MARION COUNTY, Fla. — The Marion County Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a 3-Card Monte gypsy group of more than 15 scam artists that travel in a pack. Deputies say most are related by blood, marriage or long-time association.
The group, investigators say, has been around for a while and tends to follow the motorcycle and NASCAR event circuit between Florida, North Dakota and South Carolina.
The gypsies' scams typically revolve around the 3-Card Monte game, in which the dealer shows the audience a card and then does a quick exchange between three cards to allow someone in the audience to guess which card was shown for a monetary prize.
However, the trick is, one person in the audience is in on it and works with the dealer to make the game seem easy in an effort to get others to bet large amounts and then lose.
Also, members of the gypsy scam group are known to rob participants while they play and even follow them back to their vehicles. Surrounding counties, Volusia and Flagler, have assembled a task force in an effort to take the scam artist ring down.
Investigators say the group may be in town for Bike Week and the Daytona 500 in February and March. Citizens should take extreme caution. They are known to travel in minivans registered out of Ohio and Kentucky.
Marion County has one reported incident of a man robbed of $2,600 and a valuable ring at a Pilot gas station while playing the 3-Card Monte game.