Police warning: Fake violin players are out to scam you
NewsOnly in America?
WARNING: This is a nationwide issue, please be aware of scam violin players in Rockville and other location’s shopping centers. They are soliciting money through cash AND electronic methods.
Please share this alert to others. Stay Safe.
#scamviolinplayers#MCPnews pic.twitter.com/Axjj7tnkuk
— Montgomery County Department of Police (@mcpnews) December 2, 2021
A couple more years working the streets and he’ll have the experience necessary for a good position in the “Development Office” of his local symphony orchestra where begging is also the norm. Cash, checks, debit, and credit cards are all welcomed.
And he will be able to join André Rieu’s circus.
So what’s the scam?
They’re not really playing; they’re just miming, often badly, to other people’s recordings.
Wow, so even buskers, who play badly while begging, spoofing real musicians, are now themselves being spoofed. The irony! I know a guy who plays “jazz” flute with a huge obnoxious disco speaker, meanwhile he drives at least two different SUVs. They are in it to hurt people, the unfortunate forced listeners, that’s all. Sadists.
At least the scam violinist plays first and then asks for money.
Nothing like the bait-and-switch that orchestras uses by making you pay first and then not refunding when the supposed star turns out to be a no show.
He plays a fake violin?
If it’s not canned music and lip syncing Milli Vanilli style, I’d gladly give the violinist a few bucks if the music is good. This is better than giving fake Chinese Buddhist monks for a lousy prayer card and a useless blessing.
Outside the Aldi market in Schaumburg Illinois. I remember it distinctly from the horrid over amplified sound.
If it was outside an Aldi store, then hopefully the recording was of a German violinist at least.
It’s America today—he self-identifies as a violinist
“Give me money now or I’ll switch to viola!”
That’s how I was able to afford my house.
I know of three trombonists how they threatened passers-by to begin to play if they did not pay, but it did not work.
Hmmm! I do not know why but it reminds me of a DGG recording session at one of the northern town halls in which I was taking part. For me it was ‘money for old rope’ and I had little to do. In fact I left the hall at one point and sat chatting – sotto voce – to the manager. The leader came out to say that the engineers were picking up a strange noise and could not use any of the takes; we scouted around for said strange noise and found that it was a highlander – kilt, sporren, the lot – busking outside. The manager asked him to stop but he angrily refused saying that he had paid for licence and was going to use it. The manager ended up giving him the licence money plus a large fee – probably more than the orchestra were each getting – to go away.
Beautiful story.
What’s the big deal? There are fake viola players everywhere… (Just joking: I’m a viola player, myself)
I supported myself through school in Ireland by busking 3-4 days a week.
Carmel, NY.
I’ve run into a group of these at a local shopping center. Most annoying especially as it’s quite clear they are not playing anything. An insult to real and often talented buskers.
Stay safe from what?
As with all the other snowflakes who feel “unsafe” if they see a 56-year-od movie, or read a word they don’t like (or don’t understand) — from their own ignorance.
Is anyone holding a gun to their heads? if I see a guy playing a violin, or even a guitar, on a street, I am likely to give him a small donation. If I see a guy pretending to do the same, I will ignore him. Safety never in doubt.
God, these people…
Crossover violinists?
Yep, even my small city (Spokane, WA) has been blessed with a plethora of these homeless virtuosi recently. It sounds decent; but if you look at them you realize that, with their bow grip and posture, there’s no way they could be getting the sound they seem to be getting. My only complaint is that the sound is so amplified that it’s hard to have a conversation anywhere in the giant parking lot.
If someone is actually poverty-stricken, then I am in favor of them doing anything and everything they can legally do to earn money. Pretending to be a violinist is not the worst thing they could be doing, even legally (insert David Garrett/Vanessa Mae joke here). I just hope that if these people are that poverty-stricken, they aren’t being taken advantage of by someone who makes a “deal,” say “the first $1200 you make goes to me, to pay for the equipment – don’t worry, the money will pour in so fast you won’t believe it – and after that, you’re on your way to a life of ease and riches.”
I share your suspicion. I’ve run into a few …. they all have the same equipment, and although the messages vary, the signs are made exactly the same way.
In American we have an ongoing scam in which an ex-politician begs for money on the internet claiming it is to help him pay for his legal bills. The scam is especially egregious because large numbers of people who thought they were making a one-time donation later learned that they were contributing monthly. In addition, if you read the fine print it indicated that funds could be used for anything at the sole discretion of the politician. To date ~ 250 million dollars have been raised and ~ 9 million spent on legal fees with the rest unaccounted for.
Cool, now musicians can’t even make a humiliating living in the USA, let alone a real one.
There’s no scam here. No one’s paying for a concert. I think it’s kind of funny.
If they are faking playing, they probably fake being poor, numb nuts
Conceptually, is this much different from the “organ grinders” of old, who would perch outside building and play their organ with its one built-in tune until the occupants would pay him to leave and go somewhere else?
This is also happening in some orchestras.
I am pleased to know that in Southern England we have a real busker , Kai Choi, who seems to do well on busy days (Cowes, Lymington, recently in Salisbury). His accompaniments are recorded but he plays his own fiddle .
Sorta like Britain’s Got Talent?
As a violinist, I will know instantly if they are faking it. I still would prefer seeing them do this than begging or stealing money. Besides, aren’t actors paid handsomely to simply pretend?