Michel_Paris

For some reason, I'd be tempted to follow this guy around, and every time he pulled the trick I'd go up to the people he was scamming and tell them something like "hey, how come you found another ring. Are you going to ask them for money also?". Call me perverse...

toupary6

Judging by the number of reports of this scam, someone must be falling for it if they continue to do it.

Pammyjo

Michel Paris- I have more fun things to do in France than follow a scammer around. I am a slow traveler but that sounds like a bored traveler.

scdreamer

Just back from Paris, and we were also approached (twice) by the "ring people."
I hadn't heard of this scam, and the first time when a man picked up the ring and handed it to my husband, we didn't have any idea of what was happening. The ring looked cheap, nothing like fine jewelry. The man walked away, but of course returned within a minute or two to ask for money ... we handed the ring back and told him we weren't interested. Second time it happened was a day or so later, and it was a women who "found" the ring. By then we knew what was up and waved her away before she even engaged us.

My question is: Is this scam merely to try to get some hapless tourist to pay for the ring? Or is it for an opportunity to get close enough to distract someone in order to pick their pocket?

Just wondering, because I can't imagine anyone wanting to pay another peron for that ugly brass ring, but the man who accosted us never even tried to get close enough to touch us.

Of course, my husband is a fairly large and imposing loooking guy, so maybe we didn't seem like good marks?

ira

>Is this scam merely to try to get some hapless tourist to pay for the ring? Or is it for an opportunity to get close enough to distract someone in order to pick their pocket?

Either/or or both.

Judi

We just returned from Paris and saw this scam five or six times. We kept walking, pretending not to hear.

The last day I spotted two nefarious looking men coming toward us ten yards away. When they got very close one of them "picked up" a ring. I said, "Pfftttt!" without thinking and continued to walk on. From behind us we heard a loud, "Pffttt!" It made us laugh.

Brutforce

Good thing they ran into you & not me...or we'd have been seeing if he could swim (in the Seine).

Tennisfox

We spend four to six weeks in Paris each spring and have seen or have been subjected to almost every kind of scam. Although I have found people with their hands in my pockets, been cornered and shoved in the Metro and approached by many "ring bearers", the worst situation is when the Metro is on strike. In the crowds the young Gypsy girls surround tourists and almost fight for purses. If it was not so bad it would almost be comical. Be alert, know who is behind you, forget being PC and profile people. This way you can enjoy Paris.

gardngrl

I think my husband may be partly responsible for the proliferation of the "ring scam." Last year he saw a woman (said she was Bosnian, by the way) pick up a ring and he gave her a thumbs up and a smile. Of course she was all over him like a fly on pie, saying she didn't need it and calling him "Papa." Being the kindly, albeit naieve, gentleman he is, he wound up giving her 50 Euros (!)"for her babies" despite my protestations. This September it was tried on us no less that four times. His photo is probably displayed in the thieves gallery.

Belledame

It would be dangerous to harass a scammer. You don't know how far a crook is willing to go. I've seen people near Grand Central Station (NYC) wait for airport shuttles to arrive, negotiate an upfront taxi fee, hail a cab, open the door and lean in (as though speaking to the driver), step back and let the people get in and then hustle away before they realize the taxi driver has not been paid for the ride.

Point them out to a cop and keep moving.

I've gotten close to strangers near the Seine. I mean, I don't travel to talk to myself all day. A man approached me hauling a suitcase and a map. He appeared to be African but spoke great English and never once addressed me in French. He asked how to get to his hotel and showed me the address; I cracked out a map and gave him some alternate ideas (suggesting a taxi). We were head to head but not super close and all my stuff is still here.

Money belts and all that are too much trouble for me. I don't worry much about having my pocket picked at home in NYC, so I don't worry about it abroad. (Though I've never been to Rome.)

ParisAmsterdam

Well, I live in a much smaller place
than NYC but I DO worry about having
my pocket picked when I'm travelling
so I take precautions.

Why? If it were to happen at home it would be a hassle but I could go home and eat. I could go to my bank and cancel my cards and take out cash because they know me. I could walk across the street from my bank and get a replacement for my driver's license... but if I lost all my money, cards and ID in Paris or Rome I'd be screwed and my holiday possibly over. And if my passport and airtickets were gone...
an even BIGGER problem.

So hassle or not, I use a money belt
(actually more of a shoulder holster
thing) and exercise caution.

Rob

TPAYT

We (my wife and I) had a good laugh after reading your posting about the ring scam. We had pretty much the same experience in Paris this past September. I ended up throwing the ring against a building wall to get the guy to quit following us, he finally picked it up and went on his way. Next time we incounter this scam I vow to throw the ring under a bus... at least he will have to buy a new ring to stay in business...or do you suppose they stole the ring too? Paris is still my favorite city in the whole world.
Even during this scam, I never felt threatened..just mildly amused. You can't cheat an honest person.

going_2_africa

Not sure if it is a scam, or just someone trying to "beg" for money, but while in Amsterdam this past September, I was standing at a tram stop near Dam Square. I pulled out a map. (Before anyone berates me for pulling out a map and looking like a lost tourist, I don't make a habit of it, and was just double checking what I had already looked at in my hotel room. Sometimes, that's the better alternative to REALLY being a lost tourist)

Anyway, this guy walked up and started pointing on my map where we were, asking where I was going, etc etc. I informed him that I was doing fine and didn't require any assistance. He then told me that he was helping lost tourists and asked for some "spare change." I politely informed him that just because I was looking at a map didn't mean I was lost and he had told me nothing I didn't already know and I did not have any "spare change." He didn't look very pleased, but he walked away. End of incident. I didn't encounter any other "scammish" type activity during my week in Amsterdam.

logos999

Well, two years ago in Georgia (USA), a guy approched me asking "Spare a dime for a brother".
My answer was "I think I'm many things to many people, but I don't think I'm your brother". ;-). Smiled (he smile too), I gave him a $ and walked away. It's not a scam, it's someone begging for money. The $ didn't hurt me and maybe it even helped a little bit... There's a huge difference between (non-commercial) beggars and scammers!

bilboburgler

Interesting we have a guy pulling a scam and we have the fact that he was a Roma. How do we know he was a Roma??

Anyway glad to hear that no one got hurt. And let us face it some of the best times I've had on holiday have just been with a sudden meeting, a sudden exchange of niceness. Holidays can be about seeing new things.

J_Correa

My husband gives money to beggars on the street at home too. I prefer to give money to the local food bank. Different methods.

daka

Actually we were quite amused, I wound up giving the young girl 3 Euro, she evidently didn't think this was enough and asked me for more money. I told her that I thought her "story" was worth....amusing....but that was all she was going to get, give me the 3 Euro back and you can have the ring back...no ...she walked away....
I've gotten more than my 3 Euro worth telling the story.
In reality I give money to s"treet people" often...no need for a l"arge organization to take their share...direct to the end user"

Saira

Hi Everyone. I just watched a French film tonight Les Amants de Pont Neuf (The Lovers on the Bridge 1991) with Juliette Binoche and Denis Lavant, directed by Leos Carax. It is about two homeless people who live on a bridge and fall in love, and there is lots of scenes of them ripping off tourists. Putting some sort of drug in their drinks and robbing them. I just thought it was interesting to see things from the perspective of those living on the streets. Interesting film, good acting, good scenes (Ahh, Paris!), but not the best story.

WillTravel

daka, particularly in Europe, there often is a "large organization" behind these beggars, one that you would never donate to willingly, I'm sure.

mlaffitte

As I learned recently to my dismay, even a longtime Parisian can be pickpocketed. It happened in the RER station at CDG Terminal 1 when I was returning from a trip. I generally don't open my purse before going through Paris metro turnstiles because I have a Navigo pass that works automatically, but because the airports require additional fare, I had to get a ticket out of my wallet, while juggling my suitcase and carry-on bag. There was a man standing near the turnstiles, and I briefly thought this was a bit odd, but then noticed that several turnstiles were out of order, so I figured he was just confused and trying to find one that worked -- in fact I motioned to him to point out one of the working turnstiles. Well, you guessed it, moments later I discovered that my wallet was missing from my purse! I feel pretty sure he was the culprit, though I never saw or felt a thing. Oh well ... that's the first time this has happened to me in 8 years in Paris! Still a huge pain, though.