If two women approach you in Target just to chitchat and get your number, its a scam

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people on this forum are either very sheltered or just don't realize how much human trafficking and crime actually occurs in this area.

Nobody is trafficking adult women in the laundry detergent aisle at target

exactly - what drama over nothing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people on this forum are either very sheltered or just don't realize how much human trafficking and crime actually occurs in this area.

Nobody is trafficking adult women in the laundry detergent aisle at target

You never know. They’re definitely scamming them though!

Yes, we do for sure that human trafficking isn't happening to the typical middle aged mom in Target.

You're correct that people get scammed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"but I was caught off guard/trying to be polite. I was scared to come off as a "Karen" reporting people to management, but I'm glad I did "

Ok so the "Karen" thing is supposed to shame middle-aged women into silence. I'm glad you overcame your reluctance to speak up but ask you to please not perpetuate the idea that no one wants to hear what women say.

Not when they are calling the cops on little black girls with lemonade stands or black men walking dogs, nope.

The Karen meme is a thing for a valid reason.

This doesn’t qualify as Karening, though, since the behavior is legit suspicious and loitering is actually prohibited in stores like these.

But, no, we should perpetuate the idea that no one wants to hear what self-appointed, self-important hall monitor Karens want to say. They are obnoxious, horrible people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People still carry purses? Why?

I have almost been approached in parking lots, only for them to divert when they see I have no purse.

No purse = no cash.

I also do NOT understand the flashy purses or the flashy shoes in public in this area - my God, you people are just looking to get mugged. Don't get me started on the jewelry.

You don't have to be totally street smart, but you don't have to advertise that you are not - step one to not being approached.

This is the weirdest takeaway from this whole situation. Everyone still carries a purse...

I stopped carrying one for errands. I use Apple Pay everywhere. I don’t need access to lipstick, tissues etc in the grocery or the mall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to the Target in the Mosaic in Merrifield the last three weekends in a row, and twice was approached, and then saw them again today. The first time, it was two girls that looked early 20s; they came up to me and asked "hi, "what's your favorite Bible verse?" It caught me off guard - thought they were going to ask if I knew where something in the store was or whatever; I was just like "I don't know, I can't think of any sorry" and they tried asking for my phone number, claimed they were from "Faith Church" and it's all on Zoom. I declined, and walked away. I didn't really think much of it, other than thinking I should've reported it because it did make me a little uncomfortable. Then last weekend, two women who looked in their 40s, passed me in the food aisle and tried asking me about "yoga on the green" (the green lawn of the Mosaic that the Lululemon hosts - I actually have been to it) - I said no, but they have to ask Lululemon about it. I started walking away and they kept trying to ask me more questions like if I'm from here, and I just was like "take care!" and walked away. My coworkers all told me this is a scam; both of these times - they'll try to distract you and either steal from your purse or slip an Air Tag in it. Get your phone number, and scam you that way.

Anyways, those same two women in their 40s were there again today - I walked past them and recognized them immediately. They were talking to one lady who was shopping alone. I went down an aisle, and they passed me - we made eye contact but they kept going. Now I was on alert and not looking like I was browsing slowly. I continued shopping, and passed them again several times through the food aisles. They were pushing a cart around with nothing in it. At one point they stopped a lady and were talking to her; I walked by and heard them asking things like what school did she go to and "its soooo nice to meet you!". One of them was standing next to her, and the other blocking the aisle. I asked an employee near by if there were any managers I could talk to, and he directed me to guest services. I explained it to the main guy at Guest Services and he called security immediately. I returned to my shopping, all the way back to the groceries. I didn't see the women, got what I needed, and headed over to the personal care/beauty aisles - where I saw them again, they were talking to an older lady in the kitchen supplies area, on both sides of her this time, which I thought was kind of creepy. I saw a man in the security shirt walking by trying to find them, so I let him know it was them. He must have kicked them out thankfully - when I left after checking out, they were lurking outside of the Target by the doors talking angrily. I got to my car and a man was honking furiously in the car next to to me, looking like he was trying to get someone's attention.

I know this may sound harmless - but a friend of mine is a cop and said this is a very common scam. Each time, it felt really weird to me and creepy, and I was annoyed I had even responded in the first place - but I was caught off guard/trying to be polite. I was scared to come off as a "Karen" reporting people to management, but I'm glad I did and I hope they don't come back. Today, after seeing them approach THREE different women who were all shopping alone, it's very obvious what was going on and it makes me so uncomfortable in a store that I love and go to very often (I know it can happen anywhere). My coworker said this has happened to her as well, in stores like the Wegmans or the DSW nearby. Anyways - if this happens to you, please report them to the store and stay alert to your belongings!

Look, it's always good to be on guard and look out for each other. Be alert. But just maybe these were 2 church ladies or cult ladies trying to entice new members to try it out. You saw them with 3 women, but never saw them steal. You spoke to them, but they didn't rob you.

Nobody wants to talk to church ladies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people on this forum are either very sheltered or just don't realize how much human trafficking and crime actually occurs in this area.

Nobody is trafficking adult women in the laundry detergent aisle at target

exactly - what drama over nothing

It is effing annoying to be trapped in a shopping aisle with any strangers, especially when they mark people who are less assertive. It is kind of like bullying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t understand how or why an air tag is used.

To follow someone.

[Anonymous]

TLDR? what does that mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t understand how or why an air tag is used.

it's a tracking device, about the size of a quarter. Most "normal" people use them to keep track of their luggage, handbag - those types of items. But now criminals are using them to track YOU. They put them on your car so they can find out where you live, for example. And they're small enough that you wouldn't necessarily know you have one on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TLDR? what does that mean?

TLDR = Too Long Didn't Read

It means give me the one-sentence explanation/important takeaway

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TLDR? what does that mean?

TLDR = Too Long Didn't Read

It means give me the one-sentence explanation/important takeaway

thank you! Boy I think that to myself all the time on here. Anything longer than 4 lines, and I'm out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t understand how or why an air tag is used.

it's a tracking device, about the size of a quarter. Most "normal" people use them to keep track of their luggage, handbag - those types of items. But now criminals are using them to track YOU. They put them on your car so they can find out where you live, for example. And they're small enough that you wouldn't necessarily know you have one on you.

What benefit does tracking you give them? They can follow you and discover that you live in a house? And this makes you a better target for crime why?

Why would breaking into the house of someone who they saw at Target be better than breaking into the house of someone they didn't see at Target?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t understand how or why an air tag is used.

it's a tracking device, about the size of a quarter. Most "normal" people use them to keep track of their luggage, handbag - those types of items. But now criminals are using them to track YOU. They put them on your car so they can find out where you live, for example. And they're small enough that you wouldn't necessarily know you have one on you.

What benefit does tracking you give them? They can follow you and discover that you live in a house? And this makes you a better target for crime why?

Why would breaking into the house of someone who they saw at Target be better than breaking into the house of someone they didn't see at Target?

Are you really this naive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people on this forum are either very sheltered or just don't realize how much human trafficking and crime actually occurs in this area.

Nobody is trafficking adult women in the laundry detergent aisle at target

The last time they opened one of those shipping containers full of trafficking victims they found it was all McLean moms in Lululemon. One still had the lacrosse travel schedule open on her phone. Chilling!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people on this forum are either very sheltered or just don't realize how much human trafficking and crime actually occurs in this area.

Nobody is trafficking adult women in the laundry detergent aisle at target

The last time they opened one of those shipping containers full of trafficking victims they found it was all McLean moms in Lululemon. One still had the lacrosse travel schedule open on her phone. Chilling!

Lolz