SCAM ALERT: Watch out for guy who will ask if you speak English

[jstraw20]

3 hours ago, Clubber said:

Still at it. Approached a friend of mine.  He snapped this picture for me  

LOL! Yeah, that's him.

[Bailey & Sophie]

 

We live in Minneapolis MN. We see people on major intersections daily and see frequently how many people give money. We know a scam.

In addition I can ask rebuttal questions in French & German. 

Thanks for the face in photo! I think perhaps it's the first one ever.

[Hello, Newman]

Our group was approached by this fine individual February 22.  Same approach, same story, same clothes, and even in the same location.  Thanks to this forum we didn't fall for the scam and even had time to alert others before they fell for it. 

[Angelfsh131]

Is it sad that I am hoping to see him? 😂 He’s a little C.C. Famous at the point. 

[Clubber]

On 2/27/2020 at 7:45 AM, Angelfsh131 said:

Is it sad that I am hoping to see him? 😂 He’s a little C.C. Famous at the point. 

 

I've been hoping to see him for 10 years.   Just missed him by ten minutes a few weeks ago when my friend snapped the pic above.  Maybe next time.

[mmcen78]

This guys is still out here telling the same story about him and his dad getting mugged in OSJ. Unfortunately, I didn’t see this story until we got back to the hotel.  Now short $13 and laughing at stories we are reading about the same guy running this scam.  I’m sharing a picture someone posted on here from last year. It’s the same guy but now he’s wearing a mask.  Pay attention to the preamble of “hey do you speak English?”and the big ears.  You can’t miss it. Good luck folks and don’t get scammed like us. 

[jstraw20]

2 hours ago, mmcen78 said:

This guys is still out here telling the same story about him and his dad getting mugged in OSJ. Unfortunately, I didn’t see this story until we got back to the hotel.  Now short $13 and laughing at stories we are reading about the same guy running this scam.  I’m sharing a picture someone posted on here from last year. It’s the same guy but now he’s wearing a mask.  Pay attention to the preamble of “hey do you speak English?”and the big ears.  You can’t miss it. Good luck folks and don’t get scammed like us. 

 

Yup, that's him. Looks like he ditched the nose bandage.

[mmcen78]

21 hours ago, mmcen78 said:

This guys is still out here telling the same story about him and his dad getting mugged in OSJ. Unfortunately, I didn’t see this story until we got back to the hotel.  Now short $13 and laughing at stories we are reading about the same guy running this scam.  I’m sharing a picture someone posted on here from last year. It’s the same guy but now he’s wearing a mask.  Pay attention to the preamble of “hey do you speak English?”and the big ears.  You can’t miss it. Good luck folks and don’t get scammed like us. 

Dear travel community, our OSJS (Old San Juan Scammer) is out and about again tonight (July 25, 2021). We spotted him once again by the food trucks preying on unassuming couples.  Of course we jumped in to save the night.  But not without taking a video and some pictures of him first.  He quickly beat feet.  But wouldn’t you know, we spotted him again on our way to our Hotel whilst he was yet again  onto his shenanigans troubling  travelers.  Again, we stepped in to save the night. Who knows how many more victims are on his path this evening.  Nonetheless, we feel vindicated from our previous night where we fell victim to the OSJS.  Stay vigilant folks!  See updated picture of our OSJS.

[zpdw484]

11 hours ago, mmcen78 said:

We have seen this guy many times through the years. We always start laughing and proceed to tell him how famous he is online. That gets rid of him real fast lol. On a side note, is everyone still wearing masks in San Juan even outdoors? I thought this was lifted for vaccinated people a while back. Thanks!

[mmcen78]

3 hours ago, zpdw484 said:

We have seen this guy many times through the years. We always start laughing and proceed to tell him how famous he is online. That gets rid of him real fast lol. On a side note, is everyone still wearing masks in San Juan even outdoors? I thought this was lifted for vaccinated people a while back. Thanks!

When walking outside no one really says anything but most shops still expect you to put the mask on in their stores

[sealeggs]

You have to give it up to him. He doesn't give up. On the other hand he is still obviously receiving money or he would have stopped by now.

[pc2425]

We were on Mardi Gras and had a stop in San Juan 8/17.  My husband and brother in law went back over to a store while myself and my sister stayed on the ship.  This guy approached them with the same story.  My husband doesn’t read these boards and I had totally forgotten to tell him about this guy.  Luckily they didn’t fall for his story and kept walking.  So he is definitely still at it!

[Mike45LC]

On 8/25/2021 at 3:58 PM, pc2425 said:

We were on Mardi Gras and had a stop in San Juan 8/17.  

Can you start a new thread reporting to us how Old San Juan is these days?  Were many of the shops, restaurants and bars open?  Were masks required outdoors?  Were people wearing asks in the restaurants?  

 

I need to decide if we are going to proceed with our upcoming cruise or if we should cancel and put it off until 2022!

[pc2425]

30 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

Can you start a new thread reporting to us how Old San Juan is these days?  Were many of the shops, restaurants and bars open?  Were masks required outdoors?  Were people wearing asks in the restaurants?  

 

I need to decide if we are going to proceed with our upcoming cruise or if we should cancel and put it off until 2022!

I really don’t have much to report.  We didn’t walk around very much.   Mostly just right by the port.  There were vendors set up on the streets and they all had on masks,  We didn’t go into any restaurants or bars so I don’t know the mask situation.  Walking around people had on masks.  Signs were everywhere saying masks required and a $100 fine.  My husband pulled his mask down and was standing on the sidewalk and a policeman drove by, stopped and pointed at him to pull up his mask.

[Mike45LC]

11 minutes ago, pc2425 said:

I really don’t have much to report.  We didn’t walk around very much.   Mostly just right by the port.  There were vendors set up on the streets and they all had on masks,  We didn’t go into any restaurants or bars so I don’t know the mask situation.  Walking around people had on masks.  Signs were everywhere saying masks required and a $100 fine.  My husband pulled his mask down and was standing on the sidewalk and a policeman drove by, stopped and pointed at him to pull up his mask.

Thanks for the first hand report from a cruiser's perspective!  I'm glad that they are taking the mask mandate seriously.  

[lka1012]

Neyt, in my most southern accent

Edited September 26, 2021 by lka1012

[momof3cruisers]

Okay…people really buy that the police in OSJ don’t speak English? Sorry, I got stuck on that point. OTOH, I’m thinking I would need to just answer him in Spanish. Lol

[Originalscamalert]

I was the original person who started this thread as waking life. I lost that login and started this.

 

I can't believe this thread is going 11 years later and this guy is still scamming 11 years later.

 

Thanks for everybody who contributed 

[hdowney]

On 11/5/2021 at 1:37 AM, Originalscamalert said:

I was the original person who started this thread as waking life. I lost that login and started this.

 

I can't believe this thread is going 11 years later and this guy is still scamming 11 years later.

 

Thanks for everybody who contributed 

 

If he is still using the line about his dad being mugged I think I'd crack up laughing at him. His da must be over 100 at this point!!!

[PaulC29]

Oh I hope I run into him Jan 2023. Want to get video telling him he's famous on this site. 

[skagen]

Wife and I contributed a couple of years back, kind of figuring it was a scam but not positive - if I have the fun of bumping into him and he leads with a "do you speak english" line I need to go straight to a "thank goodness someone else speaks english my father was just mugged" story

[Salt Lifer]

This thread is the best thing on Cruise Critic! We will be keeping an eye out for this guy in April.  

[tigergrl1981]

My husband and I are in San Juan today on the MSC Seashore and we were approached by this guy today. Thanks to this forum, I knew to grab my husband and walk away. 

[wildcats40]

We recognized the man about a block from the pier.  Same line about "Do you speak English".  We just ignored him.

 

[AACJ]

I'm hoping to see him soon. lolz