Confidence Trickster Gardiner Street

cruais

I was in my car in northwood today across from homebase. I saw this woman, late 40s walk towards my car, looked like a junkie.

She knocked on my window and pleaded with me to give her money. She was crying saying she hadn't eaten for days, was homeless and pregnant. I've heard this scam before so I told her i had no money.

Then she said "ah please im so sorry. Im pregnant and i see you have a little boy yourself asleep there". This really pissed me off. I opened my purse and gave her 2 euro. She told me 2 euro wasnt alot and she was still short and could she have the 10 she seen on my passenger seat. I drove off. I should have drove off initially

hawkwind23

Not one post alluding to the management of the country that has led to an increase in begging and scamming nor the increase in drug use or homelessness.
The majority of these individuals are damaged and have fallen through the widening gaps.

Always been scammers in any big city , worst ones are the "legal" ones who get permission from the council to beg on the streets signing folk up to Direct Debits for whatever "charity" which in reality takes from the poor to line the pockets of board members.

Also some of the sob stories are genuine among all the scammers.

Sad to see whats on the streets of Ireland , this problem is nearing epidemic proportions and with all services cut in favour of greed we risk the end of Irish society as we know it

FionnK86

What are the actions we can take to stop these scammers?

There is a young lad who comes down from Dublin to beg in Kildare. I know because I worked for the bus company he uses. He goes to car parks and has a bag and sheet of paper with writing on it. He will offer to help people with their bags and then show them the note. He is probably harmless, but it's uncomfortable to have him begging.

Would the Gardai be the right people to call? I don't want to waste their time, but it won't be long before somebody gives him a box (not encouraging that) for being a pest. Or would the ISPCC be the way to go?

amtc

I used to work in Abbey Street and O'Connell Street for 15 years...coming out of shop one day and waiting to get into Irish Life Centre was stopped by one of these hard luck stories. Another guy stopped guy by saying 'don't she's one of ours'...and promptly returned my wallet to me that the first guy had taken...

Macy0161

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Not one post alluding to the management of the country that has led to an increase in begging and scamming nor the increase in drug use or homelessness.
The majority of these individuals are damaged and have fallen through the widening gaps.

Well I call bollox to that - this happened at the height of the boom when anyone could get a job (if they really wanted to). There was a lad that used to do "I was at a party last night and lost my wallet and need to get home to Naas" every other day outside Tallaght Hospital in 2005/6.

But of course, everything is the Governments fault. Personal responsibility does not exist in Ireland 2016.

Buckfast W

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Not one post alluding to the management of the country that has led to an increase in begging and scamming nor the increase in drug use or homelessness.
The majority of these individuals are damaged and have fallen through the widening gaps.

Always been scammers in any big city , worst ones are the "legal" ones who get permission from the council to beg on the streets signing folk up to Direct Debits for whatever "charity" which in reality takes from the poor to line the pockets of board members.

Also some of the sob stories are genuine among all the scammers.

Sad to see whats on the streets of Ireland , this problem is nearing epidemic proportions and with all services cut in favour of greed we risk the end of Irish society as we know it

What about the professional beggars?????

I see two Roma women on Talbot street every morning when I'm walking to work. Has Irish society failed these people by not giving them free houses and money.

Or the girl who was begging outside Connolly station, who my girlfriend was able to tell me had recently gotten a full head of highlights and her nails done which would of cost a fair few quid.

Or maybe its the Junkie who hangs around my local shop and begs for change then goes back into her apartment across the road after putting in a hard slog. :rolleyes:

hawkwind23

The "professional" beggars are slaves and trafficked.
They are brought here on the promise of a better life and stuck 20 to a room and forced to beg, they don't keep the money, it's handed over.
Again this is the majority of beggars.
But they all jump into Mercedes and go to salons to have their hair and nails done, yeah like that's what they do ffs

Buckfast W

So your telling me that the Roma gypsies that are begging in most European cities have been trafficked? I smell bull**** as it seems to be a life style choice for this group of people a as I said a problem not just contained to our shores.

And with regards to the lady outside Connolly station she's Irish (lives around the corner), well dressed with her brand new runners and yes she does get her hair and her nails done of course that's when she's not too busy texting on her smart phone.

ollaetta

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Always been scammers in any big city , worst ones are the "legal" ones who get permission from the council to beg on the streets signing folk up to Direct Debits for whatever "charity" which in reality takes from the poor to line the pockets of board members.

Don't always stand up for local councils but they have no control over chuggers or any charity collections.

Vojera

cruais wrote: »

I was in my car in northwood today across from homebase. I saw this woman, late 40s walk towards my car, looked like a junkie.

She knocked on my window and pleaded with me to give her money. She was crying saying she hadn't eaten for days, was homeless and pregnant. I've heard this scam before so I told her i had no money.

Then she said "ah please im so sorry. Im pregnant and i see you have a little boy yourself asleep there". This really pissed me off. I opened my purse and gave her 2 euro. She told me 2 euro wasnt alot and she was still short and could she have the 10 she seen on my passenger seat. I drove off. I should have drove off initially

I know her to see, hangs around the Eurospar and the Costa too. She lives around Shangan, as far as I can see, and if you pass her coming out of her apartment she'll ask for money too.

Buckfast W

Vojera wrote: »

I know her to see, hangs around the Eurospar and the Costa too. She lives around Shangan, as far as I can see, and if you pass her coming out of her apartment she'll ask for money too.

Shhhhhhhhhhh you can't say that, the poor woman was probably trafficked into the country and made to beg. Just remember there's no such thing as a professional beggar, its all in our heads

listermint

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Not one post alluding to the management of the country that has led to an increase in begging and scamming nor the increase in drug use or homelessness.
The majority of these individuals are damaged and have fallen through the widening gaps.

Always been scammers in any big city , worst ones are the "legal" ones who get permission from the council to beg on the streets signing folk up to Direct Debits for whatever "charity" which in reality takes from the poor to line the pockets of board members.

Also some of the sob stories are genuine among all the scammers.

Sad to see whats on the streets of Ireland , this problem is nearing epidemic proportions and with all services cut in favour of greed we risk the end of Irish society as we know it

Save your money for the likes of the Peter Mc Verry Trust.

Contrary to the utter bollix above about going to board members it goes straight into Services always has.

And no it doesnt take from the poor.

So long and short dont give people on the street money, give it to services like Peters that can and do actually help.

MilesMorales1

On the one hand there's arguably not much the Gardai can do except move them along. On the other hand, isn't it strange how when the easter rising parades and commemorations were on, all the junkies and scumbags and beggars magically disappeared from the North side of the city for like two or three weeks.

niamhlaherty

While walking through Stephens green today on my way home after finishing work I was approached by 2 young women, they kind of boxed me in one beside me and one blocking my path in front. The one in front told me a sob story about how she is 4 months pregnant and homeless and asked for spare change. I didn't have any cash so I explained that I couldn't help them and attempted to manoeuvre past them however these ladies did not take kindly to this they started screaming abuse at me. I walked away but they followed still shouting and then one of them pushed me thankfully I didn't fall just stumbled forward and then ran like the wind while they continued to shout. I managed b to get away from them but have never experienced this before so I got a bit of a fright. I understand that some homeless people need to beg to survive and addiction is a horrible thing but approaching people (especially 2 at a time) is intimidating and to get angry and aggressive when someone doesn't give you money that they worked hard for is just ridiculous. Has anyone else had this experience?

niallo32

There is a well dressed woman in her 40's who speaks fluent English and French who works full time around McDonalds in CDG Airport in Paris - I've been approached dozens of times by her with the same sob story/varient from above

Buckfast W

Just to let people know there's a new thread on redditIreland about the South Africian guy back at the oul begging again

https://www.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/5rjluz/return_of_the_south_african_scam_artist_dublin/