Alan Freed, Jr.

An open letter to the con man calling himself Alan Freed, Jr.

Lots of people have contacted me to say they have also been suckered in by this low-quality con man calling himself Alan Freed Jr. Aparently he really gets around. Feel free to send me a message if you've run across this fellow.
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Preface:
"Alan Freed Jr." is a con man, a scam artist, who preys on the good-hearted folks of San Francisco. His scam is conning people with a story of having a really nice car, usually filled with sandwiches he makes to give to the poor and homeless, which is in a parking garage he can't pay for. The mythical "snadwiches", as the scam goes, which can number in the hundreds, are in dire need of being handed out to the poor before they spoil. In my case, as if conning me out of $40 "loan" wasn't enough, he even asked me to drive him back into downtown so he could get car out of the garage. I wasn't able to give him the ride. Oddly enough (gee!), when I went on my way I noticed he wasn't actually in any kind of hurry to get back to the "car" in the garage.
But here's the really funny part. The entire "sandwiches for the homeless" scam is wrapped in an even bigger "filthy rich philanthropist" con. This "Alan Freed J.r" guy is claiming to be the bazillionaire grandson to the Alan Free Jr. of radio and music publishing fame. If the "sandwiches for the homeless" scam isn't enough, he also puts a cherry on top of the whole con with a promise of millions of dollars to special people willing to lend a hand; People willing to extend their trust to him.
Obviously the promise of millions of dollars to people in exchange for a loan is a total crock. But I've been "poor" before. I've had my share of friends who were truly in desperate need of some temporary financial help. I know what desperation is, and I know sometimes you feel it's necessary to sacrifice some scruples in order to EAT. Still, I also know what trust and honor are. Making a hand-shaking deal for a "loan", to be repaid two days later, then vanishing...that crosses a line of dishonesty, of violation of trust, that is simply unacceptable.
Lots of people have been scammed by this guy. I continue to get letters from people who have had their trust violated and their money effectively stolen by this con man. Back when this happened to me I was hurt, and $40 poorer (with ZERO income MYSELF), but I was willing to just let it go. Lately, I've been receiving so many reports of this guy scamming folks that I'm reconsidering whether law enforcement should be involved.
Granted, it would cost us as taxpayers much more to arrest, try, and incarcerate this scam artist, but I figure it's somethign we as a society CHOOSE to do, on the principle of rule of law, rather than latting people get away with scamming folks with a con about feeding the homeless.
Thanks in part to this "Alan Freed Jr." con artist guy, I don't give anyone ANYTHING for free. What money I do have is now very strictly only used for for myself, not for helping others in need. I don't like it, but that's what happens when my trust is violated one too many times. This "Alan Freed Jr." con man is using the poor and homeless as a tool for injuring people, directly causing those people to stop giving to those same poor and homeless in the future.
Someone should do something about this guy. His behavior is hurtful to everyone.

On To The Letter...

We had a deal.
You told me a story of who you were and the deal you were proposing. You claimed to be philanthropic, giving of your time and energy to those less forunate. You told stories of how you made sandwiches by the hundreds and and how you gave them away to persons in great need. You made yourself out to be someone of significant means but who was momentarily in immediate need.
Once you had made your needs clear to me, you asked what I thought. I opened up to you telling you of my learned distrust of people. I told you stories of how I'd given help to people, only to discover that I'd been lied to and that I'd been taken advantage of. I told you that I had been lied to and hurt by the rich and poor alike. I told you how skeptical I was of your story.
You specifically reassured me of your position. You guarenteed that my relationship with you would not only be a positive one, but a wonderful and life changing experience.
I agreed to loan you the money you needed to complete your philanthropic mission. I agreed to meet you two days later, at a specific place, at a specific time. I shook your hand and went on to complete what I had begun before we met.
That day came. That time came. I came to be at that place, but you did not. You failed to fulfill your commitment. You have not contacted me, although you know several ways to do so.
You did not repay your loan. You have disappointed me. I believe now that my original skepticism was correct. I believe now that you lied to me about everything. I believe now that you specifically fabricated a tale designed to manipulate me into being kind. I do not know these things for a fact; But your aparently dishonorable actions force me to assume such.
I am not afraid to be incorrect or to be shown that I am incorrect. When angered by a friend, the friendship will always trump the anger. Chances to make ammends are enthusiastically given. Misunderstanding and accidents are easily resolved. Lost ground is easily recuperated. However, when another chooses to define our relationship as one of destructive competition, so shall they find themselves, challenged in kind.
I ask you now to fix it. Repay the loan. Make some effort to repair the trust you worked so hard to get me to extend to you, but which has now been lost.
Each alliance we form creates something greater than the sum of its parts. Each antagonism we hold reduces the worth and ability of everyone involved. It's up to each of us to define our own relationships. I base my relationships on mutual fidelity and I enjoy the benefits thereof. On what do you base your relationships? And what to you think you will receive as a result?
Bust a deal, face the wheel.