Greg's Corner

The $20 Scam Draining Bank Accounts

By Greg Collier

It starts with a stranger offering a smile and a surprise windfall. A crisp $20 bill appears out of nowhere, handed to you with compliments and flattery. But instead of a lucky day, you could be walking straight into a financial trap.

This is exactly what happened to a shopper at a Ralph’s grocery store in Van Nuys, California. While entering her PIN at checkout, she was approached by a man claiming she dropped a twenty. He insisted it was hers, pushing it toward her wallet and crowding her personal space. She tried to decline, sensing something was off, but the interaction didn’t end there.

Outside the store, the same man, now with a woman, followed her to her car, still trying to press the bill into her hands. They stayed uncomfortably close, creating confusion and distraction. Moments later, after getting into her car, she realized her debit card was gone.

The theft wasn’t just an isolated loss. In less than an hour, thousands of dollars had been siphoned from her account, and from her daughter’s, due to their linked bank accounts. Just like that, a paycheck meant for essentials was wiped out by someone else’s deceit.

This type of scam is far from new, but it continues to evolve. Known as a distraction scam, it relies on psychological tactics more than brute force. Scammers create a scene that feels both random and urgent, using props like money or dropped items to divert attention from wallets and card readers. In busy places like grocery stores, they blend in easily and work in pairs to make the act more convincing.

The aftermath is more than financial. Victims often report a lingering sense of vulnerability, scanning their surroundings in fear that someone else might try to take advantage again. What makes it worse is the realization that the same scheme has affected many others, often without public warning.

In cases like this, police are urging anyone with information to come forward. So far, no suspects have been identified, and no security footage has been made public. But awareness is key.

To avoid falling victim, it is important to stay focused when using a debit card in public. Cover the keypad when entering a PIN and be wary of people who insert themselves into your space without a clear reason. If someone insists you dropped money, step back, take a breath, and double-check your belongings before engaging. Even a small distraction could be the cover for a larger theft.

The $20 trick might seem harmless in the moment, but in the wrong hands, it’s not a gesture of luck, it’s bait.