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.
.
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.
.