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In Vancouver, BC 5:15pm March 19, 2011 at Waterloo and W. Broadway.

I had just come out of the bank and a guy pulled up in a new black Chrysler 300C drove up and stopped. He rolled down the window and told me he was lost and asked if I could give him direction to the airport. Well dressed and well spoken with an Italian accent. I gave him directions and he offered my a leather jacket to thank me.

Thought he was very gracious and refused, he insisted and introduced himself as Aldo a representative from an italian company that sold high end leather jackets, Armani, Gucci, GA Milano, etc. Told me he had been in a show at the Convention Centre and had these samples (they were labelled sample) left and didn't really want to take them back to Italy. He then offered to give me the rest of the jackets he had if I were to buy one for $1500. I declined but eventually ended up giving him $300 for seven jackets.

Two in a brown suede material and five black "leather" jackets, various styles. They were all wrapped in plastic with GA Milano lablels. They are not leather but rather what I'm told is referred to as "Pleather" made of a PLC derivative which actually feels, to my touch, very much like my good leather coat, (see how good my touch is). Smooth talker, very personable, had a map of Vancouver on the dash and what looked like an airline ticket folder visibe.

He had an Italian passport in the compartment between the seats that showed he had been in Uruguay and Chile in the past month. Very smooth. Felt like a dummy afterwards, but will offer them to some of my staff. He is a w/m, 6" tall, 185 lbs, italian accent, dark hair, very well groomed and very well dressed.

I knew I had been ripped right after it happened, remembering the "if it is too good to be true, it is too good to be true" mantra. I jumped on the computer and was floored to see the extent of this scam.

Reports from different Europe, USA and Canada that are very similar.

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

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Guest

My dad got *** scammed the exact same way at a costco...

Guest

Are these jackets worth anything?

Guest

Well the slick fella was working the AJ's parking lot on east Lincoln in Scottsdale Arizona on January 31, 2019. The sharp looking young man ask for directions to the Air Port same story he got me for $400.00 in exchange for 6 leather jackets.

Guest

Today a friend of mine was approached by a Italian man seeking directions to Miami . He then explained that he dressed mannequins but had a few jackets he couldn’t use and would like to give him one as a gift for being kind .

Then agreed to sell him the remainder of jackets for 200$ My friend who is elderly bought them.

They aren’t real leather and smell toxic . Buyer beware

Guest

I just had an encounter with such a con man this noon in Fountain Valley, California.

This Italian accent businessman around 50 years old, parked next to my car and asked me for direction to the Los Angeles International Airport. I gave him the direction.

He did not leave immediately, but told me he was the General Manager of the famous “Emporio Ga Milan” fashion store in Mila, Italy. He was here for a 2 weeks business trip, visiting his store in Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills. He was given some samples of high end jackets in the range of over $1,000 but he could not bring them back to Italy due to custom tax, so he was going to give some to me. He did not give and leave, but keep talking & showing me more jacket samples.

Because I had to leave to pick up my granddaughter right away, I did not give him the opportunity to sell me anything; he just abruptly took his ‘gifts’ back. I then just left. I was suspecting something fishy about this guy, came home and searched the internet, and BINGO, I was right. Thank God For His Protection that I almost let my greed get me into trouble.

Another lesson was learned today, do not be greedy, if the offer is too good to be true, then it is too good to be true. Be alert!

- D 12.13. 2017 Fountain Valley, California

Guest

similar story - Costco car park in Sunbury Surrey - same story - as the 2 in Canada and US

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1401930

This just happened to my husband. He was at Toys R Us in Etobicoke shopping for my grand daughters Eid gift and same description man approached him and my husband gave him 600.00 for 7 jackets.My husband has the biggest heart. And then he gets screwed

Guest

Met him in Tustin, CALIF; Costco Parking lot.

Met the joker and older fella in their rental car yesterday looking for quickest route to LAX...smooth talker, but fake Rolex and lousy business card printing warned my senses.

The more I looked at the shiny jacket that was to be for my wife, the more it looked cheap; even though he took a lighter to show that it wouldn't burn like vinyl.

Quite the showman.

Gave me 5 jackets as a "GIFT" so he wouldn't have to deal with customs and then asked me for a GIFT as he needed some US currency to buy his 8 year old daughter an iPad duty free at Airport as her birthday was the next day.

Showed his Passport as well.

Didn't fall for it.

I put the jackets back in his car and I drove off! Too good to be true.

Guest

He's been in Palm Springs Ca. Trader Joes parking lot.

Got me for $60.00 for three jackets. I new it was to good to be true as I passed over the $60.00 to him.

Guest

Similar experience happened to me in Elmhurst, Queens NY on 11/27/17. I end up giving $140.00 for 4 jackets.

Guest

I had a similar experience too, two years ago in Queens, New York!

Guest

Similar scam running now in Philadelphia.

Guest

Just got ripped off on gunhill road Bronx ny same description, same story, driving a black keep Cherokee

Very slick.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1334583

I got ripped off by the same guy on Vernon Blvd in Queens... Bronx born and street smart...

I still got scammed. I know the *** merchandise too! I realized as I started to hand the guy money and he was *** about the amount... Wanted to take the jackets back but I refused said it was his loss, I still gave him money as I thought he hustled for it..

Looking back I should've knocked his *** out.

I speak fluent Italian we even spoke about certain parts of Italy not typically known, he had me fooled for a bit... Hopefully the rest of NYC will see this..

Guest

Same scam happened to me yesterday 5/24/17 in Danvers, MA. Happened exactly as described.

Smooth talker. Can't believe I fell for it guy told me they were for free..

Gave me 3 of them then asked me for some money. I ended up giving back two jackets but paid $40 for a worthless jacket that my wife says looks horrible on me.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1332276

Same scam happened to me yesterday mar 1,2018 at around 5 pm infront of fil-am store,Roosvelt ave.,ny.and end up buying 6 med leather jackets,(4bl&2br.)giving $380 how nice dis guy is?hoping he will be in jail soon.

Guest

Well this sounds like it's everywhere. It even happened to me in Portola Valley outside of Robert's foods.

He also asked for directions to the airport talked about the show at the convention center and that he didn't want to pay the taxes to bring them back to Italy. Gave me his card and give me 7 leather jackets and one for $550 for the last one. I will say they look very genuine and have fooled those I've given them to.

I did get his license plate. Don't know if I have time to pursue anything there..

Guest

my Dad got scam yesterday as well, the guy was asking for airport direction and then gave my dad a bag of leather jackets and asking for donation

Guest

It just happened to my Grandfather in Laguna Hills, CA. Watch out folks in Orange County.

Guest

***! Exactly the same thing happened to me i mean exactly how you described it here in chicago, and i said i would give him 300 just give me a sec to take care of this mechanic issue, i was at a mechanic shop, then looked it up on internet and them jackets are like $40 each, told him the prices and he just took off, but funny thing is your story was an exact match, maybe it was the same guy lol,

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