Submitted by BU Family Member a document which was circulated by Sagicor
The following report was recently made to Simpson Motors and we are sharing the details with you, with the kind permission of Debbie Simpson.
On Tuesday, a lady in a Suzuki Liana was on her way to work at the airport on the highway. She pulled to the side of the road because she did not like how the car was driving. A vehicle drove up behind her and a man got out to assist and told her that as he was driving behind her, he noticed her wheel wobbling. He said he was Jason from Simpson Motors. He was not wearing uniform and when asked about this, said he was on sick leave as he had gotten into an altercation at work and got cut up!
So ‘Jason’ then proceeded to check the car, jack it up and even called the Parts Department asking for pricing on parts which he recommended that the car needed. By the way he did call Parts and we did give him prices and there was an enquiry open on this car.
Read the full circular dated 10 September 2008 which was circulated by Sagicor
Barbados Underground 
This scenario has all the hallmarks of a scam but they are only circulating it internally or to selected companies. If they try it once you can be sure they’ll try it again. Simpson Motors should share the details with the public via a Public Service Announcement
This story is widely circulated on the internet with a copy of the memo being circulated internally. This scenario and the memo being circulated was confirmed by Simpson’s Motors.
all it says to me that the criminals in bim are becoming more sophisticated
Maybe it is the ones coming back to Bim.
So much education bajans have but NO common SENSE, how easy ppl are fooled.
@dominoes
We wondered the same thing. How could somebody give $500.00 and their car to a stranger? It smacks of stupidity and to have to read a circular of type is highly embarrassing. Then again if the Nigerians get people to buy into their so obvious scams it says a lot.
Watch out. You’re turning into our nanny. The fatal trap of all bloggers.
How many people walk around with $500.00 in their pocket or purse?
Did she give him a cheque?
How did the guy know she was going to have to stop?
How did the Defense Force truck happen to be in the area and provide the confirmation of his bona fides?
She must have been marked and watched for a while.
Hard to believe it was purely opportunistic and not planned. But this seems like a tremendous risk to take and effort to make for $500.00.
Guess somebody wanted that car pretty bad. The lady was very, very lucky.
Kind of scary.
@John
You have asked some good questions. We need to hear more.
Sorry to say but that’s the dumbest thing anyone can do. She’s lucky she got the car back. Give the guy $ 500.00 and a car, in a day like today. Lady wake up, this is not old Barbados, this is the New Barbados.
There is something about the story that does not fit the bill. If she were not threatened or in danger, why would she give willingly to an unknown person that large sum of money? It makes me go hmmm.
Was this a story to make Bajans especially women more vigilant, and the thought of demonstrating such a scenario will drive it home?
All of us hope at sometime that something would happen which would take some of the hassle out of our frustrations but this is ridiculous.
How did she get to work?
There are too, too many unanswered questions. Where are the investigative reporters?
I think this story may put many people at ease if the alleged victim were to appear on Radio where people can call in and ask her questions.
Until something along those lines are done, there will be speculation.
Eyespy
There is a report in today’s newspaper, of a young man who has been charged with what appears to be the same incedent
In 2008 people in Barbados are still taking a lot for granted. I understand that we are still looked at as a caring society. When I come to Barbados and I take certain precautions my family tells me that I am paranoid.It is the decent ones who are the biggest scam artists.
This story must be an urban myth, but if alerts others to the possibility of danger, all well and good. All that for just $500? And he gave her his true cell no.? In the message I received, she called him to tell him she needed something from the car…he told her whre he was, but the police could not locate him. Sounds fishy to me!
Juris
The incedent apparently did happen because a young man Jason something appeared in court charged with the offenc. The report was in Friday weekend nation newspaper.
Just goes to show that there is one born every minute. Lady drivers need to familiarise themselves with the basics of the vehicle they drive, otherwise they will fall prey everytime to scammers. Equally as bad is when you part with money to a known tradesman, and he disappears or constanly keeps dodging you,while you car lies under a tree.
I don’t know call me stupid…but is this really true????
No nattyBaj you not stupid … b/cause when i read it i was most suprised. I’m a driver and i believe most of us here are; but who in their right mind when cost/standard of living so high would give a stranger $500. Nowadays who have $500 in my purse.
We need to think before we react.
It’s amazing
What is so surprising about this incident?
How is it so different from a whole bunch of Caribbean Prime Ministers signing the EPA?
…a bunch of Europeans offers us a deal to fix our trade car which has developed a bit of a whobble…
…we ALL smell a rat – even the proponents admit that it is a trick deal but they calm us with the logic that “it is the best we can do’….
We have been promised by the Europeans that once we sign up, all will be well… Is that not what the guy promised the idio… i mean lady?
We may even be more foolish …. I suspect that she did not know that guy and probably had reason to trust him. On the other hand, we have a long history with the Europeans….
Sunday afternoon we drove visiting friends drive up to North Point, did the cave, took photo’s etc, rambled our way back deciding to take them to Cherry Tree Hill for the view before returning them to Speightstown area.When we got to Boscabel there were about 7/8 men at a junction trying to tell us to turn right, that the road was closed, we ignored them and turned left, then another man, almost stepped in front of the car and my husband, told me to drive on, this man was almost inside the car window, telling him a ‘good route to go’ eyeing up camera equipment at he same time, we told him we knew where we were going, I put my foot down and drove off. After taking our friends back to their hotel we phoned the police, who GAVE US a description of the man! and said this group had been causing trouble with tourists, ( but we were local car local people) and they would speak to them again. I’ve already heard a story of tourists being nearly robbed near Cherry Tree Hill a few weeks ago, just a warning people, be careful…………
The character in question is the same Jason who was forbidden by a magistrate About a year ago from frquenting tha Garrison area at night when he appaired in court confessing he was a pimp. If you remember the same Jason was intervied by the nation newspaper at length about his life as a pimp. Jason is realy a skilled mechanic, but he has also developed some other skills which have included Impersonation of a police officer when he defrauded a tourist of two thousand dollars. which also was a case which reached the magistrate courts and which landed him one year in prison. So dont be suprlised that the same Jason has comitted this act of fraud on this woman, he has a knack for doing this kind of thing. The fact that a defence force personell had reconized him as a mechinic is just a coincidence because he is a well known person in certian areas. But knowing all of this, I think that people in general need to be more carefull when they go about their buisness and seek geunine assistance where possible. He is not the only criminal of this type out there.