Page 5 | to send money to a Moroccan taxi driver

Autumnterm · 2022-04-26T15:08:03+00:00

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 €?

FriedTomatoe · 26/04/2022 18:00

Don't get into it OP. It starts as 90 then you'll not be able to get rid of him. Just block and be done.

AnotherDelphinium · 26/04/2022 18:01

As PP have said, if you can afford it, I’d offer to pay the school directly (possibly on a monthly basis), or I’d send him the money as a one-off. It’s always a lot ‘easier’ to ask for school fees than food, but I think he’s probably genuine.

What’s the worst case scenario? You’re helping a scammer, who’ll spend the money somewhere and help their economy a little. Best case? You’re helping keep two children in pre-school and starting their education on a great footing.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 26/04/2022 18:18

AnotherDelphinium · 26/04/2022 18:01

As PP have said, if you can afford it, I’d offer to pay the school directly (possibly on a monthly basis), or I’d send him the money as a one-off. It’s always a lot ‘easier’ to ask for school fees than food, but I think he’s probably genuine.

What’s the worst case scenario? You’re helping a scammer, who’ll spend the money somewhere and help their economy a little. Best case? You’re helping keep two children in pre-school and starting their education on a great footing.

Isn't the worst case that the money is going into something dodgy - drugs etc?

skybluee · 26/04/2022 18:24

It could easily be genuine. It could also be a scam, of course, almost anything can be. For me, the pointers that indicate it's genuine are: she's met him, she knows the job story is legit, she knows how hard things have been for people recently, he had kept in contact with her for a long while not asking for anything (not typically how scammers work), he has not turned nasty or sent anything weird after she said no (like so and so is ill, and so on).

I have been desperate and run out of money. As in, had pence left to last for the last week or longer (-10 to 12 days) until I got paid. After paying for bills and food for the month, literally not buying anything else for myself, not one thing. I get what that desperation feels like (walking around looking on the floor for money). I have asked old friends who have I haven't seen for over a decade if I could borrow some money (£50). I needed to buy loo roll and food and a bill was due to go out. Thankfully, she agreed and it made, and I can't overstate this, a massive difference to my life. Not everyone is in easy to understand positions. I paid her back in full the day I got paid, so the money was only lent to me for approx one week.

OP only you can decide. If you think he is genuine and you want to help him, do.If you don't think he is genuine, don't. You are the one who has met him. None of us can really advise.

AlternativePerspective · 26/04/2022 18:33

He’s not a friend though is he? He’s a taxi driver she happened to use once when she was on holiday in a country which is renouned for scammers.

Giving money to some random taxi driver is like giving money to someone you’ve had a conversation with on the tube once or twice in the past 5 years. You just wouldn’t.

And the whole guilt “sorry for asking, forget about it,” is designed to play on your emotions, so you’ll feel guilty for questioning his motives and will offer him the money.

CharityShopChic · 26/04/2022 18:49

@fairylightsandwaxmelts the other worst-case scenario is that it's not drugs but he passes news of his success onto all his other dodgy mates, who tell all of their dodgy mates, and they start posting on forums, or try a bit of romance fraud, and before you know where you are, Brenda from Bolton is having to sell her house because she;s been fleeced out of her life savings.

DO NOT SEND MONEY TO RANDOMERS ONLINE.

Seriously. It's not difficult. Look for charities working in the affected areas if you wish to help people out.

maddy68 · 26/04/2022 18:51

Just no

FridayiminlovewithRobertSmith · 26/04/2022 18:52

It’s one of those “only spend what you can afford to lose what you can afford financially and emotionally” 3 lots of 30euros I might do, but I’d leave it there and nothing more.

Ratrick · 26/04/2022 18:53

AlternativePerspective · 26/04/2022 18:33

He’s not a friend though is he? He’s a taxi driver she happened to use once when she was on holiday in a country which is renouned for scammers.

Giving money to some random taxi driver is like giving money to someone you’ve had a conversation with on the tube once or twice in the past 5 years. You just wouldn’t.

And the whole guilt “sorry for asking, forget about it,” is designed to play on your emotions, so you’ll feel guilty for questioning his motives and will offer him the money.

Re. your last para - you could ascribe similar motives to basically any response from him. If genuine, there isn’t really any response he could give that couldn’t be interpreted as a cynical scam.

AnyFucker · 26/04/2022 18:57

Come on, now

Puzzledandpissedoff · 26/04/2022 18:57

I have no way of knowing if the kids in the photo he has sent me are really his

Very perceptive of you, OP
I had this once on a cruise, from a steward with a (very distinctive) photo and a sob story. At dinner it turned out that other stewards were using exactly the same picture and story and generally doing the rounds of the passengers

Send money if you're daft enough, but only if you're prepared for that £30 to become much more and for all his friends to join in too

iklboo · 26/04/2022 18:58

I wonder how many other 'dear friends' he's sent the message to.

accentdusoleil · 26/04/2022 19:04

La bas alik

Tricky one .

I have sent lots of money to family in Morocco during as there is no welfare system there and people have really suffered over the past years financially. However this is to my family who I trust implicitly.

You don't know this guy and if you start now he will not stop. He's trying his luck . Hard one as he might be in a real bad situation but it's not your responsibility.

Indicatrice · 26/04/2022 19:05

I would give it in these circumstances OP.

He didn’t ask for cash soon after you met him.

I would be clear that this is the first and only time you will be donating.

Possibly not relevant, but he may be asking because Ramadan, when many poor people receive money/food from those better off.

Ratrick · 26/04/2022 19:08

I’ve given money to an online randomer a couple of times.

I was trying to add a friend to FB, but accidentally added someone else in India with the same name. We chatted a little - her and her husband ran a small day school for homeless children.

Her husband and daughter also added me although we never really talked.

After a couple of years, the woman told me that her husband had been unfaithful and left her. About a year later, she asked if I could contribute any money towards her daughter’s university fees.

I was hesitant that it could be a scam, but I was the one who added her, and each of her, her husband and daughter had long standing Facebook profiles that were entirely consistent with everything she told me (photos of them in the school, etc). The husband/ex was also apparently a pastor, and did have a decent online footprint.

I ended up giving what I could (and also upon a repeat request about a year later).

A couple of years later, photos of her daughter graduating were posted on their social media. We’re now about 8 years later, she’s never asked for money since, and keeps in touch from time to time.

I suppose I’ll never truly know if it was all genuine, but I don’t feel poorly for having given the money (quite the contrary, I was delighted to see the graduation photos).

Not to say you should give any time you’re asked, and I think I had more reason to feel comfortable than the OP, but I do believe that sometimes people genuinely need a little help and, if you can afford to, sometimes it’s worth taking the chance.

Xpologog · 26/04/2022 19:13

You can probably contact the children’s school/ nursery direct and if you wish send the money to them. Many schools across Africa organise sponsorship schemes, money is deposited with the school who provide uniform, shoes, school meals, books, pens. If the money goes to the family it’s often used to pay debts, help out extended family and so on. I’m not saying life isn’t hard and as a taxi driver his earnings will have been crushed by the pandemic.
if you do send money expect the requests to go on, they will. For school, shoes, medical bills etc….

Neverreturntoathread · 26/04/2022 19:17

skybluee · 26/04/2022 18:24

It could easily be genuine. It could also be a scam, of course, almost anything can be. For me, the pointers that indicate it's genuine are: she's met him, she knows the job story is legit, she knows how hard things have been for people recently, he had kept in contact with her for a long while not asking for anything (not typically how scammers work), he has not turned nasty or sent anything weird after she said no (like so and so is ill, and so on).

I have been desperate and run out of money. As in, had pence left to last for the last week or longer (-10 to 12 days) until I got paid. After paying for bills and food for the month, literally not buying anything else for myself, not one thing. I get what that desperation feels like (walking around looking on the floor for money). I have asked old friends who have I haven't seen for over a decade if I could borrow some money (£50). I needed to buy loo roll and food and a bill was due to go out. Thankfully, she agreed and it made, and I can't overstate this, a massive difference to my life. Not everyone is in easy to understand positions. I paid her back in full the day I got paid, so the money was only lent to me for approx one week.

OP only you can decide. If you think he is genuine and you want to help him, do.If you don't think he is genuine, don't. You are the one who has met him. None of us can really advise.

This

AlternativePerspective · 26/04/2022 20:09

It takes a certain kind of person to beg money from a stranger.

Most decent people wouldn’t even beg from teir friends. Begging from a stranger is a bloody nerve.

Suzi888 · 26/04/2022 20:14

Ratrick · 26/04/2022 16:15

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.

If it’s a small amount of money I would. But make it clear that’s it.

incywincyspider1 · 26/04/2022 20:19

Ihatethenewlook · 26/04/2022 16:28

I can’t believe there are people in the world who are this stupid

Unnecessary and nasty comment.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 26/04/2022 20:21

It could easily be genuine. It could also be a scam, of course, almost anything can be. For me, the pointers that indicate it's genuine are: she's met him, she knows the job story is legit, she knows how hard things have been for people recently, he had kept in contact with her for a long while not asking for anything (not typically how scammers work), he has not turned nasty or sent anything weird after she said no (like so and so is ill, and so on).

On the contrary, a lot of online scammers play the long game.

They keep conversations and friendships going with multiple people (usually women) at once and get them to trust them (well he's known me x years and never asked me for anything so he must be genuine/desperate to ask now).

All it takes is for one or two in every ten of those people to fall for it and pay them money, and they're onto a winner.

Wasn't it drilled into everyone as children not to trust total strangers on the internet? Or does that only apply to children? 🙈

Ratrick · 26/04/2022 20:27

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 26/04/2022 20:21

It could easily be genuine. It could also be a scam, of course, almost anything can be. For me, the pointers that indicate it's genuine are: she's met him, she knows the job story is legit, she knows how hard things have been for people recently, he had kept in contact with her for a long while not asking for anything (not typically how scammers work), he has not turned nasty or sent anything weird after she said no (like so and so is ill, and so on).

On the contrary, a lot of online scammers play the long game.

They keep conversations and friendships going with multiple people (usually women) at once and get them to trust them (well he's known me x years and never asked me for anything so he must be genuine/desperate to ask now).

All it takes is for one or two in every ten of those people to fall for it and pay them money, and they're onto a winner.

Wasn't it drilled into everyone as children not to trust total strangers on the internet? Or does that only apply to children? 🙈

But he’s not a total stranger - they have met several times in person.

HRTQueen · 26/04/2022 20:32

he shall be asking others too

someone will send it over

block him

AlternativePerspective · 26/04/2022 20:34

And what about those men who befriend women on similar holidays who talk them into marrying them and then it turns out to all be a scam for a visa?

I’m not sure that having a taxi from this bloke equates to knowing someone in person.

XingMing · 26/04/2022 20:37

Nearly 20 years ago we went to Sri Lanka on holiday for six weeks, based in one town. While we were there we got to know and like a local tuk tuk driver, and we learned about his life and the economics of it. He earned about 40p daily after he had rented the tuktuk and put fuel in it, and worked 10 hours a day. Out of that he was paying for his house, healthcare and food. So just before we left, feeling very guilty for our good fortune, we went to the local dealer and bought one. Then to a lawyer, stating that it was a gift, given freely. And we left him the paperwork to collect the keys. It more than doubled his income so he could pay for healthcare and education for his daughter (not free in Sri Lanka). We sent small sums annually thereafter at Christmas and when she was 11/12, she won a scholarship to the big secondary school. And from then on, we dropped out of the picture, but the baby we met is probably going to fledge as a professional young woman with choices and agency. We hope she will be part of raising her country above poverty.

So no, I really don't think it's a totally stupid idea to help out with a few hundred quid to change a family's life and hopes if it's not going to ruin your life. I wish more of us could do so.