1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Joining us in the studio. Right now, we have wibc's 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: John att Cruz from the newsroom. Hey, good morning, Good morning. 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: I'm glad you could spend some time with us. You 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: put out an article yesterday and in partnering video that 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: absolutely blew up. So I think we need to talk 6 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: about this. This is in regards to a grocery store 7 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: note scam that's going on in central Indiana. So what 8 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: people are walking up to strangers with handwritten notes saying 9 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: that they need help because they're trying to buy groceries 10 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: for people to need. 11 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, so the notes are actually they come in a 12 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 2: variety of different ways. So it could be someone saying 13 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 2: that they've lost their job and so they're looking just 14 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 2: to buy a couple of things for groceries, or you know, 15 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,959 Speaker 2: I'm a single mom, or I'm pregnant and I need formula, 16 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 2: just a whole bunch of different things. And what we're 17 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 2: finding out is once I put this story together, and 18 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 2: it was just because it was a lot of hearsay 19 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 2: and I had people share some their stories with me. 20 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 2: Didn't really want to go on the record, so I 21 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 2: was like, Okay, I'll tell the story and then lo 22 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 2: and Behold, we find out that this is literally happening 23 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 2: like just about any grocery store in central Indiana, because 24 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,199 Speaker 2: it's happening in so many different places. And it seems 25 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: as though there is a specific woman that people have 26 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 2: pointed out that has done this in multiple areas, and 27 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: it seems as though that person may be traveling to 28 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 2: two different grocery stores doing the same type of scamp. 29 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 1: Okay, so this isn't just one specific grocery store or 30 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 1: specific neighborhood. 31 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 2: From what I'm hearing it everywhere. It is in Greenwood, 32 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 2: it is in Avon, Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers, all over the place, 33 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 2: and in Kroger or Kroger aldi Meyer everywhere Target. 34 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: And she's using some psychological tactics, your persuasion methods, absolutely 35 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: trying to you know, use empathy, like help me. 36 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 2: Oh yes, yeah, you know. And obviously when you see 37 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 2: somebody and they're struggling, you want to be able to hurt, 38 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 2: you know, Okay, but then you know, they get put 39 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 2: in these positions where these people are trying to help 40 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 2: this person and then all of a sudden, you know, 41 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 2: it's not just a twenty dollars bill or a fifty 42 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: dollars bill all of a sudden it ends up being 43 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 2: one hundred dollar bill. And then she grabs the groceries 44 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: really quick. She hands them off to somebody else and 45 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: she comes right back in and gets another target. 46 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: So she's asking for money, not just groceries, she's asking 47 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: for both. Yes, Oh okay, Now are there any law 48 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: enforcement agencies that are tracking the financial trail? 49 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:28,519 Speaker 3: So from do we have any leads? Yeah? 50 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 2: So from what I hear is that, you know, some 51 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 2: people have reported it to management on site, and so 52 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 2: they'll tell them like, you can't be here, you're trespassing. 53 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 2: But that's as far as the extent goes, because really 54 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 2: you are you're allowing this to happen. You're saying, Okay, 55 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 2: here's the money, I'm paying for your groceries for you, 56 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 2: or I'm giving you cash here at the checkout. So 57 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 2: it's like you're willingly doing it, right. 58 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 3: It's probably tough because the crime isn't committed exactly till 59 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 3: there's that exchange of money and. 60 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 2: She runs off and yeah, somebody, she just gim me. 61 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 3: Right, there's no crime necessarily in the solicitation erect you've got. 62 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 3: And then by the time the crime happens, it's too 63 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 3: late and you couldn't be open. 64 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, and she's already done a couple of rounds and 65 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 2: then she'll go ahead and go to another grocery store. 66 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: And I don't and we don't know if this is 67 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 2: just a small group of people or if they're on rotation, 68 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: but it seems like this has been widespread and it's 69 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: been happening for a very long time. 70 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 1: So even if they catch the perpetrators, prosecution chances probably 71 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: not good. 72 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 2: Yeah. I don't think it's good at all. 73 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: Okay, are there any copycat operations? 74 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 2: I oh, I believe so. 75 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 3: Yes. 76 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 2: I mean I would imagine there's tons of people still 77 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 2: out here doing this. And it's not only just here 78 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 2: in Indiana from wedding hearing, just on social media and 79 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 2: even on TikTok. People are telling me that this is 80 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: happening in every state. There's just people taking advantage of 81 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: nice people of a situation, and you will have those 82 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 2: people that are copy copying them. 83 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: Okay, so awareness is probably going to put it stuff. 84 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 2: Absolutely an awareness Just walk away, turn around, don't engage 85 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 2: in a conversation. I have had a couple people comment 86 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 2: and said when they said no nicely. Then the person 87 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 2: got very rude and called them a couple of names. Okay, 88 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 2: so you can see how quickly they turn, and then 89 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: that's when you really know, Okay, they really are trying 90 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: to scam me here. Why would they say that shopping. 91 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: For groceries is such a pleasant experience right now with 92 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: the everything now, you want to be through shopping. 93 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:24,359 Speaker 2: I don't even want to go to a store. 94 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,239 Speaker 1: So you're saying that this is coming across in handwritten notes, 95 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: and people are just verbally asking a yes many different ways. 96 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 2: Yes, and they're just they're just looking for people that 97 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: I cannot say are nice and that would have like 98 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 2: some sort of an inviting presence that they would feel 99 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 2: okay coming up to them and handing off a note 100 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 2: and saying, hey, I need some help. 101 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: Opportunistic targeting is exactly. 102 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 3: And if I'm a if I'm in the grocery store 103 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 3: today and somebody comes up to me and solicits this, 104 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 3: either with a handwritten note or speaking to me verbally, 105 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 3: there's really not much I can do other than, like 106 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 3: you said, walk away or just say no, thank you, 107 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 3: or if you want to take it to the next step, 108 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 3: maybe go to the stores management at least give them 109 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 3: heads up. 110 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 2: And so some people have gone to store management and 111 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: so they have kind of noticed that certain person and 112 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 2: then they'll say, you know, you'll have to leave your two. 113 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 1: Do you know are the same type of person being targeted? Like, 114 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: are these scammers profiling? 115 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 2: No, they're hitting everybody, young, old, people who have children 116 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 2: with them. If you're a female male, it looks like 117 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 2: across the board it is anybody and everyone that they 118 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 2: feel like they could target. 119 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 1: That person who is doing this really should just go 120 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: into sales, right because they're not afraid to do this 121 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: with strangers. Okay, well, thank you for bringing light to 122 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: us story. We're that What are you working on in 123 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: the newsroom right now? 124 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 2: So right now I'm actually putting together I've been doing 125 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 2: lots of research on a lot of the correctional facilities 126 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 2: within the state. I had a story that actually went 127 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 2: pretty viral actually probably about a month or two ago, 128 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: where I had a former correctional officer at the Plainfield 129 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 2: Correctional Facility that was a apparently poisoned and so she 130 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 2: is no longer there. She shared her story with me. 131 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 2: From there, I got inundated with a ton of DMS 132 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 2: of messages about just the state of the facilities in 133 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: the state in general. So I am working on lots 134 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 2: of people's testimonies. I'm getting people from who either have 135 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 2: served in the correctional facility as an inmate, to family 136 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 2: members to pass other correctional facility officers that have issues 137 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 2: and have shared their stories with me as well. 138 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: Well, you are doing good work bringing light to a 139 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: lot of stories and getting people talking. Yeah, keep it up, 140 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: John Atcruse from the WIBC newsroom, and you are listening 141 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: to ninety three WIBC