Milano Collection Armani gucci BOSS Vincenzo Z (Zanni) Meets in p[arking lot. Offers leather designer jackets in exchange for help i.e., cash. Rome/Milano

September 18, 2012, near Serramonte Shopping Center on Gellert Avenue, Daly City, CA.  Approached by two gentleman in a late model Jeep with Colorado plates.  I'm in front on my bank.  Asked by driver if I spoke Italian. I do and fluently. We converse for awhile and for no reason he switches into English at some point. His passenger pretends to be reading a fashion magazine. Vincenzo Zanni claims that they were at Moscone center for an exhibition and received free samples they don't wish to pay duty on these when they return to Italy that same evening. I say I'm not interested.  He asks me to look at the jackets and parks his car.  He pulls out jackets which look like authentic Emporio Armani leather jackets.  These are very good copies.  I say I can't help him. He claims to have lost his money at a casino and shows a couple of gambling chips. He's already given me a business card and showed me a passport.  Now he shows me his Hertz bill and claims he doesn't have the money to pay for the rental car and he can't put it on his credit card or risk trouble with his company.  He pulls out a credit card and says he's maxed out. I tell him I can't help, I'm retired, pensioned, and without a lot of money.  He throws 3 leather jackets and a man's suit into an Emporio tote bag he says is from the trade show.  I tell him I'm on the way to the bank but I can't give him all that he asks for, I'm on limited income, that I don't need or want the jackets.  He says he'll wait until I finish my banking. Trusting his crazy story, I give him $300 and he gives me the bag with the clothing and drives off.  I figure I'll just give them to friends, I don't need them. When I smell the jackets later, they don't smell at all like leather, but like a petroleum byproduct. This guy is a con artist of the very first order, a real actor.  I've now read several other reports and he's been at this for years. I fell for this stupid con because of the amount of documentation.  A really heartless con artist.  I would have helped any honest person in need, without needing to accept something of alleged value.  I'd had a similar incident in this area when an Italian guy stopped and asked me for directions in Italian. Nothing like this happened on that occasion, but now I'm wondering if even that was someone trying the same scam and backing off for some unknown reason.  Advice: just say "no."