A roadside scammer is targeting innocent passers-by in Buġibba using a dishonest scheme to defraud people and take their money. An unlucky man had this happen to him twice, but this time he was prepared and captured the whole exchange on camera.
Exclusive footage sent to SideStreet reveals the entire scam and exposes the fraudster. In the video, he can be seen approaching the car and says his wife is panicking. He says he’s all out of money and is in desperate need of a tow truck. “Is there any way you can help me guys, maybe I f*cking go home this evening?
Immediately the victim notices that he’s already been targeted by this scammer before. “Last week you took €15 from me … I need my €15 euro …. Don’t lie to me”.
The tone changes and the two men who were stopped begin to catch on. “It was you, the same place last week, you took €15 from me, you told me you were in the same situation”.
The men get increasingly angry as they realise they had been robbed and were about to get robbed again. They insist that he return the money he originally stole.
The man does not deny he stole the money: “Listen, guys, we will sort this out… I will pay you the €15… it’s not a lot of money, it’s €15”
The victim said there was no problem originally giving him the money because he believed he was genuine, but he wants his money back now because he realises he’s been scammed.
At this point, the man takes a step back and says he doesn’t have the money to repay him. The scammer’s wife, and possible accomplice, asks the victim to take a photo of them and the number plate so that if they don’t pay him back he can report to the police.
They threaten to call the police there and then but the scammer breaks down, begging him not to as that would cause “big trouble”.
The altercation ends with the victims calling the scammer shameful, to which he can only reply “You’re right man, you’re right” almost sounding remorseful in his tone. The couple admits they’ve been scamming people for one month. The wife defends her husband and says “it’s my fault”.
The scammer shakes his head and says: “I’m not proud of myself at all”
Speaking to SideStreet the victims said they decided not to report the man to the police but warned him to try and get a job instead of dishonestly scamming people at the side of the road. They said they shared the video with us so awareness could be raised, and so that others don’t suffer the same fate they did.
Share this video to make sure other people aren’t tricked as well.