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Beware of a man who says his truck has broken down—it may have been that way since 2002.
Kelowna RCMP is warning residents that a prolific fraudster seems to be still at work on his hard-luck hoaxes. A 40-year-old Kelowna man has been convicted 44 times between 2002 and 2012 with a heavy emphasis on fraud and false pretences, and he doesn't seem to be stopping. Apparently the reports of this scammer are very similar, as the man often gives victims his name first and then tells one of two different hard-luck stories to gain sympathy.
The most common scam appears to be that the man's truck has broken down, been towed, or run out of gas, and he needs some money to pay for a tow, get his truck back, or pay for fuel. His second story is that he's a new neighbour and that he's locked his keys in his residence. He then asks for money to pay for a locksmith.
This man is known to police as a crack cocain user, and they say he supports his habit partly through these scams. Police report that he's taken thousands of dollars from dozens of victims over the years, and they suggest that there's likely many unreported incidents.
The man is described as a 40-year-old Caucasian male with short brown hair and hazel eyes. He's 6'1” and about 190 lbs.
Police warn the public to not feel pressured to give money and not to disclose personal financial information. If you feel that someone at your door is conducting a scam, call the police.
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