Unsuck DC Metro: Scam!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Scam!

Yesterday, @RCarBar tweeted:

Car just invaded by teens supposedly from the boys & girls club asking for $...anyone know if these guys are legit?

The general consensus was that this was as bogus as a Metro excuse.

Thanks to @gtcaz for sending the following from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington website:

BGCGW is not affiliated with any on-foot individuals or street vendors that sell goods for the purpose of raising money for our clubs or related programs. These merchants are often found soliciting in front of high foot-traffic establishments, such as major grocery stores, drug store chains, metro stations and home improvement retail outlets among others.

Apparently, the BGCGW scam is not the only scam going on in Metro, and there may even be an animal cracker scam afoot. (More info please, if you've seen this one.)

And here's another potential scam from Jared:

You know those guys that come up to you with a folder and some papers asking you to donate to their football team? Three of them were working Green Line trains the other night on the way to the Nats game.

One guy sat down next to a tourist, cornering the tourist in the bench seat asking for money while his two buddies accosted other passengers. I'd call it a soft-arm robbery.

Anyone else seen this tactic?

The "fundraiser" was a black male, 18-22, with a trimmed goatee. He didn't look like he was in high school, and he was likely too young to be a coach.

None of the individuals were wearing any team or high school related t-shirts.

Other items:
Bus driver impersonator back in action (Examiner)
Texting idiot (Fox5)

Comments (47)

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+5 Vote up Vote down

scammed · 715 weeks ago

There's a scam every day--it's called Metro!

+2 Vote up Vote down

@Rizzz · 715 weeks ago

The football/school team fundraiser kids work the Green Line a lot - have seen them at U Street a bunch.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@katmoo14 · 715 weeks ago

My husband and I have been asked for money on the train by a group pretending to be from BGCGW. I knew something was up because the guy had the same sheet of paper as this fellow of hollaback fame who had also harassed me (http://hollabackdc.wordpress.com/?s=boys+and+girls+club).

And what’s up with the kids selling animal crackers? I can’t walk the 1 block from the metro to my office without a young child asking me for money.

+14 Vote up Vote down

Katy G · 715 weeks ago

First of all, people are not allowed to solicit anything within the Metro system. If anyone is trying to get you to buy something on or within the Metro system, it should be a red flag that it isn't a legitimate business seeing that they would know they can't sell there.

3 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 714 weeks ago

There is a fellow with an incredible "radio" voice who solicits regularly on the orange line for a homeless shelter. While I applaud his goal, I find it rude and disconcerting he wants me to pull out my wallet and cash on Metro - the least safest place to do so. He's been at it for years. Never saw anyone stopping him re: illegal on Metro.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 714 weeks ago

Report it then.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Jennifer · 714 weeks ago

I've seen that guy on the red line once...I didn't know that he does that all the time! I agree though, pulling out your wallet on the metro is not a good idea.

+5 Vote up Vote down

Kat · 715 weeks ago

The "football team" one is definitely also a scam. I've seen it be a basketball team, soccer team, you name it!

+3 Vote up Vote down

Katy G · 715 weeks ago

This article may be a few years old, but I think it is probably still relevant regarding this situation.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5213468&a...

+7 Vote up Vote down

Exactly · 715 weeks ago

"Soft arm robbery" is a good term for the football palyer one especially. Subtle, and not-so-subtle, intimidation tactics used along with an excuse so if the police question them they can claim "charity".

+7 Vote up Vote down

MadAsHeck · 715 weeks ago

Where are the police during all this? It's easy to spot these people asking for money, both in cars and outside the stations?

Why don't the Metro police do anything about this?
I only see Metro police standing outside the faregates, chatting with their buddies.

They need a presence in the rail cars.

3 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 715 weeks ago

"Why don't the Metro police do anything about this? "

They do. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. But it has to be reported. The original "tweeter" doesn't even mention that she did just that.

"They need a presence in the rail cars."

Yep---and in the stations too. How many are there to go around? Not too many. Since it's impossible to cover _all_ of the trains, MTPD normally has officers "detailed" to the transfer stations so they can intercept problem trains when they pass through. There are probably 20 -22 officers on "foot patrol" throughout the entire 106 mile system. Throw in a couple of special events, details at certain stations due to the problematic kids (note that this is only a problem with the DC school kids. In the other jurisdictions the kids generally know how to act), baseball games, hockey games, circuses, an arrest or two, etc., and the resources can become quite limited. Metro is aver 100 miles of track. Would a 100 square mile city have 20-25 officers working at one time? Doubtful.

There are simply not enough officers. I've seen some suggestions that there be "an officer on every train." Ha! Ha! You ever take a peek at the monitor screen in a station kiosk and see how many trains are on the line at once? Especially during "rush hour?" Answer: LOTS! Metro isn't going to pay for that. And the public would go "nut-so" over the fare increase that would be required to cover it.

+4 Vote up Vote down

MadAsHeck · 714 weeks ago

You're right, there are not enough police for every train. But seeing three Metro Police standing outside the fare gates at safe suburban stations like West Falls Church is what I do see, and that is ridiculous. I don't see them walking the platform at Gallery Place or L'Enfant. Never. I've never seen them walking through cars.
All of us riders can easily point out the trouble spots and the safe spots. And I frequently see police standing around socializing at the safe spots, and never at the trouble spots. Nice work if ya can get it.

0 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 714 weeks ago

Gallery Place or L'Enfant..... Isn't that where the radios don't work?

That being said.... those stations are so large that if there was a cop there you may not even notice. West Falls is small, and it's likely the police would stick out like a sore thumb.

0 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 715 weeks ago

That BGCGW B.S. scam is at least 20 years old. I remember the "beggar forms" all used to start out: "Hi, My name is Johnny Shepard........... "

ALL of them were named "Johnny Shepard!!!!"

Regardless, as Katy posted, Metro doesn't allow solicitation in the system--legit organizations or not--so best to report it so the miscreants can be tossed out (they HATE IT when the police confiscate their "paperwork!").

I used to see them at Pentagon City from time to time. Like what's a DC based organization doing in VIRGINIA anyways?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

@katmoo14 · 714 weeks ago

well, it is the Boys and Girls Clubs of GREATER Washington, which means the suburbs are included, too (from their website, they have 21 sites over a 75-mile radius from Frederickburg, Virginia to Germantown, Maryland). So, the scammer was accurate with locations for his fake fundraising.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Mike · 715 weeks ago

On 13 July, I approached the Eastern Market Metro entrance when a family was out in front of the escalators selling what looked like bags of cookies. As I passed, a 12-14 year old girl did a back flip in front of me. When she landed she stuck her hand out and said "that will be $5." I ignored her and attempted to go down the escalator. Her little sister was at the top of the down esclator walking up it and blocking my path. I had my headphones so I couldn't hear what she was saying so I brushed by her. It was weird, and I think they were doing some kind of fundraising.

+6 Vote up Vote down

hrh king friday 13 · 715 weeks ago

Future Jeter-ites in training.

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

-11 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 714 weeks ago

AND future Obamas!

+2 Vote up Vote down

Soylent Green Line · 714 weeks ago

Yes, because they're currently living in Hawaii.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 715 weeks ago

Like a poster above said, even it it's a legit organization, it's still illegal in Metro. I just ignore them when they approach me (usually in Union Station.)

+6 Vote up Vote down

DMC · 714 weeks ago

"One guy sat down next to a tourist, cornering the tourist in the bench seat asking for money while his two buddies accosted other passengers. I'd call it a soft-arm robbery."

On Red Line from SS to DC one morning, a guy started leaving over people as asking them for money... he was a big guy and would leane over you in a very close and intimidating way. It made me uncomfortable and worry something bad might happen and it appears that many other passangers felt the same way, so I called the metro police and when the man heard me giving a description of him, he started to peel off layers of his clothing and then got off the train at the next stop.

A few days later the same thing happened, with the exact same guy (so apparently it was his new routine), but when I tried to call the metro police to report it again, noboy answered the phone. I called back two more times and the phone was never answered.

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 714 weeks ago

email: Investigator Lang at rlang[at]wmata.com.

+3 Vote up Vote down

HurricaneDC 76p · 713 weeks ago

"but when I tried to call the metro police to report it again, noboy answered the phone. I called back two more times and the phone was never answered."

jesus tap-dancing christ

+6 Vote up Vote down

Megan · 714 weeks ago

I'll tell you what I worry about, which no one has brought up yet-- when these are teens or kids selling for these companies-- someone has to be running this. For some of these scams, the kids are victims too-- I highly doubt a ten year old doing this gets to keep all the money he makes, etc.
The fact that older people are using kids for these scams adds to the extreme sketchiness.

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 714 weeks ago

i have watched these scams for years. when you see the 10 and 11 year olds selling raffle tickets or whatever there are always older teens nearby. after getting money from someone they will usually go over and hand it to the older kids there. the ghetto kids have figured out that you get more bites when you use younger kids.

+4 Vote up Vote down

anon · 714 weeks ago

Just like in Oliver Twist!

+6 Vote up Vote down

DCWorker · 714 weeks ago

The kids selling "animal crackers" were at the food trucks today in Farragut Square. There were 2 boys and 1 man selling animal crackers and Vienna dessert sticks for $7 a pop. One of my coworkers bought a box and the kids starting fighting over the money. My coworker was like "Why are you guys fighting over this? I thought this was for charity." The kids said the proceeds went to a "mentoring" organization.

+7 Vote up Vote down

James · 714 weeks ago

Well what do you know....some African American guy in his late teens/early 20s trying to separate Metro riders from their money! What a shocker!

14 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

-11 Vote up Vote down

davidford0401 -39p · 714 weeks ago

Well what do you know...another prejudice comment towards Negro's on this blog.

+9 Vote up Vote down

ConGrpThink 77p · 714 weeks ago

Can't handle the truth?

-11 Vote up Vote down

davidford0401 -39p · 714 weeks ago

Thats not truth, its just another distracting racially charged comment.

Comments like that take the focus away from the dangers and ills of metro and just allow white riders to vent their frustration of Negros.

disrespectful, and distasteful comments like that are liken to the behavior that some on here come and rant against.

+5 Vote up Vote down

WhatNext,Coloreds? · 714 weeks ago

Who says Negros?

-2 Vote up Vote down

davidford0401 -39p · 714 weeks ago

I do. Its better than the way some "blacks" refer to themselves. And its hell of alot better than some of the names posters around here use to refer to Negros.

+2 Vote up Vote down

James · 714 weeks ago

I also think your implication that 'blacks' is inappropriate, hence your use of 'negros', coupled with the fact that you yourself are using the term 'whites' instead of 'caucasians' is problematic since you're the one playing the race card here.

-3 Vote up Vote down

davidford0401 -39p · 713 weeks ago

Whats funny is that the term negro, black, colored, African American are all terms given by whites and or caucasians.

If you have a problem with one of the phrases I use to describe my race with, you really have a problem with the way my people used to be seen through white and or caucasian eyes. With that said Negro is not the comparsion of Caucasian, I dont use Negro to be formal or PC. i do it to identify a class of people that doesnt always like to be called black.

+3 Vote up Vote down

James · 712 weeks ago

Hmmm...since it's clear that you're just going to play the race card against anyone who says something you disagree with, I'll just go ahead and say that there's something about your line of reasoning that just SCREAMS 'the pot calling the kettle black....'

(see what I did there?)

+5 Vote up Vote down

Grammar Nazi · 714 weeks ago

You used the apostrophe improperly . . .

+9 Vote up Vote down

James · 714 weeks ago

A spade's a spade David. The only time I've seen someone perpetuating this scam or downright robbing someone on the Metro, it was an African American male in his late teens or early 20s. Just because that has been my experience doesn't make me racist, I'm just relating my experience.

-6 Vote up Vote down

davidford0401 -39p · 714 weeks ago

Yeah, thats fine you speak your observation.

Just as long as we are not pretending that Negroes are the only ones running scams on metro. That whole 'its all their fault' line is stale. Pretending that whites do no evil. I've seen whites run scams that involve a piece of paper they have you read with a picture as they ask for money. I've also seen the one described above.

So in that way my experience is different and a bit more expansive than yours.

+4 Vote up Vote down

James · 714 weeks ago

I'm not implying that Afircan Americans are the only people capable of scamming and stealing on Metro. But I'm on the Metro at least twice a day, Monday through Friday and I've ridden for going on three years now, and what I described above is my honest to God observation. I'm sorry if that observation offends you, but you jumping to the conclusion that I'm racist just because I haven't seen a caucasian kid stealing on Metro seems a little racist in and of itself.

-4 Vote up Vote down

davidford0401 -39p · 713 weeks ago

The words "Just as long as we are not pretending.." is not an accusation. Maybe I wasnt clear to say. "Yeah, thats fine you speak your observation."

I've been on metro a year less than you, and I am not offended, and I never called you racist. I also have never seen a afro american kid etc or caucasian kid stealing anything.

+3 Vote up Vote down

James · 712 weeks ago

Your comments clearly imply that I'm a racist...that is painfully obvious.

And if you've been on the Metro for two years and you haven't seen kids stealing anything, you're either lying about how long you've ridden the metro, or you close your eyes while you're riding.

+5 Vote up Vote down

Christina · 714 weeks ago

These kids are always at the Columbia Heights station during the day (what I pressumed to be lunch hour). They claim they are raisin gmoney as part of a school project. Unfortunetly they caught me one day as I was not paying much attention, in a good mood and with cash handy. Stupidly I gave them $10...I guess just doing my part to contribute the drug and arms trade in DC.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Lisa · 714 weeks ago

I was on a pretty empty train headed from Brookland to Silver Spring last Friday when a bunch of kids got on and began asking the passengers on the train (only a few at that time of day) for money for BGCGW. I've encountered more of these kids lately. I always politely decline and they'll leave me alone. They sort of hovered over my space until we go to SS (where the train was ending) and began harassing passengers on the platform. Super annoying but it's so prevalent, I don't think Metro police will be able to stop them.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

HurricaneDC 76p · 713 weeks ago

The government is more than capable of stopping them if they actively arrest and charge and convict them.

Of course, expecting government around here to do anything other than burn through money is like expecting to find mountains in Kansas.