New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
There is a possible con artist working his scam in downtown New Bedford. From one of our readers:
I work at a shop downtown and a man came in yesterday to buy a bottle of water. When he got to the register he paid with a $50 bill and then tried to quick change me and trick me into giving him an extra $50 because he wanted a hundred dollar bill for his “poker game”. I explained to him why he didn’t have the correct amount and basically he kept trying to convince me that the change I had already given him was his money plus the $50 he started with. He counted the money out on the register and kept asking me to change bills for him in order confuse me.
I explained to him why he didn’t have enough money for the hundred dollar bill and he left. Then today a friend of mine came in and said he had gotten ripped off by a guy for $20 who did the same thing, saying he wanted a larger bill for his “poker game” then described the same guy I had encountered the day before. I just wanted to post this so people weren’t also falling for it. Downtown is filled with small, local shops and it’s a shame when anyone gets ripped off, even for $20.
He is a short, light skinned black male and he was wearing a hat. He’s probably in his mid to late 60’s, and since both times he has mentioned poker, I figure that is his go-to excuse for needing bigger bills.
I would just like to say that he has also been to larger stores such as Market Basket. I rang a customer very similar with the excuse of poker and I was very confused with the transaction. In the end he had shorted my drawer $50 and I was afraid I was going to lose my job. This is what happens when you’re nice to people.
The easiest way to avoid this scam is to not get caught up in it. If he buys something give him his change and move on. If he requests anything more simply tell him not allowed and point him in the direction of the nearest bank.