The Spaniard and the Grifter

When the three Baltic States declared and obtained indepedence from the Soviet Union, each had the task of producing its own coinage. As the European Union started to take hold, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania each had eyes on joining. The result is that their $2 coins look shocking similar, especially the 2 LAT and the 2 LIT, but they have very different valuations: 2 LATs = $3.50 and 2 LITa = $0.70.

Now, of course I bring this up because I, the guy who has been to Latvia before and ought to know better, got grifted yesterday. A Latvian fellow approached me all distraught and asked me if I could change a 10LAT bill for 5 2 LAT coins, cause he needed it for change for the parking meter. Being the good citizen I obliged and, as you can undoubtedly predict, he gave me 5 2 LITa coins back. As he walked away, I looked down at the coins and they didn't look quite right and then realized that they said Lita on them. Grifted out of $15 dollars or so!

I bring this up because I saw the same twentysomething dude, named Paolo, pulling the same routine on two German teenagers this morning. Being the good samaritan, I walked up and called him out. He was apologetic and claimed innocence, but I told him I didn't want my money back, that I was stupid in the first place and what I really wanted to know was how much money he made at it. He just smiled and, like a master chess player, told me about his strategy. He looked for people who were obviously not Latvian, primarily by their dress, whether they carried a backpack or manbag and if they were significantly overweight (something not seen here in the Baltic States - yet!) I asked him how he pegged me and he replied with a laugh, "Spaniard, you not from Latvia!" And he kept calling me "Spaniard", much to my amusement.

Of course I should have called the cops on him but, unlike Russia, there aren't constables everywhere -- and the one officer I have seen looked like she should be in Cosmopolitan instead of patrolling the streets of Riga. Besides, I'm not always clear on that whole right/wrong thingy especially when fun can be had.

I watched Paolo in action for about twenty minutes, targeting mark after mark, and everyone fell victim to his con. In this time he had made something like 100 LATs ($175), in a country where the average monthly salary is $200! He offered to treat me to a night on the town this evening, with "girls he will provide", but I know better than to trust a grifter and, besides, I must be on my way to Liepaja.

I asked him to at least not target teenagers because money is more scarce for them and he replied, "For you Spaniard, since you no turn me in, I will not do".

Yeah, right.