11/05/24
August 06, 2011
Fake Alabama-Auburn Tickets Lure Deadbeat Parents: The Opelika, Ala., police department created an elaborate ruse to arrest parents suspected of criminally delinquent child support payments, telling them in a letter they'd won free tickets to this year's Alabama/Auburn football game if they showed up in person with a photo ID to claim them. Local media even participated in the sting, interviewing unsuspecting suspects about their prize. "I am now a winner!" one declared to cameras moments before the cuffs come out. Every one of the parents arrested owes at least $30,000 in payments, police said.
This has to be one of the oldest tricks in the book. Free TVs (I mean the electronic kind, not those who prefer alternative costumes), special deals on merchandise, give aways, and the like have all been used to lure the greedy into the arms of the authorities. The truly amazing thing is that it still works. Love it!
posted by Howard_T at 02:52 PM on August 06, 2011
Did they get any arbocisdists?
posted by yerfatma at 03:13 PM on August 06, 2011
Didn't they do something similar in the movie Sea of Love?
posted by MeatSaber at 06:53 PM on August 06, 2011
It's going into election season, or someone is about to introduce some new N.O.W. type of legislation so they do these publicity stunts with these fathers. Usually most of them are unemployed and can't find work. Also most of them have been prevented from parenting their children, even though in a divorce decree both support and visitation are ordered. Studies show that 80% of all visitation is interfered with by the custodial parent, but you will never see a bad mom roundup.
posted by Rayc1 at 09:33 PM on August 06, 2011
Studies show that 80% of all visitation is interfered with by the custodial parent, but you will never see a bad mom roundup.
I'm guessing you didn't watch the whole video, as one of the last people caught in the sting was a woman.
But that still won't change your point of view, so I don't know why I bothered mentioning it.
posted by grum@work at 09:46 PM on August 06, 2011
If it's too good to be true ...
posted by jjzucal at 11:00 AM on August 08, 2011
Didn't they do something similar in the movie Sea of Love?
Sort of. Except Pacino got laid.
posted by BornIcon at 02:15 PM on August 08, 2011
"The first rule of the con, is that you can't cheat an honest man."
/Hustle'd
posted by owlhouse at 10:57 PM on August 08, 2011
haha...very good