WATCH: Weird Fake Violin Scam Has Hit West Michigan

You spot a man playing a beautiful violin concerto in a crowded parking lot, so you toss a buck in his violin case. But was he REALLY playing?

Police Call Fake Violin Playing A 'Nationwide Issue'

I'm not sure if people pretending to play the violin is an 'issue', but it has been happening around the country, and now it appears some people have been faking violin playing in West Michigan.

Here's how it works: Someone sets up on a street or in a parking lot, and you can hear a beautiful violin solo playing along to a music track on a boom box or sound system. The thing is, the violin playing is also on the boom box, and the 'player' isn't playing the violin at all, just faking it, or as authorities call it 'finger syncing', as in 'lip syncing'

The Fake Violinists Are Now In West Michigan, So Be On The Lookout

WWMT-TV is reporting that fake violin players have been spotted in Portage, and did an urgent sounding story about it, even if most of us fail to see the urgency.

After getting a tip from a concerned viewer, News Channel 3 found a man appearing to play violin outside the Target store on South Westnedge Avenue in Portage Monday afternoon. As he performed, he stood next to a sign that read, "DAD WITH 3 KIDS PLEASE HELP FOR FOOD AND RENT."

 

Man, that is the WORST fake violin playing I have ever seen, and I can say that even though I've NEVER seen fake violin playing until NOW.

The funniest part is when the reporter goes to question him and the violin starts playing on the boom box, and he's clearly NOT playing it.

He then pulls the old 'what? I don't speak English' excuse. Whether he speaks English or not can't cover up the fact that he has been busted big time.

But Are These Fake Violinists Hurting Anyone? Not Really.

Depending on where you are, it's not illegal to perform in public for tips, and it's not illegal to mime playing an instrument.  There's also nothing dangerous about it, and no one is FORCING anyone to toss them some spare change.

Here's another story about one of these clowns, this one down the road in Oakland County north of Detroit. Most of the time they just look really stupid.

This is also not new . . . if you Google or search for things like "pretending to play violin," reports and videos from years ago pop up.

Some law enforcement sources claim these scammers could be part of some kind of traveling, organized group that's hustling people out of their hard-earned money.

In this video, a woman confronts a scammer, who at least has some better better 'singer-syncing' skills than the above idiot, but not much better.

This is hands down the funniest scam trend I've ever seen, and I've got to ask, who, if anyone is giving these guys money?