Scammer Dupes Man Into Buying 'Very Expensive Italian' Leather Jackets

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- South San Francisco police are investigating a scam in which a suspect duped a 64-year-old San Bruno man into buying what he claimed were very expensive leather jackets at a discounted rate.

The victim was approached in a parking lot in the 400 block of South Airport Boulevard on Monday by the suspect, who claimed to be a salesman from Italy who did not want to transport the jackets back to Europe and offered to sell them for 10 percent of their retail cost, police said.

The suspect came across as believable and trustworthy, but the victim later determined the jackets were not what he claimed them to be, according to police.

No other information about the suspect in Monday's case was immediately available, but police said the scam is a common one being perpetrated across the country.

Anyone with information about the case, or similar instances of people offering to sell merchandise in a public space, are encouraged to call South San Francisco police at (650) 877-8900.

© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.