Playing the con game

Last night, my daughters and I pulled into a grocery store parking lot in Neptune. As I was maneuvering into a space, a man walking across the lot stepped into the other end of the parking space, looked at me with a laugh and backed up, then signalled me to go ahead and park. I did, and he came walking toward me, all smiles. Then the talk started. He was holding a few dollars in his hand and started yammering on about his car and a gas can. "I don't have a gas can," I said. "No, no, that's not it," he said, all smiles, then added, "But first ... you're not prejudiced, right?" I flashed back to last summer. Same place, same guy, same M.O.

Same line.

"You asked me the same thing last year," I said. Before the sentence was done he had turned on his heel and bolted from the parking lot. The "prejudiced" line, I assume, was meant to make this white woman try to prove she isn't by loaning money to a black man she doesn't know. Last year I just insisted I had no cash. He was persistant, but finally gave up. I'm not really even sure what he was talking about. The words flowed fast about car problems and needing to get a gas can, he went into more detail last year. I didn't give him a chance this year.

I fell for a con once before -- a guy who said he locked his keys in his car needed to get to Red Bank where his wife worked as a labor and delivery nurse (who, of course, couldn't leave work) at Riverview Medical Center so she could give him her keys. He spoke so fast, I wound up handing him a few bucks, not as much as he "needed," but enough to make him leave. I later found out he used the same story on others and is a regular in the area.

I warn everyone within earshot of local con artists I've come across, even the one I fell for, as embarrassing as that is. These creeps who prey on the generosity and human kindness of others have their stories down pat and can be pretty convincing. If you have any area con artist stories, share them. Help shut them down.

I've never given in to panhandling, and I'll never fall for a con again, not even to get them to shut up and go away, no matter how good the story. I'll just offer to call the local police to come help. Somebody really in need would be grateful. Otherwise, I suspect I'd get the same reaction I got last night ... out of sight in seconds.