evil_henchman
Well-known member
This unbelievable story is true and ran in today's paper:
A 61-year-old man who lost $10,000 to con men in a Sacramento parking lot wants people to learn from his mistake.
"I'm mad at myself for being so gullible," said the victim, a retired federal worker named Michael from Sacramento.
At his request, The <newspaper> is not printing the victim's surname, partly for his protection.
Police said they are investigating the April 24 incident, in which Michael was persuaded to withdraw $20,000 from his bank as part of a lesson for a purported Jamaican visitor on how American banks work.
The "Jamaican" had earlier flashed what appeared to be thousands of dollars that he claimed to have inherited from a brother, Michael said.
"I told him he shouldn't be flashing that around," Michael said last week. "He told me he didn't trust banks."
Somehow, Michael said, the Jamaican and another man talked him into withdrawing $20,000 to prove to the Jamaican how easily personal savings can be accessed in the United States.
Unable to provide $20,000 in cash, the bank teller gave Michael $10,000 in U.S. currency and the rest in a check.
Before Michael could redeposit the $20,000, half of it vanished along with the con men in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant on Richards Boulevard.
"I did this because I felt sorry for the Jamaican," Michael said, weeping. "I wanted to help him."
Michael, who immediately phoned police, told his story to The <newspaper>, "so that other people don't get screwed like I did."
"We're definitely investigating this case," Sacramento police Officer Konrad Von Schoech said. But, he continued, the con men who targeted Michael may have been traveling criminals who have hit the road.
The incident began at 12:50 p.m. April 24, when Michael was approached in the parking lot of the Natomas Marketplace Shopping Center.
"Sir, can you help me?" the man said in a Jamaican accent.
"He pulled out a wad of money ... and said he was trying to find a 'Super 9' Motel near a McDonald's," Michael said. "He said he was from Jamaica and that he was supposed to meet a girl at the motel."
Michael thought he knew where the man wanted to go. After inviting him into his car, Michael drove him to the Super 8 Motel, west of Interstate 5 near the Richards Boulevard exit.
Once there, the man announced that wasn't the motel he sought, Michael said.
Michael then drove to the other side of I-5, to the McDonald's parking lot at 200 Richards Blvd. His intention, Michael said, was to ask for directions to the man's motel.
Emerging from the car, the Jamaican approached a man who was walking through the lot. This second man, Michael said, had a "McDonald's Manager" ID badge.
The "manager" listened as the Jamaican repeated what he'd told Michael:
He came to Sacramento to collect a $200,000 inheritance -- $60,000 of which he had on him because he didn't trust banks. The rest of his cash, the Jamaican said, was in a locker at the "grey dog" station downtown.
The Jamaican also displayed a legal-looking letter stating that he would inherit $200,000.
When the Jamaican pulled out what looked like wads of cash, the manager told him to put his money away. The manager said he would teach the Jamaican to trust American banks.
"I can go to my bank and withdraw money from my account at any time," the manager said, before asking Michael to drive him to a Washington Mutual at Ninth and K streets.
Soon after, Michael parked his car a half-block from the bank. The Jamaican remained with him, while the manager got out.
Minutes later, the manager returned with a pouch that he claimed contained $15,000.
"The money looked real to me," said Michael, who got a glimpse of it. "The Jamaican then asked me if I could do the same," Michael said.
After withdrawing $20,000 from First U.S. Community Credit Union on J Street, Michael drove back to the McDonald's with both passengers.
The manager said Michael was truly a man to be trusted, and handed him the pouch he claimed contained $15,000. But, the manager added, Michael would have to prove that he trusted his passengers, too.
"He suggested that I give them my $10,000 in cash and that they would walk around the building and that they would be right back," Michael said. "They didn't want my $10,000 check."
After handing the money over, he waited in vain for them to return.
A 61-year-old man who lost $10,000 to con men in a Sacramento parking lot wants people to learn from his mistake.
"I'm mad at myself for being so gullible," said the victim, a retired federal worker named Michael from Sacramento.
At his request, The <newspaper> is not printing the victim's surname, partly for his protection.
Police said they are investigating the April 24 incident, in which Michael was persuaded to withdraw $20,000 from his bank as part of a lesson for a purported Jamaican visitor on how American banks work.
The "Jamaican" had earlier flashed what appeared to be thousands of dollars that he claimed to have inherited from a brother, Michael said.
"I told him he shouldn't be flashing that around," Michael said last week. "He told me he didn't trust banks."
Somehow, Michael said, the Jamaican and another man talked him into withdrawing $20,000 to prove to the Jamaican how easily personal savings can be accessed in the United States.
Unable to provide $20,000 in cash, the bank teller gave Michael $10,000 in U.S. currency and the rest in a check.
Before Michael could redeposit the $20,000, half of it vanished along with the con men in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant on Richards Boulevard.
"I did this because I felt sorry for the Jamaican," Michael said, weeping. "I wanted to help him."
Michael, who immediately phoned police, told his story to The <newspaper>, "so that other people don't get screwed like I did."
"We're definitely investigating this case," Sacramento police Officer Konrad Von Schoech said. But, he continued, the con men who targeted Michael may have been traveling criminals who have hit the road.
The incident began at 12:50 p.m. April 24, when Michael was approached in the parking lot of the Natomas Marketplace Shopping Center.
"Sir, can you help me?" the man said in a Jamaican accent.
"He pulled out a wad of money ... and said he was trying to find a 'Super 9' Motel near a McDonald's," Michael said. "He said he was from Jamaica and that he was supposed to meet a girl at the motel."
Michael thought he knew where the man wanted to go. After inviting him into his car, Michael drove him to the Super 8 Motel, west of Interstate 5 near the Richards Boulevard exit.
Once there, the man announced that wasn't the motel he sought, Michael said.
Michael then drove to the other side of I-5, to the McDonald's parking lot at 200 Richards Blvd. His intention, Michael said, was to ask for directions to the man's motel.
Emerging from the car, the Jamaican approached a man who was walking through the lot. This second man, Michael said, had a "McDonald's Manager" ID badge.
The "manager" listened as the Jamaican repeated what he'd told Michael:
He came to Sacramento to collect a $200,000 inheritance -- $60,000 of which he had on him because he didn't trust banks. The rest of his cash, the Jamaican said, was in a locker at the "grey dog" station downtown.
The Jamaican also displayed a legal-looking letter stating that he would inherit $200,000.
When the Jamaican pulled out what looked like wads of cash, the manager told him to put his money away. The manager said he would teach the Jamaican to trust American banks.
"I can go to my bank and withdraw money from my account at any time," the manager said, before asking Michael to drive him to a Washington Mutual at Ninth and K streets.
Soon after, Michael parked his car a half-block from the bank. The Jamaican remained with him, while the manager got out.
Minutes later, the manager returned with a pouch that he claimed contained $15,000.
"The money looked real to me," said Michael, who got a glimpse of it. "The Jamaican then asked me if I could do the same," Michael said.
After withdrawing $20,000 from First U.S. Community Credit Union on J Street, Michael drove back to the McDonald's with both passengers.
The manager said Michael was truly a man to be trusted, and handed him the pouch he claimed contained $15,000. But, the manager added, Michael would have to prove that he trusted his passengers, too.
"He suggested that I give them my $10,000 in cash and that they would walk around the building and that they would be right back," Michael said. "They didn't want my $10,000 check."
After handing the money over, he waited in vain for them to return.
