The Prospect Heights con artist is back

Liza writes:

I've been living at Washington Ave & St. Marks since June, and last night this together-looking guy with glasses stopped me between Vanderbilt and Underhill on Prospect Place, and told me his mother had a stroke and crashed her car, and he needed a few bucks. All I had was a 20 and hearing the words "mother" and "stroke" put me in some kind of sympathy trance and I gave it to him!

I'd been feeling uneasy about it ever since, so did some Googling.

Turns out it was THIS GUY! : http://www.dailyheights.com/2005/04/23/caught-on-film-allegedly-the-alleged-proho-gaffler/

HE IS BACK!

tough times bring out those who get taken advantage of, and those who take advantage....

http://brooklynian.com/forum/prospect-heights/proho-gaffler-strikes-again

I think he hit me about fifteen years ago. Certainly a persistant bugger.

Glad to have the heads up about this joker. I fell for it years ago as well. Can't wait to see him now and hopefully snap his pic!

Glad to have the heads up about this joker. I fell for it years ago as well. Can't wait to see him now and hopefully snap his pic!

Glad to have the heads up about this joker. I fell for it years ago as well. Can't wait to see him now and hopefully snap his pic!

Glad to have the heads up about this joker. I fell for it years ago as well. Can't wait to see him now and hopefully snap his pic!

That he's still at it signifies at least one thing - there's no short supply of suckers.

If I wasn't scammed by him 15 to 17 years ago in north Park Slope, it was by someone with the same gimmick. I figure he saved me a bundle since my shame at falling for it was a great inoculation against later sob stories.

If I wasn't scammed by him 15 to 17 years ago in north Park Slope, it was by someone with the same gimmick. I figure he saved me a bundle since my shame at falling for it was a great inoculation against later sob stories.

If I wasn't scammed by him 15 to 17 years ago in north Park Slope, it was by someone with the same gimmick. I figure he saved me a bundle since my shame at falling for it was a great inoculation against later sob stories.

Sometime around 2005 (or so) I'm pretty sure it was him who approached me on EP as I walking my dog. His story at that point was that he and his mother had just had a car accident they needed money for a tow.

I asked where the accident was, and he had no answer. I wished him better luck with the next person.

...he did seem pretty literate.

Theres an old black guy with a cane too that ive seen on Vanderbilt. He says he's HIV positive among other things and needs money for medication, etc...

Heck it might be true, but something about him screams SCAM to me.

I remember getting asked for a "loan" by someone claiming to be out of cash and out of gas and needing to get somewhere in a hurry (this was about 10 years ago in another city and another country). She hit me on a day I was feeling pretty good about myself, so I gave her $10 and told her to put $10 in the poor box of a Catholic Church. I was pretty sure it was a scam, but felt like laying a guilt trip on her by transferring her scam from me to the poor. I doubt it made a difference to her, but I hope she put that $10 in the poor box. Of course, now I just ignore beggars one and all, and give to those charities that I want to give to.

These con artists are merely *charm* artists and are using words to make you part with money that you really have no economic hardship in doing so (otherwise you wouldn't part with your money---right???).

I have more respect for these con artists than those with semi-legitimate charities who linger (*cough* beg) inside the Bank ATM vestibule @ GAP with clip boards in hand.

One of the best things you can do *if* you want to mentally juggle words with these folks is to provide advice (the more nonsensical the advice the more fun you will have) and note that your advice is more valuable than money---and then be on your merry way. ---

Finally, talking to these degenerates (uhm I mean charm artists) you can learn a thing or two about yourself and human behavior.

These con artists are merely *charm* artists and are using words to make you part with money that you really have no economic hardship in doing so (otherwise you wouldn't part with your money---right???).

I have more respect for these con artists than those with semi-legitimate charities who linger (*cough* beg) inside the Bank ATM vestibule @ GAP with clip boards in hand.

One of the best things you can do *if* you want to mentally juggle words with these folks is to provide advice (the more nonsensical the advice the more fun you will have) and note that your advice is more valuable than money---and then be on your merry way. ---

Finally, talking to these degenerates (uhm I mean charm artists) you can learn a thing or two about yourself and human behavior.

I once had a friend who would listen to the sob stories and then say,

"I am going to give you $5, and if you want to, spend it on (car accident, blindness, rent, etc). But what I would do is go get high."

Some (but not all) would then reply,

"Thanks, man. That's what I was going to do anyway".

...regardless of their reply, he would give the beggar the $5 and both people left the conversation feeling good.

Needless to say, he was a very twisted friend.

i've fallen for some good ones: a couple in manhattan said they desperately needed diapers for their baby, i bought them a pack, and minutes later saw them go back to the store to return it for cash. here, there's a woman with a cane and a large husky-like dog who's been a regular for a while, usually on flatbush. rather than give her money, i offered to buy her food and even though she'd said she needed money for food, she decided there was nothing around she could eat.

now, i ignore street or subway beggars but send a check each year to coalition for the homeless (coalitionforthehomeless.org). i feel better and i know they give food (and other services) to people who need it.

A few years ago, I almost bought a guy a can of baby formula. I was pretty sure that it was a scam, but I thought... if it is, I'll only be out a few dollars... (this was before I had a child of my own). When I walked in to the store to buy the formula with the guy, I was, of course, shocked with how much it was. The expense, in combination with the particular annoyance of the girl behind the counter, told me that this wasn't this guys first time doing this. I almost told him that I'd buy it if he agreed to open it immediately (ruling out a return), but I just though, nah, fuck it - I'm out.

right. i probably spent $15-20 on the diaper pack, much more than someone would be likely to hand a panhandler in cash. and i had a baby so was sympathetic. that'll teach me to have human feelings for a stranger.

The guy that had HIV, was he fair skinned with curly hair and wearing a red ribbon? I was approached years ago (as a kid) by someone with the same story.

I ran into this guy a few days ago on Bergen between Flatbush and Carlton while I was out walking my dog. I let him go through his whole spiel before I told him I knew all about him. He was pissed and stalked off. The more people that do this the more likely he is to give up on this neighborhood.

No its an old black guy (on darker side, could be west indies though no accent). He wears a hood or hat, and has a cane and a jacket, even in hot weather.

He is VERY thin too, sullen cheeks, so I think hes probably just buying drugs (he could have HIV as well for all I know). He has this look though that makes me think hes not as old as he's portraying, and looks like hes holding back a smirk even when talking about HIV.

I've talked to him a few times. He lures you over by saying, "Wait a minute, brother, I need to ask you a question". That question has been "Can I get some money..."

bikerchic650 said:

The guy that had HIV, was he fair skinned with curly hair and wearing a red ribbon? I was approached years ago (as a kid) by someone with the same story.

oh, ok. I haven't been approached by that person. But the other guy a couple of times since i was a kid.

I bought baby formula one time for a guy at Flatbush and Parkside-ish. I was pretty sure it was a scam at the time, but I had $15 to spare for whatever that guy needed, and I felt it was worth the gamble in case he was telling the truth. That was probably around a year ago.

then there's like this guy

who totally panhandled in china

so he could buy a basketball team

so he could like create public housing

and jobs and some stuff

he even brought his dancing pig

to china with him and stuff

Karl-

The guy you are thinking of is in a different league.

cremate said:

No its an old black guy (on darker side, could be west indies though no accent). He wears a hood or hat, and has a cane and a jacket, even in hot weather.

He is VERY thin too, sullen cheeks, so I think hes probably just buying drugs (he could have HIV as well for all I know). He has this look though that makes me think hes not as old as he's portraying, and looks like hes holding back a smirk even when talking about HIV.

I've talked to him a few times. He lures you over by saying, "Wait a minute, brother, I need to ask you a question". That question has been "Can I get some money..."

same guy?

New photo

http://www.crownheights.info/index.php?itemid=39516

Nope that guy looks full and well fed. This guy I saw definitely looked like he didn't eat much. Maybe the AIDS thing was true, or hes a drug addict. I've seen him since in the MET.