WENATCHEE - Within the last few weeks, Wenatchee has been christened with a trending scam that’s reportedly duped others into shelling out cash in other cities in the U.S.
According to Wenatchee police and community members posting about it on social media, fake violin players have been present in parking lots at Valley North Center Mall off Miller Street.
The violin-playing panhandling is comparable to lip-synching, but with a violin. The fraudulent fiddlers apparently play a pre-recorded tune through a speaker, but present the façade as if they are actually playing an electric violin through an amplifier. The bogus act inspires some people passing by to dole out any cash they might have on them.
“We first saw it in the last two weeks,” Edgar Reinfeld told iFIBER ONE News. “I have seen two different males with the same female and children. It reminds me of gypsy street performers in Europe who are often accompanied by pickpockets and/or thieves who rip off tourists.”
iFIBER ONE News asked Reinfeld if the violin-playing imposters are committing any crimes.
“No reason to arrest them. We do not know of any crime yet. We have seen buskers before, but the kids angle is new. They are simply panhandling until some sort of crime is alleged and then probable cause is developed. We universally discourage giving money to panhandlers, but we can't stop people from doing so.”
“They are very effective at panhandling, but I don't know if it really qualifies as a scam. Definitely panhandling and almost certainly lip syncing with a violin. They had an accordion one day that the male was definitely not playing while the music was still going on,” Reinfeld added.
Reinfeld says the people pulling the auditory stunt are not familiar to him so they may not be local, but residents could see more of them over time if they are successful at unscrupulously earning your money.