This breakdown scam has been attempted on my husband and me a total of four times in our small city. The 1st time was to me and I knew it was a scam, but I am a small woman and was alone so I gave the guy $10 just so he would go away and hopefully leave me alone.

Several months later one got my trusting husband then a couple of months later, the same guy tried to get him again, but of course, my husband was wiser. Just a few days ago, someone tried it on me again. He barely got started when I told him “No, others have tried this scam on me, get an honest job”. He vanished in a hurry.

This is the scenario:

A guy (it’s been a black guy every time for us) comes up to you and apologizes for startling you, he’s not there to hurt you (apparently preying on the assumed fear of black men). This is probably supposed to make you feel guilty and open to proving that you’re not a paranoid racist so you open up.

He then says his car is broken down and he needs to pay a tow truck (or he needs the money to get out of a parking structure). He is well-dressed, a point he emphasizes to prove he’s not a bum (once again hoping you are a racist who believes in stereotypes).

He even offers to show you where the car’s parked (bad idea to go with him, thank God nothing happened to my husband) and he asks for $20 or $30 dollars claiming that as soon as he can get his car or get to the bank he’ll come back in about an hour and pay you back, which is of course, a lie. After this many attempts, I’m going to alert my local police department and newspaper.