Unauthorized porters in Naples train station
Feb 25th, 2005, 02:21 PM
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Unauthorized porters in Naples train station
Has anyone ever experienced to be approached in Naples train station by one of these guys (usually they wear a blue jacket) who offer themselves to take you to the right wagon on the right train, help you with your luggage and then won't leave without having the money they ask? ...maybe sharing these experiences might help somebody avoiding them...
Feb 25th, 2005, 02:39 PM
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Hi frencesco, how's Sorrento?
I had one of these fellows help me once when I was trying to buy a circumvesuviana ticket, actually he stood in line with me and ordered the correct ticket, so I tipped him. He was gracious and not obnoxious.
I had one of these fellows help me once when I was trying to buy a circumvesuviana ticket, actually he stood in line with me and ordered the correct ticket, so I tipped him. He was gracious and not obnoxious.
Feb 25th, 2005, 02:45 PM
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Thanks Huitres!
Ciao SeaUrchin, Sorrento is cold right now. Mount Vesuvio is covered in snow, and so are the surrouning mountains...but it won't last long. I see your experience with the fake porter wasn't too bad, but I understand that guy didn't even have to carry anything...
Ciao SeaUrchin, Sorrento is cold right now. Mount Vesuvio is covered in snow, and so are the surrouning mountains...but it won't last long. I see your experience with the fake porter wasn't too bad, but I understand that guy didn't even have to carry anything...
Feb 25th, 2005, 02:48 PM
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There have been a few mentions of these people in blue smocks in the Naples train station. I have not copied the thread number, because other aspects of crime in Naples were also mentioned, but here are a few extracts:
Author: ParadiseLost ([email protected])
Date: 12/25/2004, 09:27 am
Message: Cassandra: Be very rude, do not acknowledge anyone who approaches you, do not except help from anyone for anything.
And I mean *anyone*. They might have on a blue smock like the train station employees or they might be a fellow tourist who claims they were just pickpocketed and need money to get back to Rome and their embassy or such.
The 'blue smocks' might offer to find your train, car and seats. Carry your luggage or just point you in the right direction for your train, ticket windows, Circumvesuviana, etc.
They will except a large tip and some will get threating (usually verbal) if you don't pay up, although I'm certain they wouldn't get physical. There is a large police presence in the station and it seems that they allow the scamming by these same people everyday but I doubt they would let these scammers actually get violent, in 'The Godfather' movie terms "it would be bad for business" .
Either the police don't care or are in bed with these scammers, that's just my opinion.
I have actually seen 2 of these clowns wearing blue smocks and using the station's motorized luggage cart that tows a small flatbed to cart tourists from the far end of an ES train to the front of the station. And then demanding money for what people thought was a free service like in the airports I assume.
Author: Huitres
Date: 12/26/2004, 04:19 pm
Oh, I neglected to mention last summer, one of those very blue-smocked "train-looking" guys came up beside me and grabbed my suitcase out of my hand as I was walking towards my train car (carrozza 8). I speak Italian and he presumed I was from Rome and kept talking on and on about me going back to Rome. As a mother, I am used to lugging a stroller, a heavy suitcase and holding my child's hand, so carrying all those items is normal procedure for me when traveling. What I initially took as a friendly gesture from a man helping out a woman with child, actually became rude when I insisted that he leave me in peace (pace), grazie. I reached to get my suitcase back and he was pulling it away from me. I kept grabbing for it and wrestled it away from him after about 3 attempts. He was very angry that I didn't tip him - after all that! What audacity. I was even more alarmed that something would happen to my 3 year old child staring on in bewilderment. That incident provided an interesting exit for Naples.
Francesco_M, judging from your e-mail address I think you must be Italian. It is because of the many, many Italians like you who reget the actions of the relatively few Italians who take advantage of tourists that so many of us return to Italy year after year. We are aware of some of the difficulties but the goodness of most Italians far outweighs the nastiness of a few of them.
Author: ParadiseLost ([email protected])
Date: 12/25/2004, 09:27 am
Message: Cassandra: Be very rude, do not acknowledge anyone who approaches you, do not except help from anyone for anything.
And I mean *anyone*. They might have on a blue smock like the train station employees or they might be a fellow tourist who claims they were just pickpocketed and need money to get back to Rome and their embassy or such.
The 'blue smocks' might offer to find your train, car and seats. Carry your luggage or just point you in the right direction for your train, ticket windows, Circumvesuviana, etc.
They will except a large tip and some will get threating (usually verbal) if you don't pay up, although I'm certain they wouldn't get physical. There is a large police presence in the station and it seems that they allow the scamming by these same people everyday but I doubt they would let these scammers actually get violent, in 'The Godfather' movie terms "it would be bad for business" .
Either the police don't care or are in bed with these scammers, that's just my opinion.
I have actually seen 2 of these clowns wearing blue smocks and using the station's motorized luggage cart that tows a small flatbed to cart tourists from the far end of an ES train to the front of the station. And then demanding money for what people thought was a free service like in the airports I assume.
Author: Huitres
Date: 12/26/2004, 04:19 pm
Oh, I neglected to mention last summer, one of those very blue-smocked "train-looking" guys came up beside me and grabbed my suitcase out of my hand as I was walking towards my train car (carrozza 8). I speak Italian and he presumed I was from Rome and kept talking on and on about me going back to Rome. As a mother, I am used to lugging a stroller, a heavy suitcase and holding my child's hand, so carrying all those items is normal procedure for me when traveling. What I initially took as a friendly gesture from a man helping out a woman with child, actually became rude when I insisted that he leave me in peace (pace), grazie. I reached to get my suitcase back and he was pulling it away from me. I kept grabbing for it and wrestled it away from him after about 3 attempts. He was very angry that I didn't tip him - after all that! What audacity. I was even more alarmed that something would happen to my 3 year old child staring on in bewilderment. That incident provided an interesting exit for Naples.
Francesco_M, judging from your e-mail address I think you must be Italian. It is because of the many, many Italians like you who reget the actions of the relatively few Italians who take advantage of tourists that so many of us return to Italy year after year. We are aware of some of the difficulties but the goodness of most Italians far outweighs the nastiness of a few of them.
Feb 25th, 2005, 03:24 PM
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I experienced this in Naples also. I think these guys can be helpful if you need the assistance. We let one guy help us buy tickets because we thought he worked for the train station and had no idea we would be expected to tip him. They do look very official. He was very helpful in translating for us what we needed, but we probably could have done it without him, we did at every other train station we visited. He asked for 5 Euros and we gave him 4. Also, when boarding the train in Naples there was another offical looking blue smocked guy on the train who as soon as we got on, took our luggage from us without asking and put it in the rack above our seats for us and also expected a tip. Since he looked official we thought it was his job. Which in a way it is I guess, but it is a little deceptive.
Feb 25th, 2005, 06:23 PM
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We had a good laugh when we saw this question and remembered our experience with this scam. It brought us back to our earlier traveler days when were so naive and innocent. Which can be a good and bad thing 
We were easy pickings as we were leery of the Naples train station and at the last minute they changed the platform of our departure (almost as if the station was in on the scam as well). Our man couldn't have been nicer as he just picked up our bags and led us to the proper train. He escorted us to our seats and placed our bags in the overhead and then politely extended his hand for a tip - at which point we then realized all of his help came at a price. Duh! In hindsight, it was worth it as a learning experience and travel memory.
We were easy pickings as we were leery of the Naples train station and at the last minute they changed the platform of our departure (almost as if the station was in on the scam as well). Our man couldn't have been nicer as he just picked up our bags and led us to the proper train. He escorted us to our seats and placed our bags in the overhead and then politely extended his hand for a tip - at which point we then realized all of his help came at a price. Duh! In hindsight, it was worth it as a learning experience and travel memory.
Feb 25th, 2005, 06:53 PM
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My husband and I were approached at the train station just before getting on the train.
Actually, the person did help us find our car easily and the compartment. He insisted on 10E and my husband just was not going to argue with him. I remember the Italian passengers on the train smirked! They probably thought we were crazy Americans being taken.
Actually, the person did help us find our car easily and the compartment. He insisted on 10E and my husband just was not going to argue with him. I remember the Italian passengers on the train smirked! They probably thought we were crazy Americans being taken.
Feb 25th, 2005, 09:04 PM
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This happened to us in December 2003 in Naples. My fiancee and I were standing around the Naples train station confused about which platform/train to take to Rome and how to validate our tickets (in the little yellow boxes by the platforms).
We were approached by an older man in a blue jacket. Previously, I had warned my fiancee not to follow any of the locals at the train station if they offered help (I had been warned about this scam), however, I didn't take my own advise. I followed the man because he said he could find our train and our seats.
I yelled after my fiancee to follow me-to his disbelief-I was following someone!
Well, the man did find us seats on the train. He wanted a tip and kept repeating, "Tips, tips." I said, "No, thank you, grazie." He said, "No, not grazie, tips!" The man even asked another guy sitting in the train compartment if we should give him a tip for "finding" our seats for us. We didn't give him a tip and he eventually left us.
My fiancee wouldn't let me live this down. It definately provided us with an interesting memory of our last day in Naples.
We were approached by an older man in a blue jacket. Previously, I had warned my fiancee not to follow any of the locals at the train station if they offered help (I had been warned about this scam), however, I didn't take my own advise. I followed the man because he said he could find our train and our seats.
I yelled after my fiancee to follow me-to his disbelief-I was following someone!
Well, the man did find us seats on the train. He wanted a tip and kept repeating, "Tips, tips." I said, "No, thank you, grazie." He said, "No, not grazie, tips!" The man even asked another guy sitting in the train compartment if we should give him a tip for "finding" our seats for us. We didn't give him a tip and he eventually left us.
My fiancee wouldn't let me live this down. It definately provided us with an interesting memory of our last day in Naples.
Feb 26th, 2005, 03:20 AM
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If I arrive at a hotel, I always tip the person who brings my bags and shows me to my room. I think this is good form. I also leave a tip in the room on my day of departure for the person who cleans it.
If I accept help in carrying my bags and helping me figure out how to validate my ticket, find the right train and car, then puts my bags in the overhead rack, I would gladly tip that person too, if they were obviously in it for the money. I don't see this as a "scam", but a way to make money for a service.
The first time I arrived in Naples, I was approached, but said no, and asked fellow passengers (whoever seemed like they were locals) for directions. It worked for me!
Hi francesco, hope things are going well for you there in Sorrento! Always glad to see your posts on this forum!
If I accept help in carrying my bags and helping me figure out how to validate my ticket, find the right train and car, then puts my bags in the overhead rack, I would gladly tip that person too, if they were obviously in it for the money. I don't see this as a "scam", but a way to make money for a service.
The first time I arrived in Naples, I was approached, but said no, and asked fellow passengers (whoever seemed like they were locals) for directions. It worked for me!
Hi francesco, hope things are going well for you there in Sorrento! Always glad to see your posts on this forum!
Feb 26th, 2005, 04:02 AM
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We experienced the same situation about 15 years ago upon our arrival in Naples at the train station. We were descended upon by about 4 or 5 young men in dark blue all trying to take our bags from us and "help" us.
We must have looked like an easy mark - 5 people, lots of luggage, confusion, mother-in-law with a walking problem, and my mother crying her eyes out (first time back "home" in 55 years)! Anyway, all of a sudden an old man driving a luggage cart with seats came down and chased the younger men away. He spoke to us in Italian which I had to try to understand since my mother, overcome by emotion, couldn't speak or understand anything. He was very kind and helpful and didn't even ask us for payment, but we gladly gave him a nice tip for his help in getting all of us and our luggage to the car rental place.
We must have looked like an easy mark - 5 people, lots of luggage, confusion, mother-in-law with a walking problem, and my mother crying her eyes out (first time back "home" in 55 years)! Anyway, all of a sudden an old man driving a luggage cart with seats came down and chased the younger men away. He spoke to us in Italian which I had to try to understand since my mother, overcome by emotion, couldn't speak or understand anything. He was very kind and helpful and didn't even ask us for payment, but we gladly gave him a nice tip for his help in getting all of us and our luggage to the car rental place.
Feb 26th, 2005, 04:07 AM
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>Well, the man did find us seats on the train. He wanted a tip and kept repeating, "Tips, tips." I said, "No, thank you, grazie." <
I don't understand this. The man provided you a service that you accepted. Why do you feel that his service should have been provided for free?
I'll bet you tipped waiters.
I don't understand this. The man provided you a service that you accepted. Why do you feel that his service should have been provided for free?
I'll bet you tipped waiters.
Feb 26th, 2005, 05:31 AM
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Actually we did run into this in Rome. While boarding a Eurostar there bound for Venice, we were the first two getting on to our reserved first class car, about 20 minutes before it was to depart. There was a man in a sort of uniform jacket who was on the train and grabbed our luggage as I lifted it up into the car. He wanted to know our seats and took the luggage there and showed us where are seats were. We were assuming he worked for the train. But as soon as we were seated he tried to sell us sandwiches and water and told us there was no dining car on the train today, it was closed. We thought that odd, since we had just walked by the dining car and they were setting up the tables and putting food on. But we told him no. He got very insistent and I got more so. Then he asked if we didn't appreciate his help with the luggage to which I said "yes, thank you, but we were doing fine on our own." He wanted a tip and considering the "scam" he was pulling, I wasn't giving him one. Finally he went to someone else and did the same thing. Before long a conductor came along and chased him off. That was the first we realized he didn't work for the train.
Feb 26th, 2005, 05:54 AM
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Yes, I didn't mean to imply it is a regular thing. I've gone out of Rome a lot also, and this was the only time I've ever seen that happen, but I suspect because the train was there for quite a while before departure and we just happened to be the first ones on to the train.
