Officials investigate "the hair lady" restaurant scammer
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WTXF) - She's known by local restaurant owners as "The Hair Lady," a woman restaurant owners say continuously claims she bought food with hair in it and demands her money back.
Kiki Aranita of Poi Dog returned $25 to her in October only to find out nobody had purchased two pokie bowls at the time she specified.
Restaurant owners say the woman has pulled the scam on more than a dozen restaurants across the city.
They captured her picture on cell phones and surveillance cameras and texted them to fellow owners.
When Francesco Crovetti, owner of Rione, gave her cash back for two salads he says she never bought, he confronted her at a nearby restaurant.
"I stop her. I ask her right off the bat, 'so is this what you do for a living then?' I caught her in the act," said Francesco Corvetti.
Police were called to Waffels and Wedges Friday when the owner said she recognized her as "The Hair Lady."
"When we told them of other situations, more than a dozen, they realized something was sketchy," said Andrea Capecci
Central Detectives has a fraud investigator on the case.
"In many cases, the restaurants have refunded the money only to find out the purchase was never made, which is fraud, and we are treating it as a criminal matter," said Captain Kinebrew.
Now, busy restaurant owners have one holiday wish.
"Somebody please arrest her and stop her from doing this," said Kiki Aranita.