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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is a scam?

104 replies

Abi35 · 22/01/2018 13:17

Just to be clear, this isn’t an anti-homeless people/beggars post, I’m just wondering whether this in particular is a scam of some sort.

My daughter is at university in central London, and to get there from her halls she walks down the Kingsway, where there is a big four way junction. A lot of pedestrians gather at this junction waiting to be able to cross.

She says that sometimes, while she’s waiting to cross the road, a woman will come up to her, address her as ‘sister’, and either beg her for money or ask her to buy her an Oyster card. This lady said she needed to get to Sevenoaks.

It’s not always the same woman, but they’re always Eastern European and aged about 40-60 (she thinks), and are always wearing a children’s rucksack. Sometimes there’s only 1, sometimes there’s a group.

My daughter does give change to homeless people, but she feels very uncomfortable when these women approach her.

AIBU to think it’s an organised scam, or are they genuinely in need?

OP posts:
k2p2k2tog · 22/01/2018 13:19

Distraction while someone else pickpockets her?

Whatever they're up to it's unsavoury.

lookingforthecorkscrew · 22/01/2018 13:19

Ha! Welcome to London! Yes, it’s a scam. That’s why Londoners tend to ignore beggars and give to homeless charities instead. Tell your daughter to hold onto her valuables.

bluesu · 22/01/2018 13:20

YANBU. There is a guy who hangs around an airport my DH frequents regularly and ALWAYS asks for €20 as he's had his wallet stolen and needs to get home.
Every time! He obviously doesn't recognise hes asking the same guy Grin
DH did fall for it once 🙄. The guy is always smartly dressed in a suit too. I think it's a recognised scam

AssassinatedBeauty · 22/01/2018 13:20

I wouldn't give money to anyone begging, it would be better to give that money to a relevant homeless charity. It's not a "scam" it's a straightforward request for cash or for an Oyster card they can probably sell on. I just would advise her not to engage and donate money properly instead.

ThisLittleKitty · 22/01/2018 13:21

There's lots of women like that here where I am (london aswell) they walk around with empty prams saying they need money for milk for their babies.

Trashboat · 22/01/2018 13:22

Probably part of an organised gang where these poor women barely get to see a penny of the money they have begged for.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 22/01/2018 13:22

Yes, it's a scam. Happens in every city and not always foreign. There was a very famous one in Sheffield called Gemma.

theForeigner · 22/01/2018 13:27

Define 'scam'.

The woman is reduced to begging. She probably needs money for food or shelter as opposed to a trip to Sevenoaks but I don't think "scam" is the right word.

@Trashboat - quite a jump to make it a 'feminist issue'. Hmm

Original poster
Abi35 · 22/01/2018 13:27

Probably part of an organised gang where these poor women barely get to see a penny of the money they have begged for.

I presumed it was probably something like that.

We live in the countryside, so it’s a very different world.

OP posts:
Eltonjohnssyrup · 22/01/2018 13:34

The woman is reduced to begging. She probably needs money for food or shelter as opposed to a trip to Sevenoaks but I don't think "scam" is the right word.

It is a scam. The money normally goes to someone higher up who has a lovely lifestyle, not on food or shelter for the woman concerned.

theForeigner · 22/01/2018 13:39

What are you basing this "normally" on Elton?

BMW6 · 22/01/2018 13:41

Shelter advises people never to give money to individuals. Far better to donate to a charity that helps those in need

Eltonjohnssyrup · 22/01/2018 13:42

Oh you know, just police raids and prosecutions and MPs questions in parliament and the fact it's a well known scam which has had many high profile convictions.

That sort of unreliable bullshit.

Honestly, the people who are exploited in these gangs are exploited because of credulous gullible idiots who think that they're helping them when they give them money.

Hint: you're not.

MikeUniformMike · 22/01/2018 13:42

I've been asked by the same woman for some change because she's having her period and needs to get sanitary towels three Saturdays in a row. She's probably bled to death by now.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 22/01/2018 13:44

Incidentally, nuisance scam begging is common around Universities precisely because students are naive.

theForeigner · 22/01/2018 13:45

@Eltonjohnssyrup - Ah, the well known blah, blah, blah no facts or concrete information unreliable bullshit.

ReanimatedSGB · 22/01/2018 13:49

I know someone who works with homeless organisations - this sort of thing is a scam and, as PP have said, the people asking for money generally don't get very much of it (there are links with people-trafficking, as well.)
If you see or meet someone who is sleeping rough, get on to Streetlink. If you talk to someone who is homeless, you can ask if they would like you to get hold of Streetlink for them.

Missingstreetlife · 22/01/2018 13:51

Buy them food, (or sanpro). I used to say no one starves in England but it's not true anymore. Food banks a necessary evil.

FluffyWuffy100 · 22/01/2018 14:04

Honestly, the people who are exploited in these gangs are exploited because of credulous gullible idiots who think that they're helping them when they give them money.

Agree

This is a common scam. You really think the groups of eastern European women 'selling' tissues on the tube whit their identical cards saying "I have a one year old child please help me to feed him" carriage to carriage.. see any of the money they are getting?

Aeroflotgirl · 22/01/2018 14:06

Yes, tell your dd to ignore her and keep walking.

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 22/01/2018 14:08

I don't think its a scam as such - as in they are probably not planning to distract and rob her - but certainly they are just telling her a story to get her to give them money.

When I first came to London as a student I fell for the one where a nice respectable looking person has lost their bag/wallet and just needs £5 to get home. (Ah yes, it was £5 then, and more credible because not everyone had a mobile phone. I am so old! But less naive).

Urubu · 22/01/2018 14:17

I don't think its a scam as such [...] they are just telling her a story to get her to give them money
Isn't that the definition of a scam?

pudcat · 22/01/2018 14:17

I cannot believe the naivety of a few on here. Yes it is a scam. They are trying to obtain money under false pretences. Also how do you know that they do not have an accomplice watching where you replace your purse to pickpocket you later. These things happen. Even in our small town we are warned by the police to be vigilant against such events. We have had folk stopped outside Tesco and asked for £10 because they have run out of petrol.

MrsFantastic · 22/01/2018 14:19

I've had the one where a man gave me a cock and bull story about his wife is a doctor at the hospital (about 2 miles away) and that he needs money for a taxi to the hospital to give her the house keys. This was London and there were loads of buses going that way - no need for a taxi - and he didn't look like someone a doctor would marry. Anyway he could have just walked that distance of the story was true.

I've also come across a man trying to scam another man with a fake rolex watch - "I need £50 for a taxi. You can have this Rolex watch to prove I'm going to pay you back". I walked past and said to the potential sucker - "I wouldn't if I were you." Again this is an area of London with loads of public transport.

Paris is full of distraction robbers - fill in a petition calling for no poverty in Africa or something - the weird one with the piece of string they tie around your finger.

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