Scams and Cons

Wolfe777

Wolfe777

Wolfe777

Associate
Joined
5 May 2011
Posts
408
Having been scammed today in a mild, but still aggravating way, I wanted to vent a little and maybe also hear of any other scams or cons or funny stories you might have, etc. Who knows, some of them might even be useful for instant avoidance in the future.

Anyway, I'm outside a key store today, 2 bags of shopping at my feet, spooling a set of spare keys I'd just had made for my girlfriend's place at her request, (who also has only just got out of hospital,) so to be fair my mind has been quite preoccupied.

When a very pleasant, sincere looking young lady sidled up next to me with a clipboard, my honest first thought was that she was a market researcher, and I didn't want to let the headscarf she wore make me prejudge her.

She began motioning in some kind of sign language, and I'm sure at this point you all know where it's going - I knew full well where it was going too, I've had plenty of experience avoiding similar ruses, but inexplicably this time part of me wanted to believe in some basic human decency - what sort of man could I be to instantly accuse a stranger of feigning deafness to exploit their own greedy and immoral end?

Idiocy on my part, but again I just can't explain why I complied. The poorly photocopied literature on the clipboard claimed afiliation with a Deaf and Blind Charity - again, what a fool I was, 100% aware of the wicked intent, yet somehow wanting to believe no humans could really stoop so low.

On the clipboard were names and donations, some fabricated I'm sure, but most seeming depressingly authentic, mostly with £10 and £20 donations - with my own scrawl to soon join their ranks.

I can't believe I actually reached into my pocket, and got my wallet out, and upon finding I had no coins, gave that thieving little scum £5 whilst she desecrated the honour of the deaf and the blind.

I knew she was scamming, she knew that I knew she was scamming - yet somehow I complied.

I'll give it to her, she's the first person to get me like that in over 30 years living in London, believe me I've seen my share, but upon analysing afterwards why I did it, it was out of genuine concern for the deaf and blind, and in adhering to societal norms that people are generally decent and not evil, thieving scumbags.

Of couse I fully accept my mark status in this whole episode, in her twisted morality I'm sure she feels she got me fair and square.

By the way no attempt was made at my phone, or wallet, I'm a decent sized guy and likely not your typical pick pocket target, but that showhow makes it more vexing - despite all that, the little crook finessed me good and proper with one of the oldest tricks in the book.


TL/DR


Despite being someone I'd definitely describe as being highly streetwise, and a successful avoider of countless scam attempts in the past, I somehow inexplicably, but willingly gave money to a vile scammer pretending to be deaf, yet truthfully knowing full well it was a scam all along, overriden by my foolish belief that no one could stoop that low.

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Forgive me but... why are you so absolutely certain she wasn't genuine? Seems like you have no evidence.

Either way, all it shows is that people are willing to pay others to make someone go away without causing a scene.
 
All I say to chuggers etc is, "I already give all I can afford to charities I care about through my payroll give as you earn scheme. Bye! ".

Simple, really.
 
Very droll d brennan.

Zefan, a heavy gut instinct followed by a rudimentary google search is all that's required, and yes, the particular demographic. Besides I've fought off more chuggers than most, I know a authentic one when I see one.

For all brennan's trollish intent, he's right in that it would be foolish to see it as any other possibility.

The sad thing is this girl had charisma and a bright intelligence about her - but she's no doubt been exploited and raised in an immoral way that encourages such behaviour.

Exploiting the cause of the Deaf and Blind is pretty low on the scale.


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Narj said:
All I say to chuggers etc is, "I already give all I can afford to charities I care about through my payroll give as you earn scheme. Bye! ".

Simple, really.
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Tbh i don't even acknowledge chuggers, i'm skint so can't afford to. :p
 
Sliver said:
So you lost a fiver. It's hardly Armageddon is it ?
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You're right and that's a good, positive attitude to have, the money didn't matter, more the morality of it all, it's just depressing that someone would do that purely out of greed.

Bear in mind she was well dressed, probably with an iphone5, etc.


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I've been jumped outside the local train station on a couple of occasions by Eastern European sounding women, they come running over to you crying (crocodile tears) and claiming to need £15 or so for the fare to get home (Manchester etc).
 
AmyS said:
Why on earth would you hand over anything if you thought for a single moment you were being scammed??
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I agree, but despite being highly preoccupied, and distracted from what I was doing, I think part of me wanted to believe in human decency even though I knew it was bs.

Also like I said, this girl had a certain charisma about her, in way, she was good at what she did.


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Wolfe777 said:
I agree, but despite being highly preoccupied, and distracted from what I was doing, I think part of me wanted to believe in human decency even though I knew it was bs.

Also like I said, this girl had a certain charisma about her, in way, she was good at what she did.


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It's good that you still have faith in human decency.

I however, treat all 'chuggers' with a serious air of cynicism and have become pretty good at the cold stare and shoulder as soon as I see them coming.

I do donate (via direct debit) to some charities, but I'd never hand over cash in the street/at the door.
 
Wolfe777 said:
Very droll d brennan.

Zefan, a heavy gut instinct followed by a rudimentary google search is all that's required, and yes, the particular demographic. Besides I've fought off more chuggers than most, I know a authentic one when I see one.

For all brennan's trollish intent, he's right in that it would be foolish to see it as any other possibility.

The sad thing is this girl had charisma and a bright intelligence about her - but she's no doubt been exploited and raised in an immoral way that encourages such behaviour.

Exploiting the cause of the Deaf and Blind is pretty low on the scale.


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Trollish intent? No, not at all. Having said that, £5 will buy my silence. I know you're good for it :)

I give to a charity, I support both through regular donation and volunteering. Anyone begging, be it pathetically by the roadside covered in urine and own brand cider or professionally with a clipboard gets the same response: no thanks
 
I give nothing to the likes of anybody who approaches me, legit or not, there is means and ways to give to charity and on the street is not one of them.
 
Avoid eye contact i heard thier vision is based on movement but if they come over just pretend to be deaf as well. I wonder could OP of pocketed a fiver with some street sense? :D


Ive seen some pretty good scams and the best people use mind tricks, Like the Roma ladies on To Catch A Thief on 5OD who pay a man £200 in notes in a shop, the lad starts to count and the woman reaches over takes her money back and counts it for him fast. Yet if you slow it down while she counts out £200 she swapped out £20 and the lad put £180 in the till.


Great show him stealing in a wheelchair was the best, £50 quid worth of stolen shopping on his knee under the blanket and the shop manager helps him out the door :D
 
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Wolfe777 said:
Yet more glibness.

I don't post here regularly, is general discussion a place to spout negative replies with no substance, or is your snarky reply some little meme?

Either way you're doing nothing to change my opinion of you.

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Would you mind explaining the need for 2nd full stop 2-3 lines below the end of the sentence which also includes full-stop?

There is no need for that 2nd full-stop is there?? Stop wasting internet space.
 
Well..... there has been a major scandal in Ireland, where it has been found that CEOs of charities have been getting top-up upon their 6 figure wages, directly, from the donations from the public. So much so that in the extreme cases that less than 10% was actually going to those who it should benefit.

Uproar to say the least, the major losers are genuine charities that nobody will donate to any more. Cynicism is rife. The first question you ask any chugger is ... "how much does your CEO earn?"

It will always be 6 figures. politely the them to **** ***.

Nate
 
Never would I give to anyone like that. Surely OP if you knew she wasn't genuine why not just walk away? Its sad to see people exploiting charities like this but there are much worse people in the world, just say sorry and walk off.
 
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