Hamilton man trying to help family in distress nearly falls victim to scam

A Hamilton man was almost the victim of a scam on Thursday when he thought he was doing a good deed.

Matthew Baboth thought he was pulling over to help a family on the off ramp of Highway 401 at Guelph Line in Burlington.

READ MORE: GO buses to replace trains this weekend on part of Lakeshore West line

Baboth said, “So I’m pulling off the highway and there is a vehicle on the side… there’s a guy with a white shirt, trying to wave down traffic, like as if he needs assistance.”

When Baboth got out of his car to help, he says things got weird, “He comes up to my window, and he starts telling me ‘I’m a rich man from Dubai,’ gives me this story, has a bunch of fake jewelry with him and then he proceeds to kind of throw it in my car, saying ‘please take this, please take this’ and this point I knew something’s not right.”

READ MORE: Hamilton driver suffering from medical episode hits hydro pole

After the man asked for money, Baboth took out his phone and started recording. Baboth says the man tried to stop him from filming and walked away back to his car. He says someone inside the car showed a weapon. “The passenger in the vehicle flashes what appeared to be a knife, and was making gestures, yelling…”

They eventually took off and Baboth called the police. A couple of hours later the two suspects were caught and arrested in Oshawa.

Halton police say although they’ve seen these types of scams in the past it is unusual to see the suspects escalate to threats with weapons.

READ MORE: Oakville animal shelter appeals to public after 3 dogs found in ‘terrible condition’