Scam de Jour
Oct 28th, 2007, 05:23 PM
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Scam de Jour
I just went to Paris for 10 days. One of the most interesting experiences was the day I walked along the Seine for the fist time. As I strolled along, a young man was passing me and he bent down and picked up a gold wedding band from the stone walk. He started laughing as he held the ring up for me to see.
"Wow, your lucky day " I said to him.
"NO, he said, I am not married, and besides, the ring is too small".
He tried it on in front of me, and yes, the ring was small. He reached for my hand and slipped it onto my finger. I started laughing and said "Oh no, never again. Marriage isn't for me." I took the ring off and tried to give it back, but he just sort of took my shoulders and hugged me and said Good luck, you keep it"
Well, right then I realized this was some sort of set up, because the way he hugged me was not normal. He was patting my coat. I pushed him away and as I did, he sort of skittered around me. I looked down at my coat, and a pocket was pushed open. SO FAST ! ! !
He knew instantly I was on to his trick, and he held out his hand for the ring.
"Give it back" he said.
I tossed him the ring quickly and started backing away. He stepped closer to me and said, "Just give me 5 euros I am hungry.
"No," I said and started to walk away.
"I know you have some money, so just give me 3 euros."
Now, here is the funny part. I had a shopping bag with some sliced cheese and chips in it. I was just saying to myself "I really should stop eating all this delicious cheese..." And look what happened ! A hungry person appears out of the crowd.
The guy started groping my bag. He said "I know you have some change in this bag, so please just give the change"
"NO change for you, but I have cheese. "
"I don't want cheese"
So I reminded him that he just told me he was hungry. I took his hand and put the cheese in it. He frowned at me, and then started gobbling up the cheese. I smiled, and he smiled. Then I left.
The next night I was at a bar with my pen pal. The bar was completely empty except for 2 women. One was from San Francisco and One was from Texas. We started talking and as the conversation went on, I asked them if they'd been scammed yet.
"Well, there was this guy with a gold ring......" they said ! HAAA ! ! !
The day after that I was at the Museum and a woman sat next to me on a bench. We started talking because she was American, AND, a real chatter box. She told me that everything she had was stolen the day she arrived. She was taking pictures, and someone emptied her purse as she had her arms up with the camera. She never even felt it. OUCH ! ! ! Credit cards and all......
I asked her if she'd found any of her stuff, and she said no... but right after she'd been pick pocketed, she was walking along and this woman came up to her with a GOLD RING and said " Is this your ring?"
The American said "no", and told the woman she was lucky for finding it. The woman asked her if she wanted it. The American suddenly felt like a good omen was happening to her, so she accepted the ring. Suddenly just after she put it on her finger, the woman started demanding a reward ! ! ! ! The American woman's niece was with her, and she took the ring off her aunt's finger and tossed it to the woman and they left. What a way to start a vacation ! ! !
The pick pocket had NO luck with me because I had been warned by the people in my French class about the gypsies. I wore a zippered money belt under my clothes, and inside my purse I only had tissue, pens and maps. Hopefully my luck will continue in such a good way.
"Wow, your lucky day " I said to him.
"NO, he said, I am not married, and besides, the ring is too small".
He tried it on in front of me, and yes, the ring was small. He reached for my hand and slipped it onto my finger. I started laughing and said "Oh no, never again. Marriage isn't for me." I took the ring off and tried to give it back, but he just sort of took my shoulders and hugged me and said Good luck, you keep it"
Well, right then I realized this was some sort of set up, because the way he hugged me was not normal. He was patting my coat. I pushed him away and as I did, he sort of skittered around me. I looked down at my coat, and a pocket was pushed open. SO FAST ! ! !
He knew instantly I was on to his trick, and he held out his hand for the ring.
"Give it back" he said.
I tossed him the ring quickly and started backing away. He stepped closer to me and said, "Just give me 5 euros I am hungry.
"No," I said and started to walk away.
"I know you have some money, so just give me 3 euros."
Now, here is the funny part. I had a shopping bag with some sliced cheese and chips in it. I was just saying to myself "I really should stop eating all this delicious cheese..." And look what happened ! A hungry person appears out of the crowd.
The guy started groping my bag. He said "I know you have some change in this bag, so please just give the change"
"NO change for you, but I have cheese. "
"I don't want cheese"
So I reminded him that he just told me he was hungry. I took his hand and put the cheese in it. He frowned at me, and then started gobbling up the cheese. I smiled, and he smiled. Then I left.
The next night I was at a bar with my pen pal. The bar was completely empty except for 2 women. One was from San Francisco and One was from Texas. We started talking and as the conversation went on, I asked them if they'd been scammed yet.
"Well, there was this guy with a gold ring......" they said ! HAAA ! ! !
The day after that I was at the Museum and a woman sat next to me on a bench. We started talking because she was American, AND, a real chatter box. She told me that everything she had was stolen the day she arrived. She was taking pictures, and someone emptied her purse as she had her arms up with the camera. She never even felt it. OUCH ! ! ! Credit cards and all......
I asked her if she'd found any of her stuff, and she said no... but right after she'd been pick pocketed, she was walking along and this woman came up to her with a GOLD RING and said " Is this your ring?"
The American said "no", and told the woman she was lucky for finding it. The woman asked her if she wanted it. The American suddenly felt like a good omen was happening to her, so she accepted the ring. Suddenly just after she put it on her finger, the woman started demanding a reward ! ! ! ! The American woman's niece was with her, and she took the ring off her aunt's finger and tossed it to the woman and they left. What a way to start a vacation ! ! !
The pick pocket had NO luck with me because I had been warned by the people in my French class about the gypsies. I wore a zippered money belt under my clothes, and inside my purse I only had tissue, pens and maps. Hopefully my luck will continue in such a good way.
Oct 29th, 2007, 02:04 AM
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I'm a bit disturbed by your racist comment.
I'm sure that some gypsies are pickpockets, but it is an "equal opportunities" profession.
We shouldn't forget that Hitler had such a poor opinion of gypsies that an official figure of 600,000 died in the Holocaust.
Roma groups claim that it was actually over a million.
I'm sure that some gypsies are pickpockets, but it is an "equal opportunities" profession.
We shouldn't forget that Hitler had such a poor opinion of gypsies that an official figure of 600,000 died in the Holocaust.
Roma groups claim that it was actually over a million.
Oct 29th, 2007, 04:12 AM
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>'m a bit disturbed by your racist comment.
I'm sure that some gypsies are pickpockets, but it is an "equal opportunities" profession.
We shouldn't forget that Hitler had such a poor opinion of gypsies that an official figure of 600,000 died in the Holocaust.
Roma groups claim that it was actually over a million.<
Wake up and smell the coffee. I think this one is the worst case of "political correctness" ive read this year.
Sometimes its allowed to call a spoon a spoon.
If you aime for the nobelprize, you have to do better.
I'm sure that some gypsies are pickpockets, but it is an "equal opportunities" profession.
We shouldn't forget that Hitler had such a poor opinion of gypsies that an official figure of 600,000 died in the Holocaust.
Roma groups claim that it was actually over a million.<
Wake up and smell the coffee. I think this one is the worst case of "political correctness" ive read this year.
Sometimes its allowed to call a spoon a spoon.
If you aime for the nobelprize, you have to do better.
Oct 29th, 2007, 04:42 AM
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I'll stay away from the PC part of this.
I hate to rain on your parade, but it seems to me that you spent way too much time interacting with this guy.
You're walking along the Seine, and a young man you don't know manages to grab your hand and slip a ring on your finger, hug you, and then the conversation continues.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect you are not from a big city.
I hate to rain on your parade, but it seems to me that you spent way too much time interacting with this guy.
You're walking along the Seine, and a young man you don't know manages to grab your hand and slip a ring on your finger, hug you, and then the conversation continues.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect you are not from a big city.
Oct 29th, 2007, 05:19 AM
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Might be the wrong leg today
But still: it is a common fact that SOME Gypsies pull these trics. Its like then a blond girl visits turkey. Some men will make a big fuss about it. It is just a fact.
And of course are not all Gypsies thieves. Everybody knows that, that is just my point. We don't need to disguss the obvious
But still: it is a common fact that SOME Gypsies pull these trics. Its like then a blond girl visits turkey. Some men will make a big fuss about it. It is just a fact.
And of course are not all Gypsies thieves. Everybody knows that, that is just my point. We don't need to disguss the obvious
Oct 29th, 2007, 05:25 AM
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BTW, what "race" is a gypsy? Coming from the midwest, I understood the term to mean an itinerant person with no specific skill set, but would do odd jobs for money, sometimes including pulling scams. There is an actual race classification?
Oct 29th, 2007, 05:47 AM
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If we're going to get politically correct about things, the term for the ethnic group originating from India and persecuted by Hitler is 'Romani' or 'Roma'. Apparently they don't refer to themselves as 'gypsies' so ironically, the continuing defense of 'gypsies' as being an ethnic group could end up being counterproductive, by associating the word 'gypsy' with an ethnic group when to do so is inaccurate.
Besides, people will use words for their own purposes - just look what happened to 'aspirin' when Bayer wasn't looking. Or 'decimate' - now used interchangeably with 'devastate' --- or 'issue' --- now frequently used as if it were synonymous with 'problem.' Point being, it is perfectly possible to use 'gypsy' to mean 'thief' or 'irreputable' without being a racist, since people don't examine the history of word origin and usage before using just about any word, not just this one.
Besides, people will use words for their own purposes - just look what happened to 'aspirin' when Bayer wasn't looking. Or 'decimate' - now used interchangeably with 'devastate' --- or 'issue' --- now frequently used as if it were synonymous with 'problem.' Point being, it is perfectly possible to use 'gypsy' to mean 'thief' or 'irreputable' without being a racist, since people don't examine the history of word origin and usage before using just about any word, not just this one.
Oct 29th, 2007, 05:48 AM
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Well, if it's PC to object to using the word "gypsy" as a term for pickpocket, then fair enough.
May I draw your attention to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3527024.stm
May I draw your attention to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3527024.stm
Oct 29th, 2007, 05:54 AM
#13
"The pick pocket had NO luck with me because I had been warned by the people in my French class about the gypsies"
Reread the sentance but replace the word "Gypsies" with "Blacks" or "Jews". If you then find the sentiments offensive then maybe you would feel differently about calling this stance "politically correct".
Gypsies has traditionally meant the Romany people - still a discriminated against minority in parts of Eastern Europe.
I don't deny that there are large numbers of people in parts of Spain and Italy who appear to be responsible for a disproportional amount of reported pickpocketing, but part of that might be that they are more easily identifiable.
Reread the sentance but replace the word "Gypsies" with "Blacks" or "Jews". If you then find the sentiments offensive then maybe you would feel differently about calling this stance "politically correct".
Gypsies has traditionally meant the Romany people - still a discriminated against minority in parts of Eastern Europe.
I don't deny that there are large numbers of people in parts of Spain and Italy who appear to be responsible for a disproportional amount of reported pickpocketing, but part of that might be that they are more easily identifiable.
Oct 29th, 2007, 06:11 AM
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We were lucky to have been warned about the ring scam (by lovely Fodorites) before we went to France last spring because it was tried on us too. A quite average looking, nicely groomed middle-aged woman stopped and picked up a gold ring in front of us and turned to ask us "is this yours?". I could already feel SO hesitating -- not that he would have taken the ring, but ever the good samaritan, he probably thought he could help her find the owner -- and I pulled him along and explained the scam to him.
I would not, by the way, have picked this woman out as being of any particular ethnic group. She looked the same as any of the other office workers milling around us that time of day.
I would not, by the way, have picked this woman out as being of any particular ethnic group. She looked the same as any of the other office workers milling around us that time of day.
Oct 29th, 2007, 06:22 AM
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In English, the word "Gypsy" is actually short for "Egyptian". If you think that unlikely, within the past fifteen years I have heard the word "Egyptian" used in a context where most British people would say "Gypsy". "Gypsy" usually has a negative connotation over here.
The word "traveller" can mean many things in Britain, and is often used to describe groups who are not ethnic gypsies but who similarly travel from place to place and have done so for generations. Many are of Irish origin. However, I was surprised by a recent report about a group of "travellers" who were being moved off their camp site so that the 2012 Olympics could take place. They had apparently been there for over 30 years.
Another derogatory word in Britain is "Pikey".
The word "traveller" can mean many things in Britain, and is often used to describe groups who are not ethnic gypsies but who similarly travel from place to place and have done so for generations. Many are of Irish origin. However, I was surprised by a recent report about a group of "travellers" who were being moved off their camp site so that the 2012 Olympics could take place. They had apparently been there for over 30 years.
Another derogatory word in Britain is "Pikey".
Oct 29th, 2007, 06:40 AM
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This is a venerable scam, well over a hundred years old.
This is from Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend"
('Now,' thought Mr Boffin, 'if he proposes a game at skittles, or meets a country gentleman just come into property, or produces any article of jewellery he has found, I'll knock him down!' With this discreet reflection, and carrying his stick in his arms much as Punch carries his, Mr Boffin turned into Clifford's Inn aforesaid.)"
This is from Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend"
('Now,' thought Mr Boffin, 'if he proposes a game at skittles, or meets a country gentleman just come into property, or produces any article of jewellery he has found, I'll knock him down!' With this discreet reflection, and carrying his stick in his arms much as Punch carries his, Mr Boffin turned into Clifford's Inn aforesaid.)"
Oct 29th, 2007, 09:16 AM
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We encountered this same scam 4 times in the course of one hour.
The 1st time we were looking in a shop window in the St.Germain area near the Seine and a man shoved a ring in my husbands hand, telling him he found it and it didn't fit him. My husband tried to hand it back to him but he wouldn't take it. The man started to walk away, then turned around and asked for money. My husband gave him the ring back and we walked away. The man kept following us. I'm a fairly meek looking person, but I turned around, looked him straight in the eye and very forcefully told him to stop and he backed away. Then we crossed the river and a woman coming toward us bent down and pretended to pick something up and held out a ring to us and said it was good luck. We briskly walked past her. Near the Tuileries another man started to approach us and I just put out my hand and said "No" very forcefully. Then about 10 minutes later we saw the same man with a tourist couple who were examining the ring. We always keep our money and credit cards in pouches around our necks and I think that, or a money belt, and just keeping walking, is the best defense against this sort of thing. And I was not shy in telling him to shove off.
It really struck us because we'd been in Paris the previous year and had not come across this at all and then to have it happen several times in one hour was incredible.
The 1st time we were looking in a shop window in the St.Germain area near the Seine and a man shoved a ring in my husbands hand, telling him he found it and it didn't fit him. My husband tried to hand it back to him but he wouldn't take it. The man started to walk away, then turned around and asked for money. My husband gave him the ring back and we walked away. The man kept following us. I'm a fairly meek looking person, but I turned around, looked him straight in the eye and very forcefully told him to stop and he backed away. Then we crossed the river and a woman coming toward us bent down and pretended to pick something up and held out a ring to us and said it was good luck. We briskly walked past her. Near the Tuileries another man started to approach us and I just put out my hand and said "No" very forcefully. Then about 10 minutes later we saw the same man with a tourist couple who were examining the ring. We always keep our money and credit cards in pouches around our necks and I think that, or a money belt, and just keeping walking, is the best defense against this sort of thing. And I was not shy in telling him to shove off.
It really struck us because we'd been in Paris the previous year and had not come across this at all and then to have it happen several times in one hour was incredible.
