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GRAND RAPIDS -
Babysitters are the target of a recent scam being investigated by the GRPD.
They're looking for a guy who took money and personal information, then may have left town leaving victims furious.
Rachel Pikaart needed work and she needed it fast.
"I seen it as a job I could do, I love children."
Pikaart answered an ad on Craig's List. She spoke with a woman who claimed to be the mother of a three-year old girl named Paris.
She agreed to meet the dad, who called himself Michael, at a Starbucks inside the JW Marriot in Grand Rapids.
"He was a nice guy, he was professional, he looked like he was professional," said Pikaart.
He told her that she had the job, she just had to meet the wife and daughter at their home in Kentwood.
Then Thursday neighbor David Dietz began counting cars: 14, all there for the same reason.
"Right away I knew it wasn't no address here and I thought they may have got a number wrong," said Dietz.
It was a fake address.
He helped them get organized before a group caravanned to the police department.
"They all got together and they were all discussing together and they were getting hot and mad," said Dietz.
"Michael" got their addresses, social security numbers, birth dates, driver's license numbers and money.
"He said he wanted to do a background check which is kind of understandable," said Pikaart. "Wanted to know criminal history, for a little girl babysitting."
He made off with $20 from each person, a lot of money to someone just got laid off.
Pikaart says there were a few red flags. For instance, the phone number they called her on was from Ohio.
We asked what she'd do differently next time and she gave it to us plain and simple.
"I'll tell you, I'm never going on Craig's List again."
Grand rapids police say they have three officers working on the case.
They're trying to gather as much info as possible about "Michael."
He's described as a black guy with short hair in mid 30's about 5'8", 160-pounds.
If you think you can help, called the GRPD.
They're looking for a guy who took money and personal information, then may have left town leaving victims furious.
Rachel Pikaart needed work and she needed it fast.
"I seen it as a job I could do, I love children."
Pikaart answered an ad on Craig's List. She spoke with a woman who claimed to be the mother of a three-year old girl named Paris.
She agreed to meet the dad, who called himself Michael, at a Starbucks inside the JW Marriot in Grand Rapids.
"He was a nice guy, he was professional, he looked like he was professional," said Pikaart.
He told her that she had the job, she just had to meet the wife and daughter at their home in Kentwood.
Then Thursday neighbor David Dietz began counting cars: 14, all there for the same reason.
"Right away I knew it wasn't no address here and I thought they may have got a number wrong," said Dietz.
It was a fake address.
He helped them get organized before a group caravanned to the police department.
"They all got together and they were all discussing together and they were getting hot and mad," said Dietz.
"Michael" got their addresses, social security numbers, birth dates, driver's license numbers and money.
"He said he wanted to do a background check which is kind of understandable," said Pikaart. "Wanted to know criminal history, for a little girl babysitting."
He made off with $20 from each person, a lot of money to someone just got laid off.
Pikaart says there were a few red flags. For instance, the phone number they called her on was from Ohio.
We asked what she'd do differently next time and she gave it to us plain and simple.
"I'll tell you, I'm never going on Craig's List again."
Grand rapids police say they have three officers working on the case.
They're trying to gather as much info as possible about "Michael."
He's described as a black guy with short hair in mid 30's about 5'8", 160-pounds.
If you think you can help, called the GRPD.
