Scammer targeting Indy restaurants

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A scam artist is using an upscale Indianapolis restaurant to con people out of money. Now the steakhouse is warning people to be leery of someone posing as a manager.

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse has received more than 100 phone calls from people ready to redeem their good deed.

"They're good-natured people and appear to be helping someone out in need and they are being taken advantage of," says General Manager Andrew Vudis.

Vudis said someone is using their manager's name, Matt Bauer, as a way to scam people out of money. The suspect would approach people in parking lots. Police said the man would tell his victims he was locked out of his car and that help was on the way but he didn't have any money for a locksmith. In exchange, the man posing as a manager would promise a free meal at the restaurant.

"They would call down here and ask if Matt Bauer was in and we would say 'Yes he is' and they would say 'Hey, I met you last night and I gave you $30' or whatever and he would say 'No that wasn't me'," Vudis said.

In September, 24-Hour News 8 reported on a similar crime. Someone posed as the executive chef at Rick's Boatyard Cafe even using his business card to scam people out of money in exchange for a free meal. No one was arrested and police are investigating whether these two cases are connected. In the meantime, police are warning people to hold on to their money.

Victims say the man also used the name Michael Moore and Bill Matthews.