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Guam - Con artists don't discriminate when it comes to picking targets, and even the people with the best intentions can become victims if they're not careful. And even village mayors can be duped into falling for scams.


But true to form, the leader of one of the island's largest municipalities is telling residents throughout Guam to be on the lookout for a bogus deal and to not get tricked like he did.


"He's a good looking Chamorro boy," Nito Blas, mayor of Mangilao, says of the person who pulled the wool over his eyes. Mayor Blas is talking about a young man in his 30's who approached him earlier this week with an iPad showing him equipment that he was selling. "He asked me that he has water blaster, a welding machine and other equipment. He's asking me to buy that for $550. I needed a waster blaster real bad," he recalled.


Blas says the two struck a deal to buy the water blaster for $400, a deal he just couldn't pass up. "Then I said, 'I need to see the equipment.' He said, 'Okay, what I do is take you to my house and see my mom is there and my mom wanted to see the money,'" the mayor said.


According to the mayor, the two then travelled to a home in Chalan Pago where the man told Blas to back up his car into the garage. "He says give me the envelope to give it to my mom so is aid where's the tools he said its in the house, so I gave him the envelope he went around to the front and I waited for about 10 minutes so I went around to look for him and he's nowhere," Blas said.


As a matter of fact, no one was even inside the house. Duped and out of $400, he called the cops. "The police were so busy they said we'll go check it out but the police man never showed up," he said.


According to the mayor he later he learned from police that he wasn't the only one who's been victimized by this water blaster, welding equipment peddling conman. Needless to say though he's still looking for him and warning the public not to be duped, saying, "What can I do? I may not be able to my money back, but if I find him I'll teach him a lesson. My wife always tells me I'm so stupid to do these things."


If you've been a victim of this same conman give Guam Crime Stoppers call at 477-HELP (4357) or if you've got a water blaster give the mayor a call.


One thing though: he wants to see it first before he gives you the cash.