Is back.
Tonight around 8pm our doorbell rang (we are near 23rd & yesler), and I opened it to a fellow that introduced himself as he held out his hand to shake, as ‘a new neighbor’.
I shook his hand and asked where he was a neighbor from, and he quickly responded that he and his boyfriend just moved in nearby.
(At that point I had heard the story before from a few years ago since he had come to our door and went into the story of being new to the neighborhood, had a boyfriend, and was locked out and needed a couple bucks for a locksmith.
Flash forward a few years and numerous posts on this site and I had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say.)
So as he told me he and his bf were new to the neighborhood I quickly let him know that I was sorry but couldnt help him out. He seemed caught off guard and quickly asked where Lincoln Towing was. I told him I didnt know and he quickly walked away.
I think he got a pretty good idea that I had already heard his story before and he already made the rounds with our immediate neighbors as well.
Also I felt the need to post due to the fact that via a friend this summer he stopped by a house and when they opened the door and he went through the same routine (new, had a bf, locked out of house or car), he may have caught a good glimpse of the interior and later that same night there was coincidentally a break-in at their house (while the homeowners were home!) and specific items were taken almost as if the burgler knew exactly where to go. Coinicidence?
Tonight when I opened the door not knowing who it was, I did keep the door half-shut and I’d suggest others be cautious as well to any stranger at your door.
by the door.
I wait eagerly
-dexter
Samething happened to me last summer, we live at Madison and E Thomas and he came to our door and said he and his bf just moved across the street and he locked himself outand his bf was at work, he also asked if I was “family”. Sketchy.
I was out walking my dog when I was approached by this guy earlier this summer. He was in the Courtyard of my condo complex, said he’d just moved in “nearby” with a new boyfriend, pretended to be “gay” ( I think this was supposed to put me,a single female, at ease) and asked for money for the locksmith. He stormed off very angrily when I declined. He was clearly casing the Courtyard.
He came to our house last night (21st and Union) and told us he was locked out of the house on the corner. When we told him we know our neighbors on the corner, he asked for directions to
Mercer Street and left.
I’ve been approached by this guy numerous times as well. By the second time, I knew what was going on naturally. When I called him out on not being “new around here,” as he claimed, he then got very defensive and insisted that he was a “new neighbor.” I think he then asked me for directions to Swedish or something like that. That’s his out when he gets turned down evidently.
A guy with the same exact story stopped by back in April at 27th and Yesler.
What does this guy look like? Description anyone who’s seen him?
We have a no soliciting sign but if someone still comes to the door…we shout thru the door or window that we are busy. We never open the door for people we do not know.
Like Khamis, I would appreciate a description of the repeat scammer.
The chain of comments provides a pretty clear indication of a person that actually may be hitting our area with a scam, but what if in this instance it really was a guy in need ( “family” or not)? No need to let the guy in, or to provide money, but surely offering to call a locksmith to let him into his home would not be a bad thing. Once inside his home, the checkbook should be available to pay for the locksmith. If he is locked out of a car, offer to call the partner, or someone else, and tell him you have no spare cash.
I have noted previous postings and notices about this scammer, and have appreciated the offered advice and warnings. Fortunately I have not run into him, but would ask that we not automatically assume that a self identified new neighbor is scamming, just because his story sounds all too familiar. Caution is warrented, but remember, this may be a real neighbor asking for help.
Description:
5’7″
120 lbs
hat and or sweater.
African American
55 or older.
wrinkled face.
Seems to be his new detail, he hit us up a few weeks ago at 9:45PM. My husband firmly let him know that he’d already tried us a year prior. Above description is accurate, but I’d say heavier (160 lbs) and younger (40’s).
I thought he was approx. 5’9″, 140lbs, and around 50 yrs old.
Short, scruffy facial hair with a short haircut. Buzzed on sides, longer on top.
Warm-up jacket (I think it was red, wht. & blue) and wearing sweats.
When we moved into our new townhome, one of the neighbors that was already there warned us about this exact scenario, and gave the same description of the guy. We’re over near Yesler. Crazy!
You sound so naive to not listen to the warnings that your fellow cdbloggers are giving you. So far this man is not a threat to anyone, but of COURSE he is a scammer! Don’t be so generous that you let the guy move in for heavens sake.
There are neighbors, and then there is the Fake Gay Neighbor. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
We live in Madrona and he has been at our house too but not for a year or so. Same storie about being locked out. We just don’t answer our door anymore.
Same scenario, different line. Had a gas can. “Just ran out of gas around the corner, have to pick up sick relative from the hospital.” Forgot that he already ran out of gas at the same location three months prior. . . sheesh.
You are kidding right? This scam has been going on for 4 or more years. You honestly think he has been locking himself out for that long? I will default to him trying to get a few bucks thanks.
there are several of these “neighbors” floating around our neighborhood. my favorite is a woman who comes to the door, all worked up and crying, begging for farry fare to get away from the man who beats her. a real thespian, she is, as is the “i just cut off my dreds so you don’t recognize me” guy.
offer to doante by check, or to give the woman a ride to a safe place, and see how quickly they can spin on their heels. anyone genuine will stick around.
Yea, he popped by our house 3 days ago. My ladies were pretty nice to him, but as soon I stepped outside to meet our new neighbor, I figured out what was going on. I told him, in no uncertain terms, to go kick rocks and think real hard about ever, ever coming back.
I hate being rude to people, and I have a soft spot for scammers (aren’t we all pulling a scam, in one way or another?).
But I don’t dig the idea of someone casing my neighborhood. We certainly don’t have anything worth stealing, but people need an invitation to enter our home.
There’s another guy who’s been here 3 times in the 6 years I’ve lived in the CD. Not as old as Fake Gay Neighbor and taller. He brings a bunch of free pamphlets and circulars, hands them to you, and says he’s “from Garfield High School” and collecting money to “keep kids off drugs.”
He’s relatively harmless, he leaves quickly when you tell him no, and didn’t seem to be trying to look into the house.
I’ve also been visited by the Fake Gay Neighbor and the Run Out of Gas Lady.
I gotta say, I think the nickname this guy now has is hilarious!
Just curious – which part is fake? Is he gay or is he a neighbor? :-)
He’s been to our house about three times in the past several years. There was also a younger, taller and more handsome man who tried the same stuff about 10 years ago.
The Ferry Abused woman stops by occasionally although it’s always been when I was out in the yard. And of course the Gas Can Group has sent several representatives by our house as well. But my all time favorite was the guy who was drunk, wanted money for booze then told me I had a pretty mouth. Made my day.
Living in the CD can have some very funny moments.
23rd & Columbia
Please be aware that the “FAKE NEW NEIGHBOR” is back. March 31st, 2011
He was here hitting up the Jackson Place neighborhood at 3:40pm today Thursday on Hiawatha (btwn S. Charles/ S. Dearborn Ave.)
* black male, mid 30’s early 40’s, claims he is gay, janky teeth, wearing blue cotton jacket, black old mountain bike, denim & baseball style hat.
i ran into this guy right after i moved here, in 2001. i’ve lived in the cd the entire time i’ve been in seattle, and just had my 3rd encounter with the fake gay neighbor about 4 months ago. he needs to get a new schtick!