Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.
Scamming - Fraud
The Violin Parking Lot scam is where fake Violinist set up at parking lots or elsewhere and "play" a violin connected to a speaker with a backing track to try to trick passerbys into thinking they are actually playing. One person fake plays the violin, while the other one collects the money. These scammers usually have signs that they are in financial need, they need to pay rent, can't find work because they are immigrants, or they have starving children.
These fake violin players, counterfeit musician or traveling scam artists are going from city to city fake performing and asking for money. If you have information about violin parking lot scammers in your area, please share in a comment below.
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Violin player outside Valparaiso, IN Target about a week ago. Same scenario.
...but this isn't illegal...
Saw one getting into a really nice van after his ‘performance’
Norge, VA. It’s SO loud and super annoying!
Bradenton Florida, Target in bayshore gardens
Shop Rite parking lot in Burlington Township, NJ off of Route 541 there is a guy playing the violin asking for money.
They’re all over South NJ. They are mainly at the Targets, Walmarts, Lowes, Home Depot’s, and Shoprites (grocery store). They fake play the violin to a soundtrack. They play on the heart strings of people with some sob story that is a lie. They needs laws against these scammers. They don’t care that that swindle people out of money.
Fake violin players in menifee California by target
Fake violinist "playing" 6/26/21 at Fresh Market in Southern Pines, NC. Woman and 3 children with the "player". Dark grey Honda minivan. They left after I called him out on his scam.
Fake violinist playing in Target parking lot in Montclair, VA. He had two small boys with him. Clearly a fraud fooling a man who I saw giving him money and making people falsely believe he was a working and skilled musician. Disgusting. This almost fooled me before looking the scam up on the internet.
