Scam Alert: Graphic Designer Needs Bus Ticket

A reader recently wrote to us alerting us to a possible scam artist who’s making the rounds of Capitol Hill, the U District and now, apparently, our neighborhood. Details are posted here on Reddit, but the basic story is that this guy came to Seattle for a job interview, had his stuff stolen, and now he needs your help with bus fare back home to San Francisco. I can’t independently confirm whether this is true or not, but our reader writes:

Just wanted to let you know that this guy intercepted me this morning on 45th street in front of H&R block as I was walking to work.

He told me the same story given in the reddit post, and even showed me his designer website on squarespace, then asked for help paying for a bus ticket back to SF.

Here are some pertinent details from the Reddit post:

There’s a scam artist going around calling himself Nicholas Talbert claiming that he came to Seattle for a job interview, got his stuff stolen, and needs $40 for a bus ticket back to San Francisco. He will show you his driver’s license and this website (enter at your own risk), claiming that the image of the man smoking on the site is him before showing you his knuckle tattoos which appear to match the image on the site. He is dressed in fancy clothes, will apologize frequently for the bother, and emphasize that he is not a street beggar.

He is a street beggar

I’ve redacted the link to this “designer’s” website because I’m not sure it’s safe to go there, but the curious can click through to the reddit post, and find the link there. Remember what they said about curiosity and the cat.

As I said at the top, I can’t independently confirm whether this guy exists or if he actually is a beggar. Perhaps he really is a graphic designer up here for an interview. But if not … you’ve been warned.