Man Posing as Self-Defense Instructor Dupes Iowa Sororities
At least four sororities at the University of Iowa were duped by a man claiming to be a self-defense instructor, the Daily Iowan reports. The man, who called himself David Portnoy or David Parker, held self-defense demonstrations for hundreds of students for free but used the presentations to sell pepper spray to students for $18 a pop or $30 for three.
He claimed to be associated with Women's Safety Education Group, a Washington-based organization offering women's safety seminars, but the group has put a disclaimer on its site saying it had received complaints about a man and that he was not affiliated with the group.
In his presentations, the man talked at length about the history of the organization and his involvement with it and then spent another large portion of the hour pitching the pepper spray. He claimed he was a third-degree black belt and was described as "overweight and slightly balding."
"I kind of smelled a rat when he came," said one sorority member. "I thought it was strange he showed up without any pamphlets, business cards, or contact information."
Tags: colleges | University of Iowa | Greek life
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photo of dave parker
This could be pure coincidence, but there’s a photo of Dave Parker, “master trainer” for Counter Assault bear spray, in the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, August 20, 2009. It’s on page 2 of a story titled “Beating the heat at Seeley-Swan bear fair,” by Mark Ruby.
If you recognize the man in the photo, please mention it here. Parker/Portnoy scammed women at a college in California, and a paper is still looking into it.
I want to caution again that this could be mere coincidence. No accusation is being made. It seems unlikely. Nevertheless . . .
Act fast. Parker is a fast-talker, very persuasive, could be intimidating to some, and he's computer/internet savvy. If Parker and Portnoy are one in the same, he will read this and he will talk the little ol' Seeley Swan Pathfinder into removing the post with his picture.
Repeat Offender
This same man came to our sorority house, under the name of Dave Reynolds. Nearly every girl in our chapter purchased a unit of pepper spray and some girls bought multiple ones. He had us make out checks to a Lawrence Portnoy, who I'm guessing is not a real person or is a false account.
He just made a regular call to our house and I happened to answer the phone. Everything he stated sounded legitimate and completely believable. He also tied his work in to some of our local philanthropy groups that we support which made his pitch more appealing to our organization. He continued with a long account of the reason he was doing this seminar. He said that a sorority woman in the midwest had been kidnapped and rapped. He claimed that this girls father had made a vow to educate x number of young women before his daughters rapist was released from prison.
A CAUTION TO SORORITY WOMEN: If this man contacts your organization wanting to teach a "free self-defense class" CALL THE POLICE. It is completely and totally false and a SCAM.
I don't want anyone else to be caught up in this like our campus has. He went to several different sororities on our campus.
It happened to us too!
July 23rd this man spoke to our Cosmetology students. He gathered $410.00 from our innocent students to buy pepper spray, that was apparently on backorder. He has not been seen since and will not return any of my calls. I filed a police report today. Please file a police report in your area as well. He went by Dave Renolds. I am certain if we work together we will catch him! Keep the blogs coming.
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