Italian Male Navy Blue Car Alias Antonio Buono ripoff Posed as fashion rep wanting to gift Reportage RGA "leather" jackets London United Kingdom

November 2006

I'm walking through the square and I see this guy in the car seemingly lost and looking for directions. He calls me over.

I try to help, he looks genuine and he's a senior citizen and you don't expect a rip off from a guy who look like a grandad.

He engages me in conversation and asks some clever questions which make me think of holidays and the wife, things I love.

Having gained my trust he then offers to gift me 2 jackets!

I'm no fashionista but they don't look cheap. He proceeds to show me that they don't burn if you put a lighter to them.

Then he adds a unisex "suede" jacket, for the wife, he says.

He hands me the stuff through the car window and I'm reeling from this apparent generosity!

Then comes the catch ... a sob story that he lost 5K euros at the casino the night before and does not have enough for fuel on his way back to Italy. Could I spare 100 for fuel?

And how about 40, no 60, for food.

That's when the mind starts racing ... hang on ... but no, 160 is nothing like what the jackets cost, right?

Wrong!!! Barely five minutes later I've googled the truth!

Charlie (and feeling it)
London
United Kingdom