Phonies!

Let's talk about it: what our community said

Printed replies from readers on our page-2 conversation.

• “sounds like law enforcement”

  Anthony Pestello

• “Sounds like some independent filmmakers in San Antonio”

  Michael Momo Chazz Martinez

• “School districts do that a lot. I’ve always told people who used who because I hate seeing people get used.”

  Sandra Luna Perez

• “There was a guy who I went to school with. Everyday this guy would ask me to borrow money for lunch,like say a quarter or a dime or a dollar but eventually it started to add up. Later on he would cling on to those people who had a car and would take him out to lunch. It was pathetic to say the least. Apparently he now claims to not remember some of us guys from school. Such a loser that guy”

  Christopher Cavazos

• “He was disheartened to hear that people knew and didn’t warn him? Didn’t you warn him and he “chose to continue” the friendship? Also, your friend should only confide in people he trusts. There are so many self-proclaimed influencers out there to enjoy watching or hanging out with for fun. The majority of influencers are out to promote themselves or their products. So, the relationship begins with, how is this going to help them. However, I do believe there are some out there promoting good in our community. You just have to do your due diligence and, read the reviews, posts, comments, listen to your friends! I don’t order or purchase anything without reading the reviews. I am the worst judge of a person’s character and have been hurt emotionally and also had my credibility smeared by someone I once considered a friend. I chose not to listen to the warnings then, but certainly learned a tremendous lesson. To listen to the words of a friend and proceed with caution. Ultimately, we all have the“free will” to make choices and take action. I hope your friend learned a good lesson from this experience. Know who you can trust.”

  Blue Rose Alvarez

• “Yes I know of many “reputable” companies and organizations in which many active agents fool their clients into thinking they are offering a service in which is in the best of their interest and in the long term the client comes to find out they are being robbed of their money. These “agents” are not fully licensed to sell some products and they are marketing themselves as financial advisors. They sell products which hurt middle income families with so many stipulations. Sadly they are so well versed and trained to twist contract words giving false statements and unrealistic expectations. “Status and appearances” are so misleading.”

  Erica Sauceda

• “Be good to know who these people are to avoid future incidents with other organizations doing good work for people. But I have had this happen as well. I chose to disassociate with them. One thing I tell others, if they are new, soon-to-be friends, look them up on Facebook or any other social media site. Ask others about them. It can be difficult sometimes in determining the goodness of the person especially when you are in the business of helping others.”

  Yvonne Pena

• “Too many times to tell and when I did. It was flipped and they made me out to be the bad guy because I was honest about the situation or situations”

  Jeff Hull

• “Let me guess, tejano?”

  Herb Rockman

• “It's sad to know that there are these kinds of people who would go to these lengths to scam organizations or people who just want to help and do for the community. Bunch of scammers and opportunists”

  Anastacia Lopez

• “The amount of grifters in SA is something else. I learned the hard way as well.”

  Vanessa McBryde

• “It's a shame that these individuals exist. And perhaps they exist to teach us lessons that we will never forget. I had a very similar experience and I was warned as well. But sometimes we need to be betrayed to learn discernment on our own. That is the only good that comes from our associations with dishonorable people”

  Yolanda Rios Wurgler

• “Who is this guy and what organization?”

  Adri Dele

• “Sounds like I know who that person is”

  Nicole Torres-Cooke

• “Yvette, I totally agree. There are way too many of those people out there these days and social media makes it easier for them to all of the sudden post their pictures with well known celebrities and radio people and PRETENT to be one of them for notoriety. There is this one lady that just got inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, i believe her name is lisa and I read her bio and all the stations she had been on the air at BUT, I've been in the radio industry for some 30 years plus here in San Antonio and I'd never even heard of her until this year. Never known her to have been a Full Time Radio Personality period. I did notice that all of the sudden this year she started posting all sorts of pictures from all sorts of radio events with a plethora of radio icons. Some who told me they didn't know just took a picture with her? She may well have been a long time radio personality here but it's odd that almost no one seems to remember her. Then I heard she had purchased an hour on a local, low power radio station and that is her claim to fame. Yikes. So you see, these days it's not difficult to embellish your way to an award or into any industry.”

  RāMon M Hernandez

• “That sounds really tough”

  Rosiebella GV

• “I know for a few who had to work with a few organizations, and they did speak up, but nobody believed them because they were nobody apparently, but in my eyes, everybody is somebody. All I could advise them to do is to report it . I’m doing research right now trying to find out how to report an organization to the city and the state, whoever it is, I’m not sure. But you know you can warn people to stay away from somebody, and they’re not gonna listen they’re gonna just go ahead and do it, because I believe you’re the one that’s causing the problem, and then when they do find out they come running back to you, I always want to say I told you!! I warned you!!, But all I can say is, I’m sorry that happened to you, and that you need to report this. And yes, there’s a lot of fake people out there that are taking pictures with Some even council people and make themselves look like they’re powerful, but they’re nothing, I have known some people, that are powerful, but I never, now , take pictures because I don’t want anybody thinking then I’m in their pocket, there are founders of some organizations that have diarrhea mouth, and they like to talk about other people that’s within their organization as clients, but are they really talking bad about the person or are they talking about themselves?? And when I do find out how you report an organization legally I’ll be posting that on my page. Because some of these organizations are saying they’re helping people and they’re actually not. There’s some organizations that put people's names down. Say they’re helping them but the individual has not received anything so is it to look good for Grants?”.”

  Rose De La Fuente

• “Uh yes their bios are embellished and fraudulent. She studies your work, chases down your contacts, drops your name, mimics your bio, applies for awards that you received, take pictures with important people to create a fake attachment to their circle of friends, then creates a scandal so that you can feel sorry for her, and demands to be nominated for Radio Hall of Fame, or on covers of magazines that you are on, they use organizations to solidify their fake and embellished life. It's sickening. People watch as they do this, then they complain about them behind their back, only a few have the balls to call them out. So now we have fake people who are entitled. Organizations who know they are fake, and do nothing to call them out because of the shame it will cause on their credibility. Watch for people when it comes to tagging you on social media, the clout chasers, and the wannabes. Fake friends, Fake social media posts we need to call these people out! I did . Glad I did it! But the rest stayed silent Kind of like our Government today. That's why we are in the mess we are in today!”

  Henrietta Hernandez

• “I've been through that unfortunately and there is little I could do, not even authorities after I proved fraud did nothing. That is an unfair situation but we just keep going and use those experiences to learn.”

  Gustavo Mendoza

• “So glad I'm not in those circles! That behavior is a disorder that they do not know they have and should see a psych!!!”

  Grace M Rymers

• “Yes, many in SA have tried to take advantage of my business with their SOB stories and “fame” and fake status. I decided that I don’t need to get in business or network with anyone in this city in those little circles of fake status. No thanks. I don’t need to pay to be in magazines or fake any type of status. I focus on God, my family, my business and leave all the drama out. I won’t call anyone out because they are not relevant.”

  Veronica Amaro

• “Yes, they are lazy and don't want to work so they scam people or organizations. They need to look credible so they hang around people with clout so they can seem important or knowledgeable to make it easier to take advantage of others. I can usually read people well to know when they are pretending to be someone they are not.”

  Claudia Sanchez

• “Bull crap counseling and people that violate HIPPA LAWS, ....JUST TO NAME A FEW”

  Paul Nimnicht

• “BOOM:”

  Carmona Gemini

• “Ponzie Scammer”

  Rick Carter