim starts getting harassed by an LJ vigilante who wants to "get tough on crime."

Reporting the attempted scam to the police is the right thing to do.

Re: Calling the Police

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

i agree with you. there was no evidence that this house was her home... and even if there was, posting the address here would not be appropriate. i had never heard of a "sick baby" type scam before (i'm young, what can i say... i also don't really look like i have any money, that probably helps too), which is why i was hesitant to call the police about it, but in the future i certainly will.