WHILE waiting in my car at the St Catherine’s Hill shops, an expensive saloon car stopped next to me and the driver gestured for my attention by waving a road map.

Wishing to help, I went over and was asked how to get to Heathrow.

Having given the directions, the middle-aged, well-dressed gentleman told me he was half-Swiss, half-Italian and was opening a store in Christchurch selling Swiss watches.

As a goodwill gesture he gave me a flashy watch in a nice box, showed me a glossy brochure and put two more watches into a presentation paper carrier from his briefcase.

Great! Three watches totalling more than £350, according to him.

He then pointed at his fuel gauge showing red and told me that he only had euros, nobody took them for petrol and could I give him some cash.

‘A well-heeled businessman in Christchurch, no cash and no cards’, I thought, giving away hundreds of pounds worth of bling.

I handed back the watches and saw him drive away towards not the Spur Road, but Christchurch.

If it sounds too good to be true, the chances are it’s a scam.

MIKE ROBERTS-BUTLER

Dolbery Road, Poole

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