Posted on June 14, 2016 at 1:10 am by West Sider

We’ve heard from multiple people who say they’ve been ripped off in recent weeks by “mechanics” who tell them they’ve got a problem with their car, and then ask for cash to fix it. A reader who we’ll call M. sent in the account below.

“On Memorial Weekend Sunday I was driving north on Broadway from W 88th. As I was turning left to go to Gotham Liquor a pedestrian said that I had smoke coming from under my car and I should pull over.

I pulled over a block away and closer to the store and another man standing near the subway stairs said the same thing. I replied that I didn’t see any smoke and he (wearing a “mechanics shirt”) told me to pop the hood. When I got out I could see antifreeze fluid on the engine and on the ground. He said it looked like I had “popped the pins” probably after hitting a pothole.

I had never heard of such a thing but I couldn’t see how this guy had set it up blocks away so I chalked it up to not knowing a lot about cars. He sent me away to get cash and when I returned everything looked dry – and despite my doubts I paid him.

I later called my regular mechanic who said there is no such thing as popping pins and that 10 of his clients have been scammed for as much as $1000! The guy carries a little bottle of the fluid in his sleeve or something and while you are “popping the hood” pours it over your engine. They do it on holiday weekends when you can’t call your mechanic to check the story. I wish I had known about this before I gave up a hefty $280 for 5 minutes of ‘work!'”