Roadside scammers con cash from Good Samaritans

SALT LAKE CITY — A team of roadside scammers have taken to Utah highways to con cash from Good Samaritans.

Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Chamberlin Neff said a team of people have been pulling this scam across Davis, Salt Lake and Utah Counties. If you decide to stop and help a broken-down driver, be weary, police warn. 

 

A team of scammers wait along the sides of roads in high-end vehicles, waving people down for help. Then, they offer people gold in exchange for cash to help fix their car. The gold is fake and is hard to trace back to the perpetrators.

If you encounter roadside scammers

“There is no need for you to give cash to someone that’s broken down on the side of the road,” said Neff.

According to Neff, police caught two suspected scammers who are now facing criminal charges. However, he believes there are many more out there.

“People are acting on the kindness of their heart. But in at the end of the day, they are falling victim to a scam,” said Neff. 

According to UHP, anyone encountering this situation should contact their local dispatch center or dial 911 for emergencies. 

Britt Johnson is a reporter and anchor for KSL NewsRadio.  

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