to send money to a Moroccan taxi driver

[Autumnterm]

Back in 2018 I went to Marrakech on holiday with my son. I can’t remember exactly how but I ended up getting the phone number of a friendly local taxi driver who took us from A to B several times. When we went back the following year we used him for our airport transfers both ways.

Since Feb 2020 we haven’t travelled abroad anywhere but I would occasionally get a text from him saying hello or how are you, to which I would respond hello/salaam/labas and that was that. I didn’t think much about it except that he was checking in just in case I was headed to Morocco and was tempted to use another taxi driver....and I did at one point recommend him to a relative going there but their trip was recently cancelled due to COVID.

Anyway cut forward to this week. He texted again and said hello my dear friend how are you and your family, and I responded as usual.

But this time he went on to say that life is hard for him, he has had no work due to the collapse in tourism and as a result he cannot pay for his kids to go to school. He sent me a picture of them - a boy and a girl, they look to be about 3 and 5 years old so I presume he means nursery school.

Stupidly (maybe) I asked how much was school and he said €90.

He has since sent me several texts asking if i will help pay for his kids to go to school. His English is not perfect but it sounds like he wants €30 a month for three months and he says in return if/when we go back he will drive us anywhere we want.

On one hand I know that Marrakech is one of the scam cities of the universe (lots of the people who run investment scams targeting UK pensioners are actually based there). I have no way of knowing if the kids in the photo he has sent me are really his and if there really is a charge to go to school and if he really has no work.

On the other hand €30 is affordable for me and I genuinely do feel sorry for people who rely on tourist revenue who have had a very hard time of it over the last two years. Morocco is open for tourists now but it was locked down for the whole 2020 season and some of 2021.

Would I BU to send him some €?

[Cervinia]

Google says education is compulsory and free in Morocco to 15.

[Georgeskitchen]

I would be very wary of this. Today money for children's schooling, tomorrow money medical care for a close seriously ill relative? And on and on it could go, until its all gone (your money)

[FionnulaTheCooler]

Don't give him anything or you will be seen as a soft target and pestered for more. Honestly, I'd just block his number.

[HollowTalk]

My daughter had something similar happen to her. She was backpacking in India and used to go to the same cafe every day for a couple of weeks. The guy working there used to chat to her and added her on Facebook. A few months later he wrote asking her if she'd pay for his visa to go to work in New Zealand - he wanted about £1,500!

I don't think this guy is scamming you but he is trying to take advantage of you. I imagine he's doing that to a lot of different women. I'd reply saying "Sorry, things are tough here" and then I'd block him.

[Ratrick]

I think I’d probably give the money.

Either he’s genuinely desperate, and a relatively small amount of money from you will be a big help, or he’s trying it on but you won’t miss the money anyway.

If the request is repeated in future, I’d be more weary.

And FWIW, his story seems entirely plausible.

[crackingreward]

Goodness, no. Why on earth would you

[Fluffy40]

maybe if it’s just a one off, if he asks again I’d block him.

[Traumdeuter]

OP, my son’s nursery fees are £650pcm, can you help out?

of course it’s a scam.

[TweetTweetMF]

I would he's made the effort to be friendly and check in on you. 90 euros isn't much to us, but a lot for them.

[TheLadyDIdGood]

Block the number, you don't actually know if its him or a impersonator. You don't owe him anything and if it is him then the requests won't stop. There are plenty of charities and mosques which provide free education and welfare support. He's softened you up as an easy target to exploit.

[CharityShopChic]

You can't remember how you got his number? I bet you can't. I also bet he put it into your phone under some pretext. You and hundreds of other northern Europeans perceived to be rich.

Why ON EARTH would you pay money to some chancer you met once or twice, four years ago? If you're concerned, Google charities/foodbanks in Morocco and send them a donation.

Never ceases to amaze me just how many gullible people there are out there prepared to fall for a sob story.

And the whole "oh well, he's maybe not genuine but i'm prepared to take the risk" slow handclap to all of you virtue signallers. Because responding to this sort of blatant scam just encourages more scammers and next time it might not be you making a conscious decision to kiss goodbye to your cash, it might be your mum with dementia or your neighbour barely getting by on their pension.

[Ducksinthebath]

I think you know in your heart it's a bad idea to start funding aspects of this man's lifestyle.

[Enough4me]

I can't believe people are saying yes give him money. It's crazy. He will have a list he cycles through and gradually start to ask for help, first school fees, next medicine, then for travel etc. Nice bonus money on the side plus he only needs a few to go along with it to find someone to push for significant money.

[AlternativePerspective]

Seriously. Of all the people he knows in the world he has chosen a tourist he met years and years ago to scam money from.

Not only would you be being unreasonable, you would be a total idiot to fall for this crap.

[Testina]

@Ratrick

I think I’d probably give the money.

Either he’s genuinely desperate, and a relatively small amount of money from you will be a big help, or he’s trying it on but you won’t miss the money anyway.

If the request is repeated in future, I’d be more weary.

And FWIW, his story seems entirely plausible.

Why do you think it is plausible when another poster has already said school in Morocco is free and compulsory?

[ScrumptiousBears]

Have you posted before Op because I've read this story before.

[Eggshelly]

donate the money to a charity that helps with schooling in morocco. You aren't this man's friend.

[Magnoliayellowbird]

If he needed money he should be asking friends and relatives, not virtual strangers. Don't get caught up in this, it will escalate.

[TheNewUpdateIsShit]

@Cervinia

Google says education is compulsory and free in Morocco to 15.

Oh dear, so he's lying OP surprisingly.

[CloseYourEyesAndSee]

School is free in Morocco but most people pay for private if they can afford it.
covid has been a nightmare for Moroccan people.
He might plan on spending the money on school or something else. It's probably not drugs and crime but who knows.
if you want to help him and you can afford it, send him some money then block him.

[AlternativePerspective]

No wonder scammers have such an easy time of it when the gullible go out there with the attitude that “well, maybe he’s genuine, and I’d rather give money to a scammer than see someone who was genuine go without.”

Every time someone gives money like this they are making it easy for scammers to continue. I.e. they are responsible for the scamming trade.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

If you have more money than sense I'll take some.

[Justmuddlingalong]

Do you not think he's chancing his mitt, keeping in contact with foreign, wealthy to him, taxi passengers? He's played the long game, but he's playing you none the less.

[AffIt]

@Cervinia

Google says education is compulsory and free in Morocco to 15.

Basically this.

[JudgeRindersMinder]

If you’re determined to send him something, tell him you’ll pay the bill direct, then you’ll find out if he’s scamming