POLICE STINGS
These are a few important things to remember whenever you interact with people you don't know extremely well. The critical point can be summed up very simply as:
Always present yourself
as a “law abiding citizen”
AVOIDING STINGS
AND OTHER BAD THINGS
Beware of a “Very Friendly Someone”
that You Don't Know Well or Just Met
- If someone asks if you know where they can buy some drugs, say NO. Even suggesting where you think they could can get you arrested.
- If someone directly asks you to sell them some drugs, Just Say NO. if may think a police informant wouldn't ask that because it's “entrapment,” think again. Informants ask that question all the time. If a drug dealer sells to that informant, the drug dealer goes to prison for years. As a defense, claiming entrapment does not usually work in these cases.
- If someone starts a drug-friendly conversation with you out of the blue, act like a Mormon, or tell them you work for D.A.R.E.
- If someone within earshot is talking out loud so you can hear, and they are talking loudly asking if anyone has a medication that you yourself use, and they claim to have lost theirs, or just want to buy some, then Ignore Them Completely.
All The People Mentioned Above Are Narcs.
- If you drive Lyft or Uber, and someone says they lost their phone, and how much is it to some destination, tell them you can’t look it up while in driver mode, and they need to get a phone to order a ride.
- If you are on the subway and the man sitting next to you is completely asleep, and his wallet filled with CASH is hanging out of his pocket and would be super easy to take, WAKE HIM UP, and tell him his wallet is about to fall out. Or Just leave him alone. He is most likely an undercover cop looking to sting pickpockets. NYPD is famous for this one.
- If an attractive woman is suddenly friendly to you, and seems possibly an escort/hooker but does not mention a price or offer sex acts, Avoid her and remember what she looks like so you can avoid her and prevent her seeing you ever in the future. She is an undercover cop. Note that she might also ask you if you’re a cop (see what she’s doing there? Clever girl…)
These are a few important things to remember whenever you interact with people you don't know extremely well. The critical point can be summed up very simply as:
Always present yourself
as a “law abiding citizen”
AVOIDING STINGS
AND OTHER BAD THINGS
Beware of a “Very Friendly Someone”
that You Don't Know Well or Just Met
- If someone asks if you know where they can buy some drugs, say NO. Even suggesting where you think they could can get you arrested.
- If someone directly asks you to sell them some drugs, Just Say NO. if may think a police informant wouldn't ask that because it's “entrapment,” think again. Informants ask that question all the time. If a drug dealer sells to that informant, the drug dealer goes to prison for years. As a defense, claiming entrapment does not usually work in these cases.
- If someone starts a drug-friendly conversation with you out of the blue, act like a Mormon, or tell them you work for D.A.R.E.
- If someone within earshot is talking out loud so you can hear, and they are talking loudly asking if anyone has a medication that you yourself use, and they claim to have lost theirs, or just want to buy some, then Ignore Them Completely.
All The People Mentioned Above Are Narcs.
- If you drive Lyft or Uber, and someone says they lost their phone, and how much is it to some destination, tell them you can’t look it up while in driver mode, and they need to get a phone to order a ride.
- If you are on the subway and the man sitting next to you is completely asleep, and his wallet filled with CASH is hanging out of his pocket and would be super easy to take, WAKE HIM UP, and tell him his wallet is about to fall out. Or Just leave him alone. He is most likely an undercover cop looking to sting pickpockets. NYPD is famous for this one.
- If an attractive woman is suddenly friendly to you, and seems possibly an escort/hooker but does not mention a price or offer sex acts, Avoid her and remember what she looks like so you can avoid her and prevent her seeing you ever in the future. She is an undercover cop. Note that she might also ask you if you’re a cop (see what she’s doing there? Clever girl…)
Basically it comes down to this: if someone you do not know personally asks you to do something you know to be illegal, or if you see an opportunity that seems like a very easy way to get money, but doing it is illegal, DON’T DO IT. Even if the “someone” was introduced to you by a person you know.
The person you know may not realize her new “friend” is actually law enforcement, or she might be working off a plea deal by introducing an undercover agent to her acquaintances. This happened to professional poker player Mike Matusow, which he discusses in his book“Check Raising the Devil”.
BEST PRACTICES:
- Only buy recreational substances from people you know. (For the 33 states where Marijuana is legalized, it’s usually best to use the legal channels.)
- Don’t make or sell drugs, ever. Never ever. The penalties in the USA are unjustly and incredibly harsh, including life without parole for some non-violent drug crimes. In some Asian nations including China they execute drug dealers. Leave it to the professionals!
- Don’t break any laws involving commerce with the public, meaning serving, selling to, driving, teaching, or contracting for. States & cities crack down on bandit taxies, fake contractors, bogus schools, serving alcohol to minors, etc. Make sure all your ducks are in a row.
- Similarly if you drive Uber or Lyft, you should know better than ever taking a “street hail”. It’s not just against Uber/Lyft policy, it’s criminal! In most jurisdictions your car will be seized and you go to jail. Book through the app always and only.
- Don’t ever take anything of obvious value that is within the “area of control” of someone else. Area of control would be for instance someone’s suitcase near them, or their wallet hanging out of their pants. This also includes items on someone’s property.
- Prostitution is normally a consensual arrangement between adults. The only practical way for police to arrest here is with a sting. Never be the first one to mention money, and never be first to discuss sex acts. In fact avoid playing with streetwalkers. There are online sites with reciprocal safety ratings, reviews, and helpful communities — those are a safer way for playing in that hobby and not just for legal reasons).
ULTRA IMPORTANT:
Never ask someone “are you a cop?”
Because it's worse than useless!
First of all, police are allowed to lie to you and they absolutely do lie, especially when undercover. Under some circumstances they can even get high with you and do certain other illegal things to gain your trust (depending on agency policy).
Also, if you ask a criminal who is not a cop if they are one, you will most likely offend them. (PRO TIP: try not to offend the scary criminal types, mmmkay?) Conversely, if you ask an undercover cop or informant, they will ALWAYS say no, and you will make yourself a target of their investigations.