It happened to me also, but it was a much less costly mistake -- several years ago I gave this person cash to shovel my sidewalk and driveway, almost immediately he said he had to leave to take care of his son and would return shortly. But he never did. I felt sorry for him too. It seems he is part of our community, but scamming is a sad way to make a living. GH -----Original Message----- From: neighborhood-bounces@highlandpark.pgh.pa.us [mailto:neighborhood-bounces@highlandpark.pgh.pa.us]On Behalf Of gh28@andrew.cmu.edu Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 7:14 PM To: Margaret OConnell; neighborhood@highlandpark.pgh.pa.us Cc: Geoffrey Hitch Subject: Re: [Highland Park] Scam Artist Dear Ms. O'Connell, I live in Highland Park. Approximately 6 years ago the same African-American man (in his 40s?) who ripped you off ripped ME off. He approached me by pointing out that my sidewalk needed repair, & that he did that kind of work. He was to lay a brick patio in my backyard & a brick sidewalk in the front of the house. I supplied the bricks & the concrete. He did little work. He always had his toddler son in tow, & I felt sorry for him. I did what you did, & gave him money for work he had not yet done -- and never did do. At that time he lived above the dry cleaner on Bryant. He is a scam artist. Geoffrey Hitch --On Thursday, February 10, 2005 1:19 PM -0500 Margaret OConnell <tropicalmomo@earthlink.net> wrote:

I have just been cheated by a handiman who asked for partial payment for a job and then never came back to finish the work. I understand that he has done this to at least two other people in our Highland Park neighborhood. Be on the lookout for an African American man named Leroy Ramsey. He is tall and "specializes" in concrete work altho he says he can fix almost anything. I have learned an expensive lession!

-- Margaret O'Connell

-- <http://www.highlandpark.pgh.pa.us/mailman/listinfo/neighborhood>

-- <http://www.highlandpark.pgh.pa.us/mailman/listinfo/neighborhood>