On the news tonight was a piece about a Dangerous New SCAM. People from California through Washington State have been robbed beside the highway because they gave in to their natural desire to help.

The victims  have pulled over to help a (usually well dressed) family with car trouble. There are children in the car  and the parents make a heartfelt plea for monetary assistance, often offering their jewelry as collateral.  If you accept that Rolex and give them all the money in your wallet (say for the sake of argument you just cashed a check and have $300), you just got ripped off by about $280.  The Rolex, along with all the other jewelry they have is fake.

A woman here in Washington stopped for a well dressed family driving a nice car.  After hearing his plea she gave the man $20, but he followed her to her car and grabbed other cash she had there (cash which did not belong to her, and which she had to sell belongings to replace.

This vicious SCAM is spreading.  In the future if you see a family stranded by the side of the road, with someone frantically trying to flag you down for help, DO NOT STOP.  Instead get a description of the car (and license number if possible) and the people in it.  Then call 911, giving the location of the vehicle and any other information you have.  Tell the 911 operator you suspect criminal activity and you believe that these people have police scanners. Warn the 911 operator that if the call goes out over the air, the crooks will move.

If the people are innocent and are really in trouble, then you have provided better help than you could give.  If they are crooks, then you have provided help to all the rest of us.