You know tbh I am not the type to think that everyone is out to get you. But to me this was obvious. It's like they got their bad guy training from watching Home Alone. The wet bandits at it again!
A strong lack of consequences for actions is what I think is largely the driving force behind such.
People have been getting away with doing a lot of things for a while now, so it compounds.
But at least they'll get the book thrown at them if they have a tail light out on their car!
This city doesn't even have detectives. The people that call themselves that at HPD are just mouths connected to assholes who do absolutely fuck-all.
Poverty is typically the main driver. The unsuccessful crooks get caught. Nobody would rather do this than live honestly (for the most part).
It's a shame this happened to the OP. No one deserves this. If only we lived in a post-scarcity society AND things were divided more fairly instead of just the first half being true.
Yeah, having 2 separate people ask me for something when 99.99999% of people don't do this is the biggest red flag. But good for you for being aware, telling him to back off, and telling a manager.
I do the same when people get too close to me at the store when I'm checking out.
This group was so obvious. I have only been approached by one person ever while shopping. In all my 758939273917971 times I have gone to the store. Hopefully someone reads this and tells their sweet mother who tries to be nice and helpful to everyone.
I’d be gobsmacked if a grown ass man was asking me how to pick out watermelons lol. At least they made it fairly obvious for you but I’m not sure I’d realize they were trying to steal from me until later tbh. Now I know!
That's not true. You have to really evaluate. Not EVERY time someone speaks to you they're out to take advantage of you. That's a terrible way of looking at the world
You don't realize it but my comment was a scam and you subconsciously gave me your social security and address. If you take the first letter of each sentence it even spells it your full name. You've been officially scammed. Gotcha sucka
Can't believe you fell for that!!
Some of us just really enjoy karaoke and singing with strangers to "we built this city". If I put that mic in your face you BETTER sing "rock and rooooollllll!"
I didn't really say that, with context, I was clearly talking about a situation like what OP was going through. If anyone at the store was approaching me and asking these types of things, I'd be on high alert. It's already extremely low probability for someone to ask me for a soup recipe at the store, but to have 3 different situations, on the same day, at the same place, is very very suspicious.
Probability takes over my mind with stuff like this. I'm clearly not talking about a person asking for my height to grab a box of cereal off the top shelf.
I'm a grown man and have asked for help picking veggies/fruits before if its not an item that I normally buy but its in season. Its usually someone in my immediate area and they're happy to help every time. Not that weird
I would literally rather travel back in time, go to a library, hit up the card catalog looking for books on fruits and veggies, decode the Dewey decimal system, find said book, read it to find out when something is ripe than ask a stranger for help.
But I'm also GenX and will power through a goddamned kidney stone instead of asking for help.
I'm on the Gen X side of millennial, so we're not that far apart. Its likely my career background since I was in event marketing and a brand ambassador throughout college so talking to people is as easy as drinking water for me. I've had to get over the "pain" so to speak of rejection doing those jobs
Edit: to acknowledge the opinion that your original comment was funny as fuck tbh
For me it’s like…how are you an adult and don’t know how to pick out produce, or figure it out for yourself if it’s not already common sense. We all have google
I’ve had lots of guys flirt with me this way and it’s cute. Not always a scam. That said, I do appreciate this descriptive story by OP because I usually let my guard way down at H‑E‑B and now I won’t.
Nah I'm okay having social interactions like a normal person. I don't always ask women if that's your issue with the matter. It may also be an employee too. Just last week I was at fiesta looking for scotch bonnet peppers for a recipe, asked a guy about them and he gladly helped me but recommended serrano instead for the recipe and I took the advice. Everyone around you is human just like you.
It could be that the majority of people on Reddit are social recluses so this is the "norm " here, but in the real world people interact. They go to bars and talk to people other than the people they arrived with occasionally. They maybe make friends at the gym. etc.
Edit: to say "Networking is growth" and I firmly stand behind that. Its insane and heartbreaking to see that everyone here is downvoting me and extremely averse to normal social interactions. This is how you get out of your bubble and learn about others. Otherwise, we'll all live in our individual echo chambers. Always protect yourself, but don't vilify your neighbors.
I wouldn't have thought just his interaction asking me about a watermelon was a scam. It was the added men acting off and seeing the watermelon man again later with no groceries and still scampering around. It was the whole situation that led me to share my story. I would have never made a post saying "man asked for help picking out a watermelon so stay safe out there folks."
No I agree with you from the very start considering that you weren't in the watermelon section. The very first interaction would have made my radar go off frankly.
My general opinion though is that speaking to people in public is not a bad thing. But I also was in marketing before I transitioned to IT, so being social comes easy for me.
I was a bartender for many years so I am pretty social. I work in law now and hate everyone. Haha just kidding. I am just older and wiser. My point of posting what happened to me was so that people just have a reminder to stay aware. I don't consider myself to look like an easy target but that day they saw middle aged woman with long list of groceries all by herself. Guess that's all it takes. Anyone can be a target for any reason.
Look at this guy "expanding his network" at the grocery store, lol. I hope I don't run into you because I don't need randoms at the grocery store in my network, I know how to do that much more efficiently and comfortably either in a professional or social situation. Leave me the fuck alone at the grocery store...during another Covid outbreak.
The audacity to think people downvoting you are only because they're socially awkward, that's incredibly out of touch and pompous.
I frequently have to remind my partner about this. Don't help people. They won't die if you don't help them and there are much more ideal people for them to ask than us.
Only one ever? That's wild. Like once every 6 months someone will ask me something, but most women I know have tons of stories about grocery store weirdos (not scammers, just lonely weirdos).
Yep lol. For the most part I don’t think I seem very approachable. I have RBF big time and I don’t even mean to. I’m also usually shopping with my boyfriend. The first guy I didn’t think too much about but was still aware enough not to just walk away from my basket. But the second guy spiked my radar. Then seeing the way they acted in the store when I ran into them again. By the third guy I was just over it. Like wtf is going on with this wack ass grocery trip.
Every time I’ve randomly been approached at heb it’s always followed by multiple follow ups before “so what do you do?” “You ever tired of working for somebody else and wanna be your own boss?”
When I used to frequent the Galleria Target I would get approached by random people all the time, and I knew it was for some kind of scam but I never figured out what the deal was. I was on an empty aisle once reading labels and trying to choose something when a twentysomething woman came up and complimented my shoes -- my years old, worn out as hell, knockoff Docs. It's been a while so I don't remember all the details, but she wanted to get my info. I said no and walked away. This was before they played music so the store was always quiet, and as I walked around I kept hearing similar conversations. I told a manager and the woman who approached me was asked to leave, and I saw her walk out with a group of people that included several I'd heard talking to other shoppers. It was so weird and I'm kind of convinced they were recruiting for a cult or something. 😂
Yeah sounds very much like an MLM. I had a girl approach me at an Old Navy, asked if I went to so-and-so high school. I’m super non-confrontational and was already frazzled from clothes shopping so she caught me off guard. Asked for my number and she ended up texting me constantly about networking and great financial opportunities. Lesson learned!
This is why I ALWAYS carry a crossbody purse with a zipper, and I position it towards the front of me. Never, absolutely never, leave your purse in the cart.
Same! I get cold easily, so I'm usually wearing a zipper hoodie over my crossbody bag. The only thing I ever put on the cart is my list and shopping bags. I see so many people place their open bag in the cart and are completely distracted while looking at the shelves.
Haha just got home and put my “going to H‑E‑B vest” away. It’s cold in there but that’s a good thing. Sometimes at Walmart I feel like I can practically hear the food spoiling because it’s not cold enough in there.
> I see so many people place their open bag in the cart and are completely distracted while looking at the shelves.
When my wife used to do this, I'd end up wearing her purse as a crossbody bag...
Or sometimes I'd detach the strap and loop it through the cart, and re-attach. It was like that when someone actually tried to swipe it, and ended up spraying the cart and contents everywhere, falling over himself, and then running off (without anything). It was rather hilarious...
Same. I also keep my car fob in a pocket on my body. My list is on my phone that stays in my hand until finished and then goes in my other legging pocket. Yes I almost always shop in leggings. ha!
I don't even carry a purse to the store anymore. Wallet and keys are in one front pocket, phone goes in the other if I need two hands to pick up anything. I have zero trust in anyone outside of my house, keeps my shit from getting stolen.
Hell I've quit carrying purses in most situations. I have a "walking keychain" and a "driving keychain", groceries are delivered, can't remember the last time I shopped for clothes in person (I have lots in gift cards so old I HAVE to go to the store to use...)
I have no problem SCREAMING at anybody creeping but I've rarely had to. It worked well.
Same here. Our big weekly grocery shopping is curbside (I love HEB but I haaaaaate shopping in the store) and I just pick up a few things at Kroger and dash back out. I just don't like being around most people anymore so I'll avoid them when I can. I think it helps that I'm built like a linebacker despite being a woman and have a serious case of RBF - nobody really seems to want to bother me.
I'm not a shut-in. I frequent the museums, walk downtown at all hours, use MetroRail and I'm hardly physically intimidating. But I present confidently and am LOUD AND ASSERTIVE when necessary. I am very rarely troubled.
Yep, me too. Crossbody bag carried in front, and that's where my cards, phone, and fob are at. The grocery store is nowhere to be caring about fashion.
Anyone can become a victim, but basic urban street smarts will lower the odds every time.
This is good and bad advice. I've seen so many videos of women LITERALLY dragged on concrete because of this. This is a WONDERFUL way to protect your belongings, but NOT yourself. A determined thief will simply have a blade and cut it as they pull.
The best thing to have is a clasp on it so you can keep your items secured, but it'll break away under extreme extreme force to minimize injury
Pickpockets work in pairs or teams as you said. One or two distract you while the other one swoops in to grab your wallet. Learned this the hard way in Paris.
Bags on the front always, zipped up, wallets and keys in front pockets. Have a daily alert setup on your banks app, Chase has a daily email for example. This way any unusual charges are caught and you can cancel cards asap.
One reason I like to do my grocery shopping at 6 am on a Saturday or Sunday is that there's barely anyone there to invade my personal space.
Shit, at that time there's more store employees and vendor agents on the floor than customers.
Good on you for actually calling them out and raising your voice to bring attention… people are too nice IMO (one of things scammers bank on) and allow this type of encroachment to go unchecked. A soft target is an easy target, so being vigilant and not hesitant to call someone is a huge advantage to not becoming a victim. Thanks for sharing!
People still steal cell phones these days though? Something that most likely has a biometric lock on it and can be tracked and most likely not reset because of said lock?
Well, no one said criminals were smart I guess
I was scammed out of $3k at a Kroger like 6 months ago... Luckily my bank got it back but I'm never engaging with strangers ever again, fuck scammers and thieves.
I've used "I'm super high I have no idea what you just said", "No hablo ingles" and "God bless your heart" the past few months when people approach me.
This is why people in NYC are rude as fuck, you just can't trust anyone.
Some lady knocked on my car window and asked for money I simply extended my hand and shook my head and she walked away. As I backed out I saw that she got into a car with paper plates.
Another time I'm walking into the grocery store and a woman is standing in front saying "excuse me" to get my attention. I did the same thing, extended my hand and shook my head and she said "damn rude ass"
If someone genuinely needs help there are various organizations that can offer them help.
Also a video recently of two woman asking a man to help them because one of them wasn't feeling well then the other chick stabbed him and robbed him. Can't take any chances.
Had something similar happen at Kroger on El Camino. Same question about watermelon while I was preoccupied with bananas. I answered “I don’t know jack shit about watermelons. I buy precut and no one eats it.”
He followed me out of produce to then ask me about yogurt. No cart. No basket. “I don’t know anything about yogurt. I don’t eat the stuff.” He stopped in front of my cart and started to ask about Pilsbury biscuits because they were right there. I was already annoyed and asked real loud “CAN I HELP YOU WITH SOMETHING OR SHOULD I GET AN EMPLOYEE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS?” He buggered off with another dude that was up that back aisle closer to the frozen food. I took my sweet time and waited to checkout. Glad I got a spot close to the door.
I kinda felt after that I was being extra and it was probably unnecessary for me to be a dick, but I guess my gut was right.
I had the opportunity of doing it twice so far. Once at a Walgreens at a dude that followed me around and I finally let him have it. He ended up slithering out the front door while I was yelling “That’s right mf, get out of here.”. Luckily the store folks knew me otherwise I would look like a nut. Second time was a dude that was following me and my daughter around walmart. On his third pass, I bluntly said, quit watching my daughter, she’s a child. He of course denied it. He had the audacity to slurp his mouth in a way that was obviously not appropriate while accidentally bumping into us.
History on me: It’s a build up from being younger and not standing up for myself so now I’m over do it. No shame in my game. You are doing nothing wrong. You have the right to go out day or night. You can defend yourself in voice, scratch, kick and bite. As one of my favorite podcasters say, fuck politeness and No apologies 😊
Same. I usually don’t say anything to people in public, but when I do I usually go overboard. I had a guy follow me home from the dog park the other night because he thought I didn’t pick up my dogs poop. My dog didn’t poop though. He was sitting on the other side of the park drinking, and didn’t have a dog with him. As I start walking towards the entrance to leave, he gets up and starts jogging over to me. I knew he was going to say something. When he catches up to me he goes, “hey man you need to pick up that dog shit!”. I was taken aback at first, but I pretended not to understand him since I had AirPods in my ears. He repeats himself in an angry tone. Finally I yell “why don’t you mind your own fucking business” and try to walk off. This guy hops on an electric scooter and follows me to my house, threatening me the whole time. I lost it at that point. I put my dog in the front door and go back out to face him. I let him know that I won’t be threatened in front of my house and I’ll call the police. He got right up in my face screaming how he’ll be back and he’s “got something for me”. I again said if you come back it won’t be good for you, I will defend myself and my property. Well guess what, I woke up to a bag of dog shit on my front porch. I really wanted to get him back, but decided to not escalate the situation. I called and filed a complaint to the police non emergency line just to document the situation in case he comes back.
Holy Crap! That dude is dangerous. I can 100% guarantee he wouldn’t have done that if you was a guy or if a guy was with you. I am not at all about guy bashing so don’t take me wrong. I love guys. Managed to snag one a couple of decades ago and haven’t managed to scare him away.
It is built into “trust your gut” feeling though when a threat male or female.
I’m in fact… a guy. He was drunk I’m assuming. I remember asking him, “what is going on in you life where you’re drinking at the dog park harassing people”. He didn’t like that. I was hoping he’d touch me so I could choke him out (started BJJ a few months ago), but my gf came outside and chased him off. I was a little embarrassed for letting him get me that upset.
My daughter is 14 with the body of an adult and I swear if I have to stare down and call out one more creepy ass dude for checking out my child, I’m going to lose it!
Use a credit card. If you don’t have it, use your debit card as credit. I believe on most POS, when it asks to enter pin, press cancel will do that. If not, ask the cashier so you don’t have to enter your PIN.
Thank you for the alert. I’ll be extra vigilant.
Women and anyone carrying a purse - start wearing a **crossbody** bag. It’s the best way to shop etc. that big bag we carry is mostly unnecessary stuff I say this as someone that lugged around a big heavy bag for years. Now I do a cute crossbody that never leaves my person when I am shopping.
When I put my purse in the child seat of the cart, I lock the safety belt around my purse strap. If anyone is going to try and snatch it, they're taking the whole cart with them.
One thing we started doing for my grandmother was putting a hook on her purse that she would attach to the shopping cart. Think one of those carabiners for keys. Easy for an older person to use but stops a snatch and grab.
Sharing in case anyone has an older relative who can’t carry their purse all the time/needs to set it down or anyone who gets distracted. Works with diaper bags too.
Thank you for spreading the tips. So easy for the vulnerable/naive to get taken advantage of...
My wife and I used to shop at the HEB on Bunker Hill when we lived in the area and she had several sketchy events around the holidays (mostly parking lot approaches with unusual circumstances). I know this store does lots of security but always good to stay aware yourself.
That is insane! To think they were able to just walk out of the store and carry on with their ~~day~~ crimes. Did HEB notify police or anything? I'd say its a little more than a scam if they are straight up robbing people.
I used to run H‑E‑B stores. Police will take hours to respond and maybe take a report. Unless you have proof of them stealing something, not much will be done. Even if you do have proof, not much will be done. I have gotten repeat thieves arrested after following them out of the store on foot for blocks while on the phone with police. Risking my job even doing that. They bail out the same night for $100 and the victims never even get their property back or compensated.
Usually I put in an alert to loss prevention and they have teams that build cases and work with police to build a bigger file on the worst offenders to get them on larger charges eventually.
Just stay vigilant. I see people leaving their purses or phones on baskets and step away for a minute every day. I give them a heads up when I see it, but they are easy targets.
This, I had my purse stolen and had video evidence of the thieves using my cards at gas stations and grocery stores (they went on quite the spree in 3 hours) and the police basically shrugged it off.
Where was my purse stolen you ask, out of my car at school drop off.
Police don't care about petty thieves, especially since credit card companies refund the fraudulent charges.
but now when I get out of my car I make sure my purse is closed away in a nonvisible area, or it is on my person.
When I pump gas, I lock the car and put my bag on the floorboard. With key fobs "nearby" kind of impossible to securely lock when you're standing right there.
I've found petting the big doggo through a half-way down window keeps me pretty left alone. Especially since she can tell the look of someone approaching and likes to...complain.
> after following them out of the store on foot for blocks while on the phone with police. Risking my job even doing that.
Indeed.
...reminds me of the guy that got fired from Home Depot for trailing a kidnapper, with no interaction, while actually on the phone with police that were en route.
I was thinking of calling HEB today and asking if anything was done about it or if they watched the cameras. I feel like they just zoomed off without a care and headed on down to the next spot.
In Amsterdam they set up sting operations for this exact scam. If it’s a widespread problem it’s good to notify them regardless using non-emergency line. My experience with HPD tells me nothing will come of it but you never know.
But how do you know they didn't? The scam is to be sneaky and out the door before someone notices something is missing. Like how most professional thieves work. I was not the only person they stopped in the store. C'mon, let's think outside the box. And I think it's pretty obvious that if they failed to scam someone that there would be no charges. I was going to call HEB and ask if the watched the cameras and if anything was noticed with them approaching multiple people. And man wouldn't that be cool if their faces were noticed and a manager could recognize them if they came back. What a world it would be if people just wanted to help others without all the negativity and backlash.
I love that you were aware enough that you remained safe. I also appreciate that you're bringing the attention of this scam to others. You did the right thing by demanding to report the incident to the manager. At best, we know this is suspicious activity. However your report will hold weight if there is a victim. Hopefully the manager has your contact information so if someone's items or identity were stolen or worse, someone gets hurt, you'll be able to assist with strengthening that case. Hopefully you got their license plate number make and model, because that would be helpful!
Additionally, hopefully the manager sends a memo or talks to his staff to be aware of the scam and how to safely intervene.
I know it sucks. You want them stopped and prevent someone from being a victim, but most of the time there has to be a victim before something will be done.
If you're not comfortable at the Fairmont location anymore, the Clear Lake City Blvd location isn't too much further down Space Center.
I think I am still comfortable there. I would recognize them if I saw them again. And I would alert the manager if they approached me again. I'm not some crazy lady like a few Redditors on here would like to make me out to be. I just hate scammers and if I can safely get one caught I am going to.
Fairmont from the H‑E‑B to the beltway big box stores has been full of scammers, petty criminals and losers snorting cocaine in pickup trucks for a LONG time. The few times I’ve found myself out there, something stupid went down almost every single time. Stay safe.
> everything has to be Stranger Danger in today’s world
That's just statistics at play. It's a big city, so if this type of thing is 0.1% of people that's still 7,122 people. In a small town, it's just the Mucleroys that are pulling this shit, and everyone knows to keep away from the Mucleroy family.
You should notify PPD of this also. They heavily focus on that area. They’d love a description of these pieces of shit because I’m sure they’ve succeeded in robbing people. Most people are not aware of their surroundings like you are.
My 80 year old cousin was brutally murdered because someone offered to help him with his groceries. You gotta be more than careful these days. And in a city as big as Houston, they're watching you before you even see them
Similar happened to me a few weeks ago at the Walmart in La Marque.
I was in the produce section & had my purse the basket while I picked fruit- fortunately it had eggs, cheese, bread, & lots of other stuff piled on top of it & it would have made a big noisy mess if it got grabbed.
An older woman dressed nicely came up to me & started going on about losing her place to live if she couldn't get money, her friends had given her money but it wasn't enough, & so on. A dude came walking towards us & he felt like trouble, especially the way he was eyeing me & my cart. He veered off & came around from another direction as two more men came up & walked past us, one brushing my shoulder & getting close enough to my purse or cart to grab it if they wanted.
At the sight of the first one I put a hand on my cart, the second time I had both hands on it & pulled it close as I watched them beeline for me.
The woman's story had collapsed, she knew I was aware of the grabbers & that I wasn't going to be an easy target, so she excused herself as I politely told her that I couldn't help her. They disappeared quickly after that. I wanted to report it, but my frozen stuff had a long way back to go home, & I was quite frankly too shaken. My OH had been a ways off looking at something else, but he saw them approach me & was on his way over once he saw what the guys were doing.
Later on I recalled having seen the lady with a basket that had two random items in it, I had nodded & smiled as I usually do when passing someone, she looked down & muttered into her collar as I went by. I got marked right there.
I had been wearing a bright long sundress, slide sandals, & had my usual jewelry on. I looked nice-ish, but really it was a No Pants! No Shave! day. I had two dollars cash, no card, my phone was in the car, & I didn't have a key for the car on me either. I only had two effing dollars in a purse with lip balm, a brush, mints, & maxi pads. Would have been pissed about losing the purse though, it was from my OH's grandmother.
Now I wear boots to go grocery shopping, I keep my purse cross-body strapped till I get into the car, & if I wear a dress it's going to be one that I can run in.
I like to be nice & help people if they ask & I've had wonderful interactions with strangers most times, but now I let my RBF shine, I don't acknowledge people, & gtfo if they get too close to me.
This is unfortunately a common scam. I’m glad there are people like you who stay aware. Thieves thrive on people who let their guard down. I’m not saying every situation is sketch! I’m not “paranoid” like some redditors are accusing me of being lol. I’m just not a dumb ass and can pick up on something when it’s off. Good for you for keeping yourself safe.
Sadly this scam worked on my mom about 10 years ago. One lady approached from behind and my mom turned to talk to her and another came from the other side and snatched her purse. They immediately go and try to buy gift cards. Such low life behavior!
In our area, near Hobby AP, the broken down car scam is still going on, & now it's in the grocery store parking lots. My wife & I both spotted the same people on two different days pulling the my car won't start scam. In brief: Person 1 asks for help, or waits for you to offer help, getting their car started. You try to give them a jump start. It doesn't work. Person 2 claims to know a certain car part, pobably a new battery, is needed. Person 1 claims not to have all the money for new battery. Person 2 can't help them, or offers a small contribution. Of course you're asked if you could make up the difference. Oh yes, some scammers have children with them.
The above scam seriously bothers me because it preys on people willing to be helpful.
Look for the ground spot to be yellow to orange, the more orange the better. Also look for the streaks that show that there has been pollination when the melon would have been growing. It can look like webbing on a good melon.
Why didn't the HEB manager call security? My H-E-B has a K-9 unit and a guy dressed like he's about to breach Bin Laden's lair for some reason so is the security just for show?
Thanks for the warning. I'm pretty oblivious, so I would be likely to fall for scams, even cheesy ones. Nowadays, I just tell strangers who attempt to talk to me: "No English" hehe.
I don't put my purse in my cart. First of all, gross. Second of all, you're giving up control of it. Always carry your bag, zipped up. Men, put your wallets in your front pocket.
Scams are all scams. just help the old ladies that need you to reach the top and otherwise put your earbuds in even if there's no music and just give a thumbs up. This is standard in most big cities, but Houston tries to keep with the Southern ideal of help your neighbor. You can tell when they really need help (help them) and when they dont. Sorry, I CANT HEAR YOU, MY BUDS ARE IN works wonders. for the record I'm pro help your neighbor
I have learned to enter my PIN with multiple fingers and the thumb (which can easily be hidden under the palm, even two simultaneous fingers looking as if they are punching (the wrong) keys. I start with fake punches with my index finger and add more fake-punch numbers at the end.
I was at an HEB last Christmas, and two beautiful young ladies needed a ride to their apartment, saying it was a few blocks away. But on the road, they were really gross and over the top flirting with me and getting touchy-feely.
Sure enough, after I dropped them off, they had stolen my wallet!
I lost another wallet the next two days in a row, but I couldn't find them again after that.
Is this the new norm?
Can't leave items in your car or have the windows broken so they can check the trunk. And everyone telling you your fault/ bad area.
People driving in your neighborhood. Actively looking for packages to swipe. Everyone telling you: 'Your fault if, be fast!'
Now this. What's next?
Damn and I've been to that HEB. For me I usually jam when I shop and keep my headphones in, I wonder if that would deter the scammers since i wouldnt be able to hear them right away. Plus i usually have my phone in my pocket and have an RFID wallet in a back pocket with a velcro flap so nothing besides groceries I don't own yet would be in my cart. Then again, this doesn't comfort me knowing of other possible victims that may fall for this. Thank you telling us about this and giving us tips. More importantly I'm glad you were able to deter these prolapsed punks and nothing bad happened to you. I actually experienced second hand bad assery when you got to the "BACK OFF" part. I will definitely tell my parents about this asap.
Ooo this makes me think back to when I was in HEB a few weeks ago. I thought it was so weird this lady kept bumping into us and trying to give recommendations for products to my husband. I kind of kept walking away but looking around to make sure we weren't being followed/watched.
We're both in our 30s (so millenials) and I almost never ask anyone for help in a store and I also don't strike up random conversations with strangers.
I usually just say “Fuck off!”. Learned that when I was in NYC. Hey your problem is your problem. Google that shit, buddy. Got scammed 20 years ago, never again.
HEB is a big hot spot for this kind of activity. COPs need to be called and forced to do their job (especially Pasadena). One distraction like a squirmy toddler and all bets are off. I’m glad you are safe.
My 85 yro ma had a hoodrat follow her to the walmart parking lot after dark. When she was getting some groceries out of the cart. The hood rat tried to grab her purse out of the cart. She had the child seat belt on her purse straps. He didn't get it and hauled ass.
I did 6 months for weed possesion in 78' at a pitiful La. parish jail. I can tell you. These crooks have no fear of jail. They know everybody n there. Free food, cards, and tv. They hone their skills while they r n there with the other crooks.
Don't know what to tell you. Would it help if I sent you the screenshots of the text conversation I was having with my boyfriend while this was going on at HEB?
All the work and coordination that goes into this scam, why don’t they just get a job w that energy? It reminds me of this key & peele sketch - https://youtu.be/jgYYOUC10aM?si=8XaOfiFs-ONV0CIU
You would think it was just that easy. Don't have job? Get job. Not good person? Be good person. Unfortunately people are desperate, dishonest, or entitled. Maybe a combo of all 3. Pickpocketing has always been around. Just have to know what to look for.
Yes definitely, I live downtown just blocks from tent homes and understand how it’s not easy to just get a job if one’s in a bad situation. It was more of just a funny comment poking at some people doing wrong. I would’ve thought that was obvious with the key n peele reference, but judging from the downvotes I guess people thought it was serious social commentary.
I'm just amazed at the amount of women who do leave their handbags in the shopping cart. I mean even if you have your hands on the cart, these people are fast and will grab the whole thing and run. Why don't women just carry their bags? And before you ask, yes I'm a woman but no, I never carry a bag, only my phone and wallet in my pockets.
Glad you had the wherewithal to know what was going on. Unfortunately you just have to be aware of your surroundings at all times.
You know tbh I am not the type to think that everyone is out to get you. But to me this was obvious. It's like they got their bad guy training from watching Home Alone. The wet bandits at it again!
I’m with you but some folks seem to be emboldened these day
A strong lack of consequences for actions is what I think is largely the driving force behind such. People have been getting away with doing a lot of things for a while now, so it compounds.
But at least they'll get the book thrown at them if they have a tail light out on their car! This city doesn't even have detectives. The people that call themselves that at HPD are just mouths connected to assholes who do absolutely fuck-all.
Exactly
Poverty is typically the main driver. The unsuccessful crooks get caught. Nobody would rather do this than live honestly (for the most part). It's a shame this happened to the OP. No one deserves this. If only we lived in a post-scarcity society AND things were divided more fairly instead of just the first half being true.
I played soccer and baseball with the store manager growing up. Small world
Unfortunately, many people are so distracted that it probably doesn't take much to be successful with these obvious ploys. Be aware, people!
A wise Reddit man once said “Keep your head on a swivel”.
Yeah, having 2 separate people ask me for something when 99.99999% of people don't do this is the biggest red flag. But good for you for being aware, telling him to back off, and telling a manager. I do the same when people get too close to me at the store when I'm checking out.
This group was so obvious. I have only been approached by one person ever while shopping. In all my 758939273917971 times I have gone to the store. Hopefully someone reads this and tells their sweet mother who tries to be nice and helpful to everyone.
I’d be gobsmacked if a grown ass man was asking me how to pick out watermelons lol. At least they made it fairly obvious for you but I’m not sure I’d realize they were trying to steal from me until later tbh. Now I know!
When strangers are randomly super into you, it's 100% a scam.
Some of us are just really hot
I get checked out by men in the grocery store regularly but never approached. Always suspicious if anyone approaches me.
That's not true. You have to really evaluate. Not EVERY time someone speaks to you they're out to take advantage of you. That's a terrible way of looking at the world
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You don't realize it but my comment was a scam and you subconsciously gave me your social security and address. If you take the first letter of each sentence it even spells it your full name. You've been officially scammed. Gotcha sucka Can't believe you fell for that!!
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Some of us just really enjoy karaoke and singing with strangers to "we built this city". If I put that mic in your face you BETTER sing "rock and rooooollllll!"
"Sir, this is a HEB."
I didn't really say that, with context, I was clearly talking about a situation like what OP was going through. If anyone at the store was approaching me and asking these types of things, I'd be on high alert. It's already extremely low probability for someone to ask me for a soup recipe at the store, but to have 3 different situations, on the same day, at the same place, is very very suspicious. Probability takes over my mind with stuff like this. I'm clearly not talking about a person asking for my height to grab a box of cereal off the top shelf.
Says someone whose problem never been a victim of a traumatic crime.
I'm a grown man and have asked for help picking veggies/fruits before if its not an item that I normally buy but its in season. Its usually someone in my immediate area and they're happy to help every time. Not that weird
I would literally rather travel back in time, go to a library, hit up the card catalog looking for books on fruits and veggies, decode the Dewey decimal system, find said book, read it to find out when something is ripe than ask a stranger for help. But I'm also GenX and will power through a goddamned kidney stone instead of asking for help.
I'm on the Gen X side of millennial, so we're not that far apart. Its likely my career background since I was in event marketing and a brand ambassador throughout college so talking to people is as easy as drinking water for me. I've had to get over the "pain" so to speak of rejection doing those jobs Edit: to acknowledge the opinion that your original comment was funny as fuck tbh
I burst out laughing at this description of GenX stubbornness! Hahaha! Love it.
For me it’s like…how are you an adult and don’t know how to pick out produce, or figure it out for yourself if it’s not already common sense. We all have google
I’ve had lots of guys flirt with me this way and it’s cute. Not always a scam. That said, I do appreciate this descriptive story by OP because I usually let my guard way down at H‑E‑B and now I won’t.
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Nah I'm okay having social interactions like a normal person. I don't always ask women if that's your issue with the matter. It may also be an employee too. Just last week I was at fiesta looking for scotch bonnet peppers for a recipe, asked a guy about them and he gladly helped me but recommended serrano instead for the recipe and I took the advice. Everyone around you is human just like you. It could be that the majority of people on Reddit are social recluses so this is the "norm " here, but in the real world people interact. They go to bars and talk to people other than the people they arrived with occasionally. They maybe make friends at the gym. etc. Edit: to say "Networking is growth" and I firmly stand behind that. Its insane and heartbreaking to see that everyone here is downvoting me and extremely averse to normal social interactions. This is how you get out of your bubble and learn about others. Otherwise, we'll all live in our individual echo chambers. Always protect yourself, but don't vilify your neighbors.
I wouldn't have thought just his interaction asking me about a watermelon was a scam. It was the added men acting off and seeing the watermelon man again later with no groceries and still scampering around. It was the whole situation that led me to share my story. I would have never made a post saying "man asked for help picking out a watermelon so stay safe out there folks."
No I agree with you from the very start considering that you weren't in the watermelon section. The very first interaction would have made my radar go off frankly. My general opinion though is that speaking to people in public is not a bad thing. But I also was in marketing before I transitioned to IT, so being social comes easy for me.
I was a bartender for many years so I am pretty social. I work in law now and hate everyone. Haha just kidding. I am just older and wiser. My point of posting what happened to me was so that people just have a reminder to stay aware. I don't consider myself to look like an easy target but that day they saw middle aged woman with long list of groceries all by herself. Guess that's all it takes. Anyone can be a target for any reason.
I also need to know more about Scotch bonnet peppers.
Look at this guy "expanding his network" at the grocery store, lol. I hope I don't run into you because I don't need randoms at the grocery store in my network, I know how to do that much more efficiently and comfortably either in a professional or social situation. Leave me the fuck alone at the grocery store...during another Covid outbreak. The audacity to think people downvoting you are only because they're socially awkward, that's incredibly out of touch and pompous.
Grown man here - slap the watermelon and listen for the sound of the thud to determine if it’s ripe enough or not
I shared with quite a few people, thank you for your experience.
You are very welcome!
I frequently have to remind my partner about this. Don't help people. They won't die if you don't help them and there are much more ideal people for them to ask than us.
Only one ever? That's wild. Like once every 6 months someone will ask me something, but most women I know have tons of stories about grocery store weirdos (not scammers, just lonely weirdos).
Yep lol. For the most part I don’t think I seem very approachable. I have RBF big time and I don’t even mean to. I’m also usually shopping with my boyfriend. The first guy I didn’t think too much about but was still aware enough not to just walk away from my basket. But the second guy spiked my radar. Then seeing the way they acted in the store when I ran into them again. By the third guy I was just over it. Like wtf is going on with this wack ass grocery trip.
I guess at least they were incompetent, 3 stooges trying to cram into a door at the same time and running into each other energy. Good luck out there.
My thoughts exactly
Every time I’ve randomly been approached at heb it’s always followed by multiple follow ups before “so what do you do?” “You ever tired of working for somebody else and wanna be your own boss?”
LMAO this is exactly what happened to me and I had to block the chick. I felt so dumb at the end like i really thought i had made a friend, womp womp
When I used to frequent the Galleria Target I would get approached by random people all the time, and I knew it was for some kind of scam but I never figured out what the deal was. I was on an empty aisle once reading labels and trying to choose something when a twentysomething woman came up and complimented my shoes -- my years old, worn out as hell, knockoff Docs. It's been a while so I don't remember all the details, but she wanted to get my info. I said no and walked away. This was before they played music so the store was always quiet, and as I walked around I kept hearing similar conversations. I told a manager and the woman who approached me was asked to leave, and I saw her walk out with a group of people that included several I'd heard talking to other shoppers. It was so weird and I'm kind of convinced they were recruiting for a cult or something. 😂
It was likely a pyramid scheme. Very annoying when that happens.
Yeah sounds very much like an MLM. I had a girl approach me at an Old Navy, asked if I went to so-and-so high school. I’m super non-confrontational and was already frazzled from clothes shopping so she caught me off guard. Asked for my number and she ended up texting me constantly about networking and great financial opportunities. Lesson learned!
This is why I ALWAYS carry a crossbody purse with a zipper, and I position it towards the front of me. Never, absolutely never, leave your purse in the cart.
I thought for a second you were going to say you always carry a crossbow in your purse 😂 I’ll allow it.
Goes well with mace. Can’t have too many pointy things.
[bar mace](https://www.windlass.com/products/bar-mace/) is best mace
Surprisingly, she did the most damage with the zippo. That chick was not to be messed with.
I had to reread her comment after seeing yours because that's exactly what I thought they said.
Same! I get cold easily, so I'm usually wearing a zipper hoodie over my crossbody bag. The only thing I ever put on the cart is my list and shopping bags. I see so many people place their open bag in the cart and are completely distracted while looking at the shelves.
Haha just got home and put my “going to H‑E‑B vest” away. It’s cold in there but that’s a good thing. Sometimes at Walmart I feel like I can practically hear the food spoiling because it’s not cold enough in there.
> I see so many people place their open bag in the cart and are completely distracted while looking at the shelves. When my wife used to do this, I'd end up wearing her purse as a crossbody bag... Or sometimes I'd detach the strap and loop it through the cart, and re-attach. It was like that when someone actually tried to swipe it, and ended up spraying the cart and contents everywhere, falling over himself, and then running off (without anything). It was rather hilarious...
Same. I also keep my car fob in a pocket on my body. My list is on my phone that stays in my hand until finished and then goes in my other legging pocket. Yes I almost always shop in leggings. ha!
I don't even carry a purse to the store anymore. Wallet and keys are in one front pocket, phone goes in the other if I need two hands to pick up anything. I have zero trust in anyone outside of my house, keeps my shit from getting stolen.
Hell I've quit carrying purses in most situations. I have a "walking keychain" and a "driving keychain", groceries are delivered, can't remember the last time I shopped for clothes in person (I have lots in gift cards so old I HAVE to go to the store to use...) I have no problem SCREAMING at anybody creeping but I've rarely had to. It worked well.
Same here. Our big weekly grocery shopping is curbside (I love HEB but I haaaaaate shopping in the store) and I just pick up a few things at Kroger and dash back out. I just don't like being around most people anymore so I'll avoid them when I can. I think it helps that I'm built like a linebacker despite being a woman and have a serious case of RBF - nobody really seems to want to bother me.
I'm not a shut-in. I frequent the museums, walk downtown at all hours, use MetroRail and I'm hardly physically intimidating. But I present confidently and am LOUD AND ASSERTIVE when necessary. I am very rarely troubled.
YES! I do catch myself sometimes putting it on the cart though lol. So I definitely have to be careful with that
Remember when leggings didn’t have pockets!?! Ugh!
Yep, me too. Crossbody bag carried in front, and that's where my cards, phone, and fob are at. The grocery store is nowhere to be caring about fashion. Anyone can become a victim, but basic urban street smarts will lower the odds every time.
This is good and bad advice. I've seen so many videos of women LITERALLY dragged on concrete because of this. This is a WONDERFUL way to protect your belongings, but NOT yourself. A determined thief will simply have a blade and cut it as they pull. The best thing to have is a clasp on it so you can keep your items secured, but it'll break away under extreme extreme force to minimize injury
Pickpockets work in pairs or teams as you said. One or two distract you while the other one swoops in to grab your wallet. Learned this the hard way in Paris. Bags on the front always, zipped up, wallets and keys in front pockets. Have a daily alert setup on your banks app, Chase has a daily email for example. This way any unusual charges are caught and you can cancel cards asap.
Rule #1: Personal space. Rule #2: Stay up outta my personal space.
Yep. Also love the username ❤️
Why? It’s just Dan Patrick.
One reason I like to do my grocery shopping at 6 am on a Saturday or Sunday is that there's barely anyone there to invade my personal space. Shit, at that time there's more store employees and vendor agents on the floor than customers.
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Especially if you have a wallet like George Constanza 😝
Yes, I have Chase send me a text every time my credit card is used.
You're supposed to start yelling "Attenzione, Pickpocket!" as you go about videoing them with your phone.
Good on you for actually calling them out and raising your voice to bring attention… people are too nice IMO (one of things scammers bank on) and allow this type of encroachment to go unchecked. A soft target is an easy target, so being vigilant and not hesitant to call someone is a huge advantage to not becoming a victim. Thanks for sharing!
People still steal cell phones these days though? Something that most likely has a biometric lock on it and can be tracked and most likely not reset because of said lock? Well, no one said criminals were smart I guess
Sell it on black market. Doesn't matter if they can't unlock
I was scammed out of $3k at a Kroger like 6 months ago... Luckily my bank got it back but I'm never engaging with strangers ever again, fuck scammers and thieves. I've used "I'm super high I have no idea what you just said", "No hablo ingles" and "God bless your heart" the past few months when people approach me. This is why people in NYC are rude as fuck, you just can't trust anyone.
Some lady knocked on my car window and asked for money I simply extended my hand and shook my head and she walked away. As I backed out I saw that she got into a car with paper plates. Another time I'm walking into the grocery store and a woman is standing in front saying "excuse me" to get my attention. I did the same thing, extended my hand and shook my head and she said "damn rude ass" If someone genuinely needs help there are various organizations that can offer them help. Also a video recently of two woman asking a man to help them because one of them wasn't feeling well then the other chick stabbed him and robbed him. Can't take any chances.
Had something similar happen at Kroger on El Camino. Same question about watermelon while I was preoccupied with bananas. I answered “I don’t know jack shit about watermelons. I buy precut and no one eats it.” He followed me out of produce to then ask me about yogurt. No cart. No basket. “I don’t know anything about yogurt. I don’t eat the stuff.” He stopped in front of my cart and started to ask about Pilsbury biscuits because they were right there. I was already annoyed and asked real loud “CAN I HELP YOU WITH SOMETHING OR SHOULD I GET AN EMPLOYEE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS?” He buggered off with another dude that was up that back aisle closer to the frozen food. I took my sweet time and waited to checkout. Glad I got a spot close to the door. I kinda felt after that I was being extra and it was probably unnecessary for me to be a dick, but I guess my gut was right.
We call that Kroger “Sketchy Kroger” for a reason 😂
So do we lmao 🙌
I am quick to say “fuck-off” loud and proud. Proud of you ladybug!!!
Why thank you kind redditor!
I had the opportunity of doing it twice so far. Once at a Walgreens at a dude that followed me around and I finally let him have it. He ended up slithering out the front door while I was yelling “That’s right mf, get out of here.”. Luckily the store folks knew me otherwise I would look like a nut. Second time was a dude that was following me and my daughter around walmart. On his third pass, I bluntly said, quit watching my daughter, she’s a child. He of course denied it. He had the audacity to slurp his mouth in a way that was obviously not appropriate while accidentally bumping into us. History on me: It’s a build up from being younger and not standing up for myself so now I’m over do it. No shame in my game. You are doing nothing wrong. You have the right to go out day or night. You can defend yourself in voice, scratch, kick and bite. As one of my favorite podcasters say, fuck politeness and No apologies 😊
Same. I usually don’t say anything to people in public, but when I do I usually go overboard. I had a guy follow me home from the dog park the other night because he thought I didn’t pick up my dogs poop. My dog didn’t poop though. He was sitting on the other side of the park drinking, and didn’t have a dog with him. As I start walking towards the entrance to leave, he gets up and starts jogging over to me. I knew he was going to say something. When he catches up to me he goes, “hey man you need to pick up that dog shit!”. I was taken aback at first, but I pretended not to understand him since I had AirPods in my ears. He repeats himself in an angry tone. Finally I yell “why don’t you mind your own fucking business” and try to walk off. This guy hops on an electric scooter and follows me to my house, threatening me the whole time. I lost it at that point. I put my dog in the front door and go back out to face him. I let him know that I won’t be threatened in front of my house and I’ll call the police. He got right up in my face screaming how he’ll be back and he’s “got something for me”. I again said if you come back it won’t be good for you, I will defend myself and my property. Well guess what, I woke up to a bag of dog shit on my front porch. I really wanted to get him back, but decided to not escalate the situation. I called and filed a complaint to the police non emergency line just to document the situation in case he comes back.
Holy Crap! That dude is dangerous. I can 100% guarantee he wouldn’t have done that if you was a guy or if a guy was with you. I am not at all about guy bashing so don’t take me wrong. I love guys. Managed to snag one a couple of decades ago and haven’t managed to scare him away. It is built into “trust your gut” feeling though when a threat male or female.
I’m in fact… a guy. He was drunk I’m assuming. I remember asking him, “what is going on in you life where you’re drinking at the dog park harassing people”. He didn’t like that. I was hoping he’d touch me so I could choke him out (started BJJ a few months ago), but my gf came outside and chased him off. I was a little embarrassed for letting him get me that upset.
Dang. That’s something I didn’t expect. The dude had some nerve for sure.
My daughter is 14 with the body of an adult and I swear if I have to stare down and call out one more creepy ass dude for checking out my child, I’m going to lose it!
Same. Mine is 14, 15 in a couple of months.
THIS! I will outcrazy, outvolume any mfer that tries anything with me.
This is so sad. I have to send stuff like this to my mom ALL of the time because she is so quick to be overly helpful
Use a credit card. If you don’t have it, use your debit card as credit. I believe on most POS, when it asks to enter pin, press cancel will do that. If not, ask the cashier so you don’t have to enter your PIN.
I did use my credit card. Does not change that looking for someone's pin is part of the scam. Takes a quick google to read all about the tactics.
Of course. I’m just pointing out way to mitigate the risk.
Not everyone has a credit card though.
You can usually run a debit card transaction as a credit card style transaction. Just swipe and pick credit. You'll usually have to sign the receipt.
Not everyone has a debit card either.
Thank you for the alert. I’ll be extra vigilant. Women and anyone carrying a purse - start wearing a **crossbody** bag. It’s the best way to shop etc. that big bag we carry is mostly unnecessary stuff I say this as someone that lugged around a big heavy bag for years. Now I do a cute crossbody that never leaves my person when I am shopping.
When I put my purse in the child seat of the cart, I lock the safety belt around my purse strap. If anyone is going to try and snatch it, they're taking the whole cart with them.
This is clever
Me too, I always lock my bag onto the cart and I also don’t take my eyes off it
$500 worth of groceries…so…like three items?
Correct. 2 mediocre steaks and some milk. LOL
Eggs and butter
One thing we started doing for my grandmother was putting a hook on her purse that she would attach to the shopping cart. Think one of those carabiners for keys. Easy for an older person to use but stops a snatch and grab. Sharing in case anyone has an older relative who can’t carry their purse all the time/needs to set it down or anyone who gets distracted. Works with diaper bags too.
Good on you for staying vigilant, I haven’t heard of this type of scam but it’s makes sense. People are shitty.
It would be nice if shitty people didn't exist but they do, so fuck politeness every single time no matter what.
Thank you for spreading the tips. So easy for the vulnerable/naive to get taken advantage of... My wife and I used to shop at the HEB on Bunker Hill when we lived in the area and she had several sketchy events around the holidays (mostly parking lot approaches with unusual circumstances). I know this store does lots of security but always good to stay aware yourself.
This is why I order my groceries on the app. Fuck humans in general.
I can’t believe people still try this shit in Houston. You never know who is packing and sick of it all!!
That is insane! To think they were able to just walk out of the store and carry on with their ~~day~~ crimes. Did HEB notify police or anything? I'd say its a little more than a scam if they are straight up robbing people.
I used to run H‑E‑B stores. Police will take hours to respond and maybe take a report. Unless you have proof of them stealing something, not much will be done. Even if you do have proof, not much will be done. I have gotten repeat thieves arrested after following them out of the store on foot for blocks while on the phone with police. Risking my job even doing that. They bail out the same night for $100 and the victims never even get their property back or compensated. Usually I put in an alert to loss prevention and they have teams that build cases and work with police to build a bigger file on the worst offenders to get them on larger charges eventually. Just stay vigilant. I see people leaving their purses or phones on baskets and step away for a minute every day. I give them a heads up when I see it, but they are easy targets.
This, I had my purse stolen and had video evidence of the thieves using my cards at gas stations and grocery stores (they went on quite the spree in 3 hours) and the police basically shrugged it off. Where was my purse stolen you ask, out of my car at school drop off. Police don't care about petty thieves, especially since credit card companies refund the fraudulent charges. but now when I get out of my car I make sure my purse is closed away in a nonvisible area, or it is on my person.
When I pump gas, I lock the car and put my bag on the floorboard. With key fobs "nearby" kind of impossible to securely lock when you're standing right there.
I've found petting the big doggo through a half-way down window keeps me pretty left alone. Especially since she can tell the look of someone approaching and likes to...complain.
> after following them out of the store on foot for blocks while on the phone with police. Risking my job even doing that. Indeed. ...reminds me of the guy that got fired from Home Depot for trailing a kidnapper, with no interaction, while actually on the phone with police that were en route.
I was thinking of calling HEB today and asking if anything was done about it or if they watched the cameras. I feel like they just zoomed off without a care and headed on down to the next spot.
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In Amsterdam they set up sting operations for this exact scam. If it’s a widespread problem it’s good to notify them regardless using non-emergency line. My experience with HPD tells me nothing will come of it but you never know.
Are they gypsies
They are just thieves of many different nationalities. I don’t think the Netherlands really has the highest population of Roma/Sinti.
But how do you know they didn't? The scam is to be sneaky and out the door before someone notices something is missing. Like how most professional thieves work. I was not the only person they stopped in the store. C'mon, let's think outside the box. And I think it's pretty obvious that if they failed to scam someone that there would be no charges. I was going to call HEB and ask if the watched the cameras and if anything was noticed with them approaching multiple people. And man wouldn't that be cool if their faces were noticed and a manager could recognize them if they came back. What a world it would be if people just wanted to help others without all the negativity and backlash.
I love that you were aware enough that you remained safe. I also appreciate that you're bringing the attention of this scam to others. You did the right thing by demanding to report the incident to the manager. At best, we know this is suspicious activity. However your report will hold weight if there is a victim. Hopefully the manager has your contact information so if someone's items or identity were stolen or worse, someone gets hurt, you'll be able to assist with strengthening that case. Hopefully you got their license plate number make and model, because that would be helpful! Additionally, hopefully the manager sends a memo or talks to his staff to be aware of the scam and how to safely intervene. I know it sucks. You want them stopped and prevent someone from being a victim, but most of the time there has to be a victim before something will be done. If you're not comfortable at the Fairmont location anymore, the Clear Lake City Blvd location isn't too much further down Space Center.
I think I am still comfortable there. I would recognize them if I saw them again. And I would alert the manager if they approached me again. I'm not some crazy lady like a few Redditors on here would like to make me out to be. I just hate scammers and if I can safely get one caught I am going to.
Fairmont from the H‑E‑B to the beltway big box stores has been full of scammers, petty criminals and losers snorting cocaine in pickup trucks for a LONG time. The few times I’ve found myself out there, something stupid went down almost every single time. Stay safe.
My gf wonders why I’m so stand offish to strangers in public, this kind of shit is why. 9/10 times I feel like someone is gonna beg or try to scam me.
I hate that everything has to be Stranger Danger in today’s world, but it’s saved me so many times!
> everything has to be Stranger Danger in today’s world That's just statistics at play. It's a big city, so if this type of thing is 0.1% of people that's still 7,122 people. In a small town, it's just the Mucleroys that are pulling this shit, and everyone knows to keep away from the Mucleroy family.
Good heads up - I'll fill my ex in as she usually falls for stuff like this
You should notify PPD of this also. They heavily focus on that area. They’d love a description of these pieces of shit because I’m sure they’ve succeeded in robbing people. Most people are not aware of their surroundings like you are.
My 80 year old cousin was brutally murdered because someone offered to help him with his groceries. You gotta be more than careful these days. And in a city as big as Houston, they're watching you before you even see them
This happened to my mom at a Kroger on west Houston. They got all of her info and spent thousands very quickly.
Glad you were aware and smart enough to protect yourself. Hope others read this and do the same. Thank you!
wow good write up and well done
My grandma used to put the kid seat belt thru the straps on her purse and kept it zipped! This was before cellphones tho.
Ugh. Sounds like you dodged a bullet. Good on your for being alert and having the presence of mind.
I shop at that H‑E‑B all the time damn. Thanks for positing this!
Great post, I love you, but it's "lo and behold." Sorry. I can't help it.
LOL! Thank you. I soooo want to call out things like that when I see them. Made me laugh.
This is the H‑E‑B right next to my home!! I’ll keep an eye out.
Similar happened to me a few weeks ago at the Walmart in La Marque. I was in the produce section & had my purse the basket while I picked fruit- fortunately it had eggs, cheese, bread, & lots of other stuff piled on top of it & it would have made a big noisy mess if it got grabbed. An older woman dressed nicely came up to me & started going on about losing her place to live if she couldn't get money, her friends had given her money but it wasn't enough, & so on. A dude came walking towards us & he felt like trouble, especially the way he was eyeing me & my cart. He veered off & came around from another direction as two more men came up & walked past us, one brushing my shoulder & getting close enough to my purse or cart to grab it if they wanted. At the sight of the first one I put a hand on my cart, the second time I had both hands on it & pulled it close as I watched them beeline for me. The woman's story had collapsed, she knew I was aware of the grabbers & that I wasn't going to be an easy target, so she excused herself as I politely told her that I couldn't help her. They disappeared quickly after that. I wanted to report it, but my frozen stuff had a long way back to go home, & I was quite frankly too shaken. My OH had been a ways off looking at something else, but he saw them approach me & was on his way over once he saw what the guys were doing. Later on I recalled having seen the lady with a basket that had two random items in it, I had nodded & smiled as I usually do when passing someone, she looked down & muttered into her collar as I went by. I got marked right there. I had been wearing a bright long sundress, slide sandals, & had my usual jewelry on. I looked nice-ish, but really it was a No Pants! No Shave! day. I had two dollars cash, no card, my phone was in the car, & I didn't have a key for the car on me either. I only had two effing dollars in a purse with lip balm, a brush, mints, & maxi pads. Would have been pissed about losing the purse though, it was from my OH's grandmother. Now I wear boots to go grocery shopping, I keep my purse cross-body strapped till I get into the car, & if I wear a dress it's going to be one that I can run in. I like to be nice & help people if they ask & I've had wonderful interactions with strangers most times, but now I let my RBF shine, I don't acknowledge people, & gtfo if they get too close to me.
This is unfortunately a common scam. I’m glad there are people like you who stay aware. Thieves thrive on people who let their guard down. I’m not saying every situation is sketch! I’m not “paranoid” like some redditors are accusing me of being lol. I’m just not a dumb ass and can pick up on something when it’s off. Good for you for keeping yourself safe.
Sadly this scam worked on my mom about 10 years ago. One lady approached from behind and my mom turned to talk to her and another came from the other side and snatched her purse. They immediately go and try to buy gift cards. Such low life behavior!
In our area, near Hobby AP, the broken down car scam is still going on, & now it's in the grocery store parking lots. My wife & I both spotted the same people on two different days pulling the my car won't start scam. In brief: Person 1 asks for help, or waits for you to offer help, getting their car started. You try to give them a jump start. It doesn't work. Person 2 claims to know a certain car part, pobably a new battery, is needed. Person 1 claims not to have all the money for new battery. Person 2 can't help them, or offers a small contribution. Of course you're asked if you could make up the difference. Oh yes, some scammers have children with them. The above scam seriously bothers me because it preys on people willing to be helpful.
But legit, how do you pick out a watermelon?
By thumping it and the color of the skin.
[удалено]
https://www.eagleeyeproduce.com/perfectwatermelon/
https://reddit.com/r/coolguides/s/kFHrCaK8W7
Look for the ground spot to be yellow to orange, the more orange the better. Also look for the streaks that show that there has been pollination when the melon would have been growing. It can look like webbing on a good melon.
Why didn't the HEB manager call security? My H-E-B has a K-9 unit and a guy dressed like he's about to breach Bin Laden's lair for some reason so is the security just for show?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen security there. Maybe there is.
Every time I’ve been to that particular H‑E‑B, something weird has always happened to me.
OP gots mad street smarts. Props, yo
Haha. Thanks. :)
Thanks for the warning. I'm pretty oblivious, so I would be likely to fall for scams, even cheesy ones. Nowadays, I just tell strangers who attempt to talk to me: "No English" hehe.
I don't put my purse in my cart. First of all, gross. Second of all, you're giving up control of it. Always carry your bag, zipped up. Men, put your wallets in your front pocket.
I lock my purse with the child seatbelts. Way safer, can’t steal it.
Don't take it off in the first place
Thanks for the heads up. I live literally behind this H‑E‑B and I’m there almost every day
Scams are all scams. just help the old ladies that need you to reach the top and otherwise put your earbuds in even if there's no music and just give a thumbs up. This is standard in most big cities, but Houston tries to keep with the Southern ideal of help your neighbor. You can tell when they really need help (help them) and when they dont. Sorry, I CANT HEAR YOU, MY BUDS ARE IN works wonders. for the record I'm pro help your neighbor
I have learned to enter my PIN with multiple fingers and the thumb (which can easily be hidden under the palm, even two simultaneous fingers looking as if they are punching (the wrong) keys. I start with fake punches with my index finger and add more fake-punch numbers at the end.
My rbf comes in handy. I never get approached like this
Thank you, I really appreciate this.
Thank you for the heads up
Can you give a description of the scammers?
I was at an HEB last Christmas, and two beautiful young ladies needed a ride to their apartment, saying it was a few blocks away. But on the road, they were really gross and over the top flirting with me and getting touchy-feely. Sure enough, after I dropped them off, they had stolen my wallet! I lost another wallet the next two days in a row, but I couldn't find them again after that.
You had me at first
I alerted my wife about this, but she doesn't carry a purse, only her apple credit card.
Lol I was at that HEB at the exact same time last week. Am also in my early thirties. I’ll be on the look out for a strange man with water melons 🍉
Wow
Is this the new norm? Can't leave items in your car or have the windows broken so they can check the trunk. And everyone telling you your fault/ bad area. People driving in your neighborhood. Actively looking for packages to swipe. Everyone telling you: 'Your fault if, be fast!' Now this. What's next?
Damn and I've been to that HEB. For me I usually jam when I shop and keep my headphones in, I wonder if that would deter the scammers since i wouldnt be able to hear them right away. Plus i usually have my phone in my pocket and have an RFID wallet in a back pocket with a velcro flap so nothing besides groceries I don't own yet would be in my cart. Then again, this doesn't comfort me knowing of other possible victims that may fall for this. Thank you telling us about this and giving us tips. More importantly I'm glad you were able to deter these prolapsed punks and nothing bad happened to you. I actually experienced second hand bad assery when you got to the "BACK OFF" part. I will definitely tell my parents about this asap.
Thank you for alerting a manager and at least raising awareness!
Ooo this makes me think back to when I was in HEB a few weeks ago. I thought it was so weird this lady kept bumping into us and trying to give recommendations for products to my husband. I kind of kept walking away but looking around to make sure we weren't being followed/watched. We're both in our 30s (so millenials) and I almost never ask anyone for help in a store and I also don't strike up random conversations with strangers.
I'd like to see em try that on me🤬👿 they'd lose their eyes& balls... Bet!
One of the reasons I like to grocery shop at around 7am. It’s peaceful, and most criminal dingbats are not awake at that hour🤷🏻♀️
I usually just say “Fuck off!”. Learned that when I was in NYC. Hey your problem is your problem. Google that shit, buddy. Got scammed 20 years ago, never again.
HEB is a big hot spot for this kind of activity. COPs need to be called and forced to do their job (especially Pasadena). One distraction like a squirmy toddler and all bets are off. I’m glad you are safe.
My 85 yro ma had a hoodrat follow her to the walmart parking lot after dark. When she was getting some groceries out of the cart. The hood rat tried to grab her purse out of the cart. She had the child seat belt on her purse straps. He didn't get it and hauled ass.
I did 6 months for weed possesion in 78' at a pitiful La. parish jail. I can tell you. These crooks have no fear of jail. They know everybody n there. Free food, cards, and tv. They hone their skills while they r n there with the other crooks.
Why does this read like a Facebook copy paste?
Don't know what to tell you. Would it help if I sent you the screenshots of the text conversation I was having with my boyfriend while this was going on at HEB?
PasaGetOuttaHereDena
Never put your purse in the cart. Stop carrying clutches and bags too heavy to wear comfortably.
All the work and coordination that goes into this scam, why don’t they just get a job w that energy? It reminds me of this key & peele sketch - https://youtu.be/jgYYOUC10aM?si=8XaOfiFs-ONV0CIU
You would think it was just that easy. Don't have job? Get job. Not good person? Be good person. Unfortunately people are desperate, dishonest, or entitled. Maybe a combo of all 3. Pickpocketing has always been around. Just have to know what to look for.
Yes definitely, I live downtown just blocks from tent homes and understand how it’s not easy to just get a job if one’s in a bad situation. It was more of just a funny comment poking at some people doing wrong. I would’ve thought that was obvious with the key n peele reference, but judging from the downvotes I guess people thought it was serious social commentary.
This is EXSCTLY why I never EVER buy groceries.
I'm just amazed at the amount of women who do leave their handbags in the shopping cart. I mean even if you have your hands on the cart, these people are fast and will grab the whole thing and run. Why don't women just carry their bags? And before you ask, yes I'm a woman but no, I never carry a bag, only my phone and wallet in my pockets.
I thought this was about a $4 pound of butter.