In recent months, a simple but effective scheme has been circulating again, which has caught drivers in several Portuguese cities. The trap starts with something seemingly harmless: a folded 5 € grade left near a parked car.
The trick is mainly reappearing in parks next to shopping centers, where constant movement facilitates the action of the burns. A automatic gesture, such as lowering to catch the money, may be enough to distract the victim and allow theft of personal goods or, in rarer cases, from the car itself.
HOW THE DOUBLE NOTE TRQUE WORKS
According to the HuffPost Spain website, the scheme is based on a repeated standard: the note is strategically placed under the car, next to a wheel or the driver door. The goal is to attract the victim’s attention and lead her to lower, opening a window of a few seconds to criminal action.
During this brief moment, robbers can open unlocked doors, bring bags, backpacks or wallets of the passenger seat and, in more organized cases, even steal the vehicle, especially if it has the engine or the key inside.
PSP has warned of increasing distraction schemes in urban areas and parking parks. According to the security force, these methods work because they are silent, uninvial and rapid, making it difficult to immediately perceive the scam.
Signs that something is not right
The return of this trick has led authorities to advise drivers to be aware of some signs. “Lost” notes in too evident places, people who slowly circulate between cars or unexpected conversation attempts should raise suspicion.
It is equally important to verify that the car is properly locked before and after parking it, and keeps attention redoubled when entering or leaving the vehicle.
What to do if you find a note like this
If you see a note next to the car, avoid acting on impulse. Look around before downloading and make sure no one approaches suspiciously. In some cases, the notes are placed as “markers” by organized groups that study driver routines and patterns.
According to the best prevention is constantly attention and the adoption of simple measures: always lock the car, keep personal effects out of sight and distrust unexpected approaches, especially in places with great movement.
More common than it seems
Although not all cases result in theft, the number of reports on this type of attempted sloping has increased. The tactic, which has already been used in the past, has now returned with slight variations, and remains effective because at first glance, a simple chance.
The lesson is clear: Not everything that seems a sudden luck must be accepted without thinking. Sometimes what seems like a find, like a € 5 grade can hide a trap, and get out.
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