They say don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
I was stuffing wood into my Tin Top at the local Homebase store the other day when I noticed this oldish Guy dithering over where to park in the half empty car park.
He pulled over near to my car and in a broken Italian/English asked me how to get out of the car park and get onto the M25 for Heathrow Terminal 1.
Having explained how to do this he was so pleased he wanted to give me a gift???? I refused but he insisted.
He gave me an empty bag and started stuffing it with Hugo Boss gear, two suits, leather coat, suede jacket, 4 shirts and ties.
He said he was in Fashion and had been at a Fashion Fair in Birmingham and had too much luggage. I just could not believe my luck.
Then came 'THE STING'
The one Coat he was keeping for his son needed to be paid for or he would lose his job.
Did I have any cash I could give him? - no say's I. Well we can go to a cash point - I need £500.
The Stuffed Full Bag was back in his car and I was 'Offski' - leaving him to find the next MUG!!

That is the first time I've heard of this scam.

I'd imagine the Boss gear was as genuine as the Molex I was offered in Spain.

Beware strangers bearing gifts in car parks..

The usual scams involve watches, stereo speakers or at least the ones I've heard of.

Like the idea of a MOLEX - sounds like a cross between a watch and a food mixer....

You make it sound useful! The problem with a Molex is they stop telling time as soon as you put them on your wrist!

I was once given a Aero8 at Spa,
but the owner did not warn me it was a tricked car,
it had 80bhp more than official,
so it power-oversteered more than it should,
those strangers.....indeed don't trust them!!!!

We experienced a variation to this scheme (or scam!) last weekend in Paris. Someone close by bends down and picks up a "gold" ring and asks it if it yours. When you say no they say you are a nice couple please keep it, but can you give me some Euros to buy something to eat. Needless to say we declined their kind offer!

I've not experienced that one before, but we saw two other people trying to do exactly the same thing later in the day.

In the cold light of day you always feel "how could anyone fall for it" - however their method is always to take you by surprise and off guard and it must work often enough to be worth their while.

Frank,
I've had the Italian in Morrsons car park in Cheltenham ... err I'll rephrase that, a similar 'Italian' scam . Car did not appear to be a rental. Maps open on front seat, knew how to get to the right road, but had 'been to a trade show and had too much expensive kit to take back to Italy, customs would charge him lots of money'. I didn't buy. Passed the reggo on to the store's security - they have a 'no trading and no windscreen flier' policy.
Don't know whether they booted him off site, but the car had gone by the time I left the store...

That has to be the same guy or are they working the country?

Bet there's more than one Frank!

On the Molex subject a number of year ago a guy who worked for me came back from holiday in the Far East. Very well educated but lacked any common sense.

Told us he had bought a Rolex for his Dad off a guy standing outside a jewellers who had wanted £500 cash, which he paid. Being a good Eat End boy my thoughts were your a idiot.

Anyhow following day turns up with the watch, looks good, we're all a little puzzled, so we check the serial number, comes back as genuine. Still not believing we sent him off to a West End jewellers to get it valued. From memory they valued it a £12000.

Needless to say his Dad was very pleased.

Moral of the story sometimes it pays to be an idiot.

Is he sure that he was not receiving stolen property?

That was my thought after the valuation. But it was boxed with a stamped guarantee and checked out with Rolex.

Not the sort of luck that I have.

Richard

Please share the story about the speakers from the back of a van as I was approached like that once and ran quickly. Being a HiFi nut at the time it was a close run thing. I would love to know what would have traditionally happened next !

frank, you most likeley are a stylish guy, so who needs the designer look,we're car guys...jeans and a Mog tee shirt

Ahem......
You mean black jeans and a Morgan polo shirt..........

Got 'done' by the same scam in Rome many years ago, felt sorry for the guy, offered him £20 in Lira (shows age of scam) or £20 note to help him get home, when he tried to snatch the £20 as well as the Lira I lost it a bit and told him to Foxtrot Oscar but he took the Lira!

I should have known better howver as on arriving in our Rome Hotel, after a 50 minute taxi ride (and commensurately large Lira bill) from train station to hotel, we checked in, changed etc and went for an early evening walk before dinner. Went 80metres down the road, turned left .......... and there was the same railway station

Totally true story, theiving B must have had a great laugh at the expense of "stoooopid Eeeengleeesh toooooreeest"

That was my problem, see, having been a Menswear Formalwear Designer in my youth, I was totalling the value in £000's and thinking? Mmmmmmmmmm? This lot is going on Ebay. (before the Sting that was!). (I had the Jeans and the T Shirt, Dave when I worked for Levi Strauus)