Two attempted scams in 15 minutes

Last week I had an appointment at the Linq casino. I arrived early, as I almost always do, because I hate to be late. So, I played about 15 minutes of video poker. Yes, the pay tables are awful there, but I want to stay on good terms in Caesars properties and hopefully it will help to put in a little play at a high-edge video poker game. I've heard your offers are largely based on theoretical loss.

Scam #1 happened after about ten minutes of play. A white female, who appeared to be about 35, approached and started to make small talk, She asked me how I was doing, congratulated me for a $400 win I hit about five minutes before she appeared, and seemed to cling on every word I said (something few women do). She complimented me on how smart I seemed and touched my shoulder lots of times. Then the sob story started. Her mother from Houston was just diagnosed with cancer and she came to visit her in Vegas before starting treatment. In showing her mother around the casinos her luck went bad and lost all her money. So, she asked me to put some money into the next machine so we could play together. Very much a version of the hustle I saw in Panama many times. I told her I had seen her act before and wasn't going to buy in. She asked a few more times and finally wandered off.

Scam #2 happened shortly after. An Asian female, around 40 years old, asked me out of the blue why I was playing the game I was when there was a much better one next to me. She then rattled off a pay table that was too good to be true. So I got up and looked at the game. It was a Game King with lots of games. She pulled up an Ultimate X game and showed me the MULTIPLIER pay table. I explained to her that what she was referring to were not guaranteed wins but multipliers on the next hand. She clearly knew that I knew the trick and vanished without even a good-bye. In case you're wondering, I've heard of this scam before. If I had fallen for it she would have watched me play and tried to get me to leave with multipliers on the machine, and then vulture it.

I've seen plenty of scams in Vegas but never so close together. I hope those not familiar with both scams have learned something from this post.

I haven't seen anyone try the vulture hustle around here yet.

Even when I was legitimately vulturing, you get to know the regulars pretty well. This may have been detrimental to me, but to those people, I'd actually tell them they shouldn't leave multipliers. Now people I didn't know we'll, I didn't say a word.

That is some funny s$%t... they had no idea who they were trying to hustle! lol

Ive only had one attempted hustle on me over the years, I guess this is because I like to put on a pissed off face and curse under my breath when I have a lot of money in casinos by myself. No one wants to f*$# with a pissed off crazy guy that looks like he just lost all of his money.

Getting back to the one hustle... Several years ago I was at Caesars in AC ready to play craps. I was watching the table before I jumped in. Some older guy with a ponytail (you may have seen him if you play there) came up to me and said he could make me money on the craps table. Obviously he had no idea who he was trying to hustle in the craps arena...haha , but I was in a fun mood and decided to play dumb. I told him that I was all ears. He started to tell me that he rolls the dice a certain way and that he cant lose. I said 'wow you must be really rich and I would love to watch you play'. He said his wife was on her way to the casino and she had his wallet so he needed me to put up $100. I then flipped the script on him and told him that I was intrigued with his proposal but he would need to give me $100 for me not to go to the pit boss and tell him that he is scamming and harassing customers. He looked dumbfounded and stuttered for a few seconds... then looked down at the ground then back up at me and said.... 'ahhh, you got me, ok man you got me, I was just playin though'. We laughed , he walked, I played....and won.

Congratulations on that 400 win of several minutes ago.. I've been watching for marks and thought I'd give you a try.

Yipes... what an obvious indication someone was up to no good.

Beautiful women rarely hang on a man's every word... indeed they usually don't even listen. They eye the man's wallet and make their decisions.

Ever think to hit the attendant button ... tell security. Might help to chase these parasites out, particularly if you can get them to look straight into the camera.

Quote: WatchMeWin

That is some funny s$%t... I then flipped the script on him and told him that I was intrigued with his proposal but he would need to give me $100 for me not to go to the pit boss and tell him that he is scamming and harassing customers.

Good one !

Wiz:

As a good "citizen", I wonder what they would have done if you just flipped on the "service" button to have someone from the casino come over, and then see what they would do when you introduced them to Ms. Scammer, IF in fact she stuck around long enough to find out !

Wiz -

You gotta work on that naive Steve Burns / Howdy Doody face of yours...

Quote: FleaStiff

Ever think to hit the attendant button ... tell security. Might help to chase these parasites out, particularly if you can get them to look straight into the camera.

Generally, no. If they are nice to me, like the scam #1 woman was, I don't have the heart to do more than say "no." The Ultimate X scam woman I might have but she vanished as soon as she knew the gig was up.

Quote: Wizard

Generally, no. If they are nice to me, like the scam #1 woman was, I don't have the heart to do more than say "no."

With all due respect, I would like you consider taking a wider view on this. Most IF NOT ALL casino customers are not as knowledgeable as you. If someone was scamming your poor old mom, would you want someone to try to assist her by simply pressing the "attendant" button ?

In this forum, you are "preachin' to the choir".

A little of topic but speaking of scams, I watched an episode of American Greed earlier about the Jamaican lottery scammers. Still can't believe in this day and age that people fall for this.

I have never seen a female Ultimate X "creator" in a casino. Shoumin Chai must've found a new hobby.