Wobbly wheel scam sets woman back $600

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It's a scam we've heard about over and over again. But the crooks are up to the same old tricks and sadly people are still falling for it. It's called the "wobbly wheel" scam.

"I was driving and some people came and pulled up next to my car," a woman said.

The men wanted the woman to pull over.

"They were flagging me down and kept pointing to the tire and they were like pullover pullover," she said.

Police tell EyeWitness News they are seeing more and more of this.

"They are clearly preying on women," said Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen.

The latest victim was an elderly woman. The men flagged her down and she pulled into a parking lot at Westheimer and Alabama.

"At that point these two characters got out and start to rig her tire and playing with it. Essentially they claim to have fixed her tire," said Rosen.

The men said it was an axel problem. They told the woman the problem had been fixed.

"They demanded that she pay them $600 and she proceeded to say I don't have $600," explained Rosen.

But somehow the crooks talked the woman into going to an ATM right next door where she withdrew $600.

"I am worried that at some point and they are going to have some resistance and I really don't know what they'll do then, said Rosen.

So what should you do? One Houston woman says she didn't fall for it and you should take her advice.

"They kept saying pullover, pullover and then the light changed and they switch lanes and came and cut me off," she said.

But she says there was nothing in the world that was going to make her stop for a complete stranger.

"I'm really glad that I had the foresight to say look no I don't believe anything is wrong with this car but I understand all people don't and people are really being hurt by this," she added. "I really just want to say to people especially be careful if you know there's nothing wrong with your car, don't pullover, don't stop, go get somewhere safe," she added.

Police say the men -- one his 20's, the other in his 50's -- are dark-skinned. The suspects may be driving a dark colored SUV.