CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A scammer texted Chrystine Boyd, owns Skinergy Aesthetics in Dilworth, this summer.
The scammer used the name Kenny Scott and said he wanted to book appointments for five people -- $400 worth of services.
"That is great money," Boyd said. "I do skin care and waxing, and I've been doing it for 15 years.”
The scammer said he was going to hire a limo to drive the customers to and from her salon.
But he said the limo wouldn't take credit cards.
He wanted her to front the money in cash, and he promised to pay her back.
"That's an awesome thing to have, a new person to find you and pretty much have almost a full day booked for you," Boyd said.
But it was a lie.
"It's pretty frustrating; wasting your time,” Boyd said.
Boyd said a scammer also targeted her friend, a massage therapist, also in Dilworth.
Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke reported a similar case before in which a con artist texted Lila Sanacone, a massage therapist in Matthews, who owns Prayerful Touch.
"It's just rotten that someone's doing this, and they have to know the damage they're doing," Sanacone said.
Sanacone’s scammer wanted more than $1,400 from her. Boyd's scammer wanted $1,500.
Neither fell for it and Boyd wants to make sure others don't either.
"We feel like they're targeting our industry for whatever reason,” Boyd said.
A red flag on these scammers is they tend not to want to talk on the phone.
They prefer text, so they usually make up excuses like they are in a hospital and are in no condition to talk.
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