Scam me Once ...

Gosh. I can't believe it's been over a month since I wrote on my blog. I certainly  haven't been idle. My daughter came to stay for 2 glorious weeks and then I started writing a brand new mystery series for Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's. There has been the usual office drama, too.

However, I felt compelled to blog today because I seem to be a scam magnet. Only last Sunday, as I was filling up my car with petrol, I was attracted by one of those bright canopy tent things pitched on a street corner announcing fabulous 820-1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheet sets for sale at the unbeatable price of $20 per set!

Cautious as ever (but clearly not that cautious), I chatted to the very cute blond (who asked me if I was a Buddhist) and suggested I touch these super-soft beautiful sheets by J. Sanders. They were soft. Very soft. And yes, I came away $44 dollars lighter - 2 sets plus a service fee - but thinking I had a bargain.

To be honest, I wasn't that surprised to discover later that the sheets were a piece of crap. Sorry - but they were. I pulled them out of the packet to wash them and the instructions said "wash only in cold water" and "do not iron" and jeez .... I could see my hand through the fabric. Arrgh ... so I googled J. Sanders scam and of course I had been fooled. The small print on the packaging said "as soft as Eyptian cotton sheets."

So I'm older and wiser and I have decided to stick to the linen sheets my mother gave me that her mother gave her. Believe it or not, mum's old sheets were not Made in China.

A Curious Kind of Scam

About a month ago, as my sister and I were walking back to our car in the Wholefoods parking lot on 3rd Street, a woman asked for help. Apparently she was an Elementary school teacher and had car problems. She offered me $5 for my Triple A membership card so she could "call the breakdown service."

My husband is notoriously suspicious of everyone (he has a vivid imagination - oh wait, he's a writer, too). He shreds every scrap of paper that ever crosses his path and is obsessed with the prospect of having his identity stolen. Knowing he'd freak out, I said "sorry no." But - I felt terrible. Especially when it began to rain.

Last week I was shopping in Ralphs downtown and the same woman approached me! I couldn't believe it! This time she offered $60 for my Triple A membership card. This store is 9 miles from Wholefoods! She obviously has some kind of scam going. I pointed out that she'd already "asked me" and she scurried off.

I'm more annoyed by the fact that I wasted all that energy feeling guilty the first time. So for you gullible people out there - beware! On this occasion (just this one), it would seem my husband is right.

Seriously ... does Mr. Suleman think I was born yesterday?

So ... this was the first email in my in-box this morning ...

Hello Mr. Williams sister,

We received email this morning from Mr John Williams who said that he is your brother,he said we should stop contacting you as you had car accident and on sick bed. And as such your fund should be wired to him via his bank account in New York City. We need to get your approval for the release of the fund to your brother asap.You can reply also via: alhajihassansulemann1@yahoo.com.hk.

Best Regards,

Alhaji Hassan Suleman.