Driver Hands Over Cash In Milpitas Parking Lot Scam

A male suspect Tuesday scammed a person out of cash when the suspect said he was hit by the victim’s car in a Milpitas parking lot, police said.

Officers received a report of the scam at about 10:40 a.m. in the City Square Shopping Center on North Milpitas Boulevard, police said. The driver of the car was leaving a parking space when the suspect said the car hit him, according to police. The suspect told the victim to give him cash or he would call police.

The victim handed over some, but the suspect demanded more, and the victim relented, according to police. The suspect left and the driver realized the situation was a scam, police said.

Such scams can happen in any parking lot, police said. The scammers tend to target people who speak English poorly, according to police.

A driver should determine whether a situation is a scam and call police if so, police said. Police said they want people to report the scams right away so officers can respond quickly.

• Another recent scam in the region: IRS to Taxpayers: We Don’t Send Cops to Homes

--Bay City News