Atlanta teacher warns others after fake ‘water boys’ attempt $500 Cash App scam

Another 'water boys' Cash App scam reported

An Atlanta teacher says what started as an act of kindness nearly cost her hundreds of dollars. She is now warning others to be cautious of fake "water boys" who scam drivers through mobile payment apps.

ATLANTA - An Atlanta teacher says what started as an act of kindness nearly cost her hundreds of dollars. She is now warning others to be cautious of fake "water boys" who scam drivers through mobile payment apps.

Teacher JaTawn Robinson said she was driving near Interstate 20 and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard on Sunday, Nov. 2, when she spotted a group of young men selling bottled water. Wanting to help, she rolled down her window and offered a dollar.

‘Water boy’ targets Atlanta teacher

What they're saying:

"As I was approaching the end of the exit, I saw the water boys or some gentlemen standing out selling water. I always try to keep a few single dollars in cash in case I do see them," Robinson said.

She said one boy, who appeared to be around 12 years old, told her he could not accept cash and instead asked for a Cash App or Venmo payment.

"The young man gave me a bottle of water, and he said, 'Well ma'am I can't take the cash. Do you have Cash App or Venmo? It's for my basketball team,' and I'm thinking to myself, 'What? You can't take this cash is guarantee?' He says, ‘No, we have to keep an account of everything we get,’" Robinson recalled.

Believing the story, Robinson said she took her dollar back and reached for her phone to ask for the Cash App handle. Before she could finish, she said an older teen walked up to her car.

"Before he could speak, another gentleman approached the car, and let's say, he politely grabbed the phone out of my hand, and said, 'I got it, Auntie. I'll put it in for you,' and he's rummaging, and I'm looking, and he's looking at me, and I'm looking at him," she said.

Moments later, Robinson said she received a notification on her smartwatch showing a declined $500 transaction.

"The transaction had declined for $500, so when I grabbed the phone back. He had navigated to my Cash App balance," she said.

Robinson said she was grateful her Cash App account didn’t have enough funds to process the payment, but the experience left her shaken.

"My heart was hurting. I was really hurt from the fact that this could happen and that is still happening, and you are using this to get funds from people. And it wasn't as if they were taking $20, $25 or $50. You want everything, you were gonna empty out someone's entire checking account. And just like you said, it's a holiday season," she said.

Atlanta police target ‘water boys’

Local perspective:

FOX 5 has reported similar cases in recent months involving young men posing as "water boys" to scam drivers or steal phones and vehicles.

SEE ALSO: 

• Woman warns public after losing $400 in Cash App scam after run-in with boy selling water
• Atlanta woman claims ‘water boys’ scammed her out of $800
• Atlanta’s ‘water boys’ accused of using Cash App to scam more drivers
• ‘Water Boys’ allegedly steal DeKalb County man’s wallet

Atlanta police have previously warned drivers to keep their windows up and avoid engaging with solicitors at intersections. Officers also advise against handing a phone to a stranger under any circumstance.

Atlanta police have not said whether any arrests have been made in connection to the latest Cash App scam. 

Investigators have also not released information about the teens involved, including how many approached drivers or whether they were part of an organized group. 

It remains unclear if the suspects have been tied to other "water boy" scams reported across the city or if police are tracking a larger pattern of incidents near major intersections like Interstate 20 and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard.

What is a ‘water boy’?

Dig deeper:

The term "water boy" is commonly used in Atlanta to describe young men who sell bottled water to drivers stopped at busy intersections, often during the summer or on weekends. 

While many are teens trying to earn money legally, police say some groups have turned the roadside hustle into something more aggressive, with reports of fights, thefts, and scams involving mobile payment apps like Cash App and Venmo.

Atlanta officials have repeatedly urged caution, saying drivers should avoid handing over cash or cellphones through open windows. 

In past years, city leaders have debated ways to regulate or provide safer job alternatives for these youth sellers, citing concerns about safety, traffic hazards, and the growing number of scams connected to "water boys" across the metro area.