Lead Story
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An August report from the sheriff’s department of Pima County, Arizona, described a scam in which a Tucson man answered an ad seeking stars for adult videos. He was asked to wire $1,100 to help finance the shoot, which he did; he was told he’d be reimbursed and paid afterward. Over the next three days, in response to a series of promises, demands, and threats, the man sent the “producers” three more payments totaling $23,000 and got his parents to wire them another $20,000 before concluding he’d been conned. And 23-year-old Lau Yat-fai, a 5-foot-9 deliveryman who aspires to a basketball career, paid two Hong Kong “beauty centers” the equivalent of about $1,400 for electric-current treatments to make him taller. After filing a lawsuit, Lau settled with the centers in October for a partial refund and 20 free treatment sessions.
Well Put
Unclear on the Concept
Least Competent Criminals
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): illustration/Shawn Belschwender.
