New Yorkers are a lot harder to scam compared to the rest of the country according to some new stats.
If your plan for the seemingly inevitable MTA fare hikes involves the old bent MetroCard trick, you might think again. The fake fare scam, ruled forgery, could send you to prison. Besides that, skipping out on the fare doesn’t help the strapped for cash agency, not that it even put a ding in the 1.8 billion dollar budget gap, which could halt nighttime trains on top of already massive service cuts.
A group of Brooklyn thugs has been posting ads on Craigslist offering deeply discounted iPhones for sale, but when people showed up to get the phones they were robbed at gunpoint in various locations: Flatbush, East Flatbush and Flatlands. Cops eventually set up a sting and busted four people. |NYP|
A little over a month ago, BikeBlog author Mike Green wasn’t thinking clearly, falling for a scam that resulted in his track bike being stolen. He immediately posted information about his easily recognizable steed to his blog, getting the word out, even before filing an official police report. Well, amazingly, with the help of some fellow cyclists, he got his bike back and he wasn’t even in the country. Basically, while away in Canada, a few of his buddies noticed a guy riding the bike awkwardly—like he didn’t belong on a fixed—and followed him. After a few heated conversations, quickly formed bike posses, a little police help and $50, his bike was recovered. In a city that often doesn’t yield back stolen goods, it’s a pretty amazing story. Read the entire account over on Green’ website that includes a bonafide chase scene and vehicle stopping heroics by Brad Baker of fixed gear boutique Trackstar. |BikeBlog|
Photo of Mike Green victoriously holding up recovered bike at recent Critical Mass rally.
Out of all the people that would get their track bikes stolen, Mike Green is the least likely. For all intents and purposes he’s what many would regard as a city cycling expert. Green, who pens BikeBlog, is street smart, rides through traffic without getting killed, and pretty much knows the game inside out. However, he let his guard down—maybe he was naturally high from Earth Day—falling for the ol’ ‘let me test drive your nice bike here’s my fake car keys routine’ and watched in agony as his bike was ridden away in plain sight. He describes the thief as Hispanic, “pale like he was on the methadone program,” and rocking one of those ghetto t-shirts with an airbrushed Scarface on it. To get the word out to fellow bikers, Green posted pics of the steed and a description of the perp on his site within an hour of the bike getting jacked. Here’s the scam:
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