Chief

Oxford Police Warn About Unusual Scam Targeting Female Realtors

Police in Oxford, Massachusetts, are putting out a warning for an unusual scam targeting female realtors.

Oxford Police Chief Michael Hassett said, “Our concern at first was of some sort of a scam to try to get money and not follow through on it, and it led to something which we didn’t expect -- and it appears it’s some sort of a hair fetish.”

That's right - a hair fetish

The victim, who doesn’t want to be identified, is a realtor who was recently contacted by a man named “Doug Barcelona,” who was looking to buy a house in Auburn near a hair salon he said he was opening on Southbridge Street.

She said Barcelona said, “’Since I’m opening a salon,’ he’s like, ‘I’m looking for new clients, would you be my client?’” She said at first she turned down his offer but eventually agreed.

“And then he started texting me and then he’s like can you send me a picture,” she said, “it just got weird.”

She went to Oxford police, who figured out “Doug Barcelona” is actually Doug Bartley of Framingham. Police say he admitted he didn’t own a hair salon, and apologized for having a hair fetish. Chief Hassett said, “He realized that it was wrong what he did and that he wouldn’t do it again.”

But Oxford Police ran Bartley’s name and found that he faced similar accusations in 2009 in Westboro, in 2010 in Holden and earlier this year in Fall River. Reached by phone, Doug Bartley told NBC Boston, “It’s already been taken care of. It’s the last time it’s going to happen.” But police and the victim say people need to be vigilant.

The victim said, “There are people with bad intentions that are out there.” Chief Hassett added, “Normally, if it doesn’t seem right, it isn’t.” It should be stressed that Doug Bartley is not charged with any crimes here in Oxford, nor in any of the other places where he was accused of this type of behavior.

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