A two act play: Ring scam Toulouse
 

Act one: I was standing on the sidewalk outside basilic St. Sernin when a young woman walking by stopped and picked up a gold ring from the ground. She pointed out the gold mark on the inside of the ring, indicated she was not allowed to wear jewelry,and put it in my hand. She walked away, then returned and asked for money for food. At that point I figured it was a scam (I'm a slow learner) gave her the ring back.

Act two: I was standing on the sidewalk outside Couvent des Jacobins about an hour later, when an elderly lady stopped and picked up an identical gold ring from the ground. She pointed out the gold mark, but I had learned my lesson well, and turned away immediately.

My DH wondered what would have happened if I'd kept the ring, and not given any money.

We were wondering just what the scam is. Are they just looking for a few euro, or were they looking to see where we kept our cash.

maybe both

They'd have started haranguing you trying to shame you into coughing up some cash. And if you pay, now a waiting accomplice sees where your wallet is. If you were to examine the ring you'd see it is not gold and of almost zero value. The scam has been around since Roman times.

I find that laughing at them is enough for them to realize I'm not a rube and they go away.

This has been around for many years now in various European cities (never seen it in the US). If you engage with any strangers like that, you are asking for it. You never should be having anything to do with strangers like that on the street, let alone allowing them to touch you and grab your hands or whatever. Unless you indicated you wanted it, in which case you are being very foolish and greedy. I always wonder why they continue doing this as I can't imagine why anyone would have anything to do with such people, but obviously some do.

They want money, obviously, anyone doing anything weird on the street like that to you wants money, whether it is finding something, asking you to read something or give them money for a charity, etc. You were being very foolish by engaging with these people at all. Why would you even talk to them?

They keep doing it since they get positive responses from a enough tourists to make it profitable because:

1) many people are raised to be polite and friendly to everyone - and don;t realize that does NOT apply to complete strangers in tourist areas

2) a lot of people are gullible enough to think that there is actually some profit for them in this (I suspect many of them the same people that believe in ghosts and angels and demons - and fall victim to all sorts of scams)

And yes, they want both to get cash for the "gold" ring and to see where you keep your money.

Oh - and the easiest response is the look right through them stare.

If that isn't enough say NO is a very loud voice and walk in the other direction of necessary (as a New Yorker I find the stare is enough)

Also beware of young activists bearing petitions, which they may shove in your face. What they want to liberate is your wallet. Strike that New York attitude, be as rude as possible, and walk quickly away.

We saw this scam many times during our week long visit to Paris. The funniest by far was when we exited the metro near the Arc. At this point we had seen it many many times and knew we would see it again. Two independent scammers approached my husband and myself from opposite sides (obviously they had forgot to coordinate who would work where that day). They both bent down at the same time and 'picked up a ring'. As they rose they stared at each other for a second before turning on their heel and practically running off in opposite. We couldn't help but laugh.

Southam,

Actually the "activist" are also going to ask you for money to support their cause. I think this is more the plan than anything else. And they are not just focused on tourists. I see them often in a large supermarket parking lot near home where they'll stop local folks, give their shpiel, get someone to see the petition and then ask for money. And guess what, it does work !!

- Kevin

Parisamsterdam, thanks to Fodor's I was also ready for this scam when we went to paris. When approached, I didn't allow the person to put the ring in my hand and laughed instead. At that point the scammer spat in my direction and stormed away.

Nytraveler, you do know you aren't the only person on Fodor's who lives in a big city, don't you?

I travel to Toulouse quite frequently, and the above story doesn't surprise me. There even used to be a scammer at Blagnac airport - an English guy with a northern accent who would approach other English speakers with a sob story of how he had to change his flight home on a budget airline and couldn't get any money from the ATM to pay for the ticket change fee. Could I please "lend" him some money..? I told him to take a hike, as did a colleague of mine on a separate occasion, but I did see an unsuspecting Brit hand the scammer a twenty quid note.

Just how stoopid are these scammers? A thread drawing travellers' attention to scams in France gets topped by, d'oh, a scammer advertising fake documents! You couldn't make it up!

I've said this before but once I found an abandoned gold ring on a Parisian balustrade.
I then waved it at any scammer who approached, indicating I had found mine.

It always resulted in mutual smiles, which is better travel karma than shouting.

First off this is an old and well worn scam in Paris.. It plays on the tourists greed.

You see.. the ring is "found" in front of you.. so you know darn well it isn't yours. So why do you stop. Second.. they offer the ring to you for free.. explaining some nonsense about not being allowed to wear it for religious etc reason.. then they say it seems to be real gold .. would you give them 5 or 10 euros. It is shiny.. it can appear to be gold.. and you ( if you accept it) are excited because you think you just got a solid gold ring for 5-10 euros,, ripping off the poor rube who gave you the ring for a pittance of its worth.
Now most tourists do seem to realize something may be going on.. but they don't want to be rude.. or cheap.. or both.. so they will sometimes stupidly hand over some cash. As noted.. this gives the ring finder a chance to get close to you.. see where you keep your wallet,, and estimate if it looks like a good idea to take a tad more.. lol

The "petition girls" are also all over the place. You sign a petition for some very vague sounding cause "to help the deaf" etc.. then AFTER you sign,, they say you owe a "donation " as you just signed your name.

First off.. when you are in a foreign country you should not be signing a petition , your "vote" has no weight as a non citizen . Secondly .. whos ever heard of a mandatory donation for signing a petition . It is amazing to me that this fools some folks. ,but it seems to.. plus its a great pickpocket set up . the girls are often in groups and being distracted by the one girl while you signing etc the others are pickpocketing you .


I also had a good laugh watching the guys doing the three cup trick near Moulin Rouge.. for goodness sake,, its so freaking obvious what is happening,. Stand WELL back from crowd and watch. The silly crowd watching is being worked. There is a fake plant who bets and wins.. and then other suckers jump in.. and as I said..everyones eyes are glued to the cups.. pickpockets buffet.

Three card monte has been around forever - I would be surprised if it's not in Shakespeare somewhere.

My dad explained it to me when I was 7 and he took me to work with him the first time. The team usually consists of 4 or 5 people. The guy working the scam, the shill (who may or may not also be the pickpocket) and 2 looks-outs - stationed down the street in each direction to warm if the police are approaching - at which the scammer picks up the box and cups and they scatter in all directions.

How ANYONE can think this is legitimate is beyond me. But I see people gathered round them every time they set up - not in Times Square but often on 6th or 7th ave nearby - looking for gullible tourists.