In last week's "Top 3 work colleagues' thread, I mentioned my 2nd favourite was a guy called 'Little Matt'

Well, to add to the reasons why he is a favourite he tells us on Friday about how he handled a situation when he got conned the week before out of £5.

The story goes:

After work 2 weeks ago, little Matt was exiting a Tescos on his way home. A (in his words) "Trampy looking" woman comes hurriedly over to him with a story that she had left her bag on the bus and it had all her money/housekeys etc... in it and all she needed was £3 to catch another bus to her friend's so that she could wait for her housemate to get home to let her in. Little Matt's response? He didn't have money, but he would withdraw some for her. Which he does. He withdraws a tenner, runs into Tescos and buys squares and then begins negotiating.

In her initial pitch Miss Trampy mentioned that she would exchange her wedding ring for the money, give Little Matt her mobile number and arrange for the following day to swap the loaned money for her ring back (collateral). Little Matt begins by reminding Miss Trampy of her initial offer. She responds by saying that she couldn't part with her ring, but would give him her earrings. She removes the earrings (Cheap manky gold studs) and hands them over. Little Matt then takes her mobile and inputs his number and calls it - obviously to get her number to arrange for the next day exchange) Little Matt, pleased with his negotiating powers, hands over a fiver instead of the requested £3 and she scampers off.

Cue the following day. Little Matt sends the following text:

"Hi. I hope you got to your friend's okay. Can we meet outside the Tescos at ^pm this evening to make the exchange? :)"

No response.

A week goes by, and he of course has started to share his story to friends and us at work. Everyone's response is unanimous. This is obviously a con. He's fallen for it and is an idiot. The more we all laugh, the angrier he gets. This prompts the following text:

"Listen, I tried to be nice, but clearly my goodwill and generous nature was use by a scrounge like you and it was all a con. You are nothing but a waste. I hope you either starve to death or die of hypothermia."

"P.S Please can I have my money back"

She has never responded. He is now the proud owner of some metal coated earrings that cost him £5.

Have you ever been duped/conned? How did you handle it?