View Full Version : This week's door-to-door money scam...?
teuchter
26-11-2007, 02:23
Bloke knocked on our door this evening with some story about needing money for his daughter's taxi fare or something. He said he was from two doors down. I was a bit sceptical so asked him what house number his was. He went from smiley to annoyed quite quickly. The number he eventually gave was 3 doors down, on the other side of the street and in the opposite direction from the one he pointed in. Then he stormed off feigning offence at my suggestion he might be telling porkies. I was a bit concerned he might have been genuine but saw him a bit later walking along brixton hill.
Anyone else had a visit from this chap?
dogmatique
26-11-2007, 10:47
Heard that one before, seems tried and tested and preys on the fact that people no longer know their neighbours. Friend fell for it earlier in the year, she lives on a back street in West Norwood. Suspect there's a fair few trying the same scam.
Around a year or so ago, I had this guy ring my doorbell, claim to live a few doors away, with a story about how his wife was very ill in a hospital in Uxbridge, and he really needed £20 to get a taxi there to see her immediately.
I said "oh dear thats terrible, my car's here, let me drive you to the hospital myself, right now".
And you know what, the c**t didn't want to know, just ran off, shouting rude shit at me!
Giles..
Minnie_the_Minx
26-11-2007, 13:12
Around a year or so ago, I had this guy ring my doorbell, claim to live a few doors away, with a story about how his wife was very ill in a hospital in Uxbridge, and he really needed £20 to get a taxi there to see her immediately.
I said "oh dear thats terrible, my car's here, let me drive you to the hospital myself, right now".
And you know what, the c**t didn't want to know, just ran off, shouting rude shit at me!
Giles..
You'd have been in the shit if he took you up on your offer and then mugged you in your own car :eek:
kyser_soze
26-11-2007, 13:22
Some bloke asked me for some money for the No2 bus last night, I asked him how much he needed to make up the £2, gave him the 80p and he actually got on the bus.
I've never had that happen. Ever.
Some bloke asked me for some money for the No2 bus last night, I asked him how much he needed to make up the £2, gave him the 80p and he actually got on the bus.
I've never had that happen. Ever.
Could be quite a good scam - pay for the ride on your pay as you go Oyster; pocket the cash; profit = £1.
Gixxer1000
26-11-2007, 13:45
Could be quite a good scam - pay for the ride on your pay as you go Oyster; pocket the cash; profit = £1.
Yeah he'll make a fortune.
snowy_again
26-11-2007, 13:56
I just get that harmless* bloke who offers pinched randomness from the shops. It was brass coat hooks last week. He did take what was left of my neighbours boiler, i guess to sell the copper on for scrap.
* harmless to me, but not to shop keepers I'm assuming
billythefish
26-11-2007, 14:07
Around a year or so ago, I had this guy ring my doorbell, claim to live a few doors away, with a story about how his wife was very ill in a hospital in Uxbridge, and he really needed £20 to get a taxi there to see her immediately.
I said "oh dear thats terrible, my car's here, let me drive you to the hospital myself, right now".
And you know what, the c**t didn't want to know, just ran off, shouting rude shit at me!
Giles..
A few years ago I had a lady in tears and bare feet on my doorstep ask the same thing - her mother was dying in a hospital in Kent and she needed money for a cab. It was 8 am on a Saturday morning and I had a steaming hang-over...
I offered to drive her and she refused citing she didn't know me well enough - which I thought was fair enough. When I said I would pay for the cab on my card over the phone, she swore at me and stormed off...
You'd have been in the shit if he took you up on your offer and then mugged you in your own car :eek:
Well, this bloke was not really the physically imposing or violent-looking type, or I wouldn't have offered.
He might have had a knife, I suppose, although I've got a Stanley with a brand-new sharp blade, and a rather sharp screwdriver in the drivers door pocket for that kind of situation.
Anyway, me asking him was kind of rhetorical. I knew he was trying to scam me, and it pisses me off because the more people do stuff like this, the less likely it is that when someone genuinely wants help, they will be believed.
Giles..
poster342002
26-11-2007, 15:04
.
teuchter
26-11-2007, 20:22
...and it pisses me off because the more people do stuff like this, the less likely it is that when someone genuinely wants help, they will be believed.
Exactly.
I tried to say this to the bloke as he stomped off swearing at me...
Errol's son
26-11-2007, 20:55
I came across a guy in Peckham who does this. He monitors the estate agents signs and when a new family moves in pounces pretending to be their next door but one neighbour!
Bloke knocked on our door this evening with some story about needing money for his daughter's taxi fare or something. He said he was from two doors down. I was a bit sceptical so asked him what house number his was. He went from smiley to annoyed quite quickly. The number he eventually gave was 3 doors down, on the other side of the street and in the opposite direction from the one he pointed in. Then he stormed off feigning offence at my suggestion he might be telling porkies. I was a bit concerned he might have been genuine but saw him a bit later walking along brixton hill.
Anyone else had a visit from this chap?
he has a mate who lives in hackney - got a tenner off my sister :rolleyes: a few years ago, he had to get to see his daughter in newham hospital, lived at 22 or whatever, my sister thought she might have been scammed, (fiver from her fiver from her b/f nice hit:cool: ) and went to the number - surprise - never heard of him, didn't have a daughter in hospital etc etc
quimcunx
26-11-2007, 21:35
I sometimes give them money even though I 'know' it's a scam, cos maybe it isn't.. and I hate that someone might actually need my help and not get it.. :(
He might have had a knife, I suppose, although I've got a Stanley with a brand-new sharp blade, and a rather sharp screwdriver in the drivers door pocket for that kind of situation.
*Ads to 'essential items' for carrying in car* :eek::D
teuchter
26-11-2007, 22:38
I sometimes give them money even though I 'know' it's a scam, cos maybe it isn't.. and I hate that someone might actually need my help and not get it.. :(
Thing is though, if it's genuine, I don't think most people would react aggressively to any suggestion that they might not be telling the truth... which is the reaction I normally get from the scammers. Certainly if I had to ask for this kind of help I would be perfectly OK with people questioning me a bit before handing over the cash.
Also the other way to catch them out pretty quickly is simply to offer more help than they are asking for; like offer to drive them to the hospital instead of giving them the money for a taxi, or offer to phone the taxi, or whatever. If they're genuine they'll accept and if they aren't they'll quickly make excuses and shuffle off.
Easier said than done when you're caught unprepared/hungover/asleep on your doorstep though...
zenazena
26-11-2007, 22:43
I sometimes give them money even though I 'know' it's a scam, cos maybe it isn't.. and I hate that someone might actually need my help and not get it.. :(
that's very sweet of you - i got done when i lived in streathan - same scenario - lived 6 doors down, car impounded with keys in it etc etc - i would have felt awful if i'd turned away a neighbour but after that i'd probably just think 'fuck em' unfortunately.
vauxhallmum
27-11-2007, 12:16
There's a woman who does this regularly in Vauxhall.
She tried me a month or so ago, even though on the lamp post outside my house there was a big picture of her under the heading 'do not give this woman money- it is a scam'
stupid and greedy
apparently her starving children were waiting for her to come back with some groceries sob sob
muckypup
27-11-2007, 12:22
some guy in a nice car stopped me in central London. He said he'd left all his money and credit cards at home and he's car was low on fuel. He showed me ID saying he was a BBC chauffeur and he was on his way to pick someone up but didnt have enough fuel.
I had a long chat with him and suggested that he just goes into a service station and fuel up and leave something behind as security.
I still dont know if he was genuine and i felt bad about not lending him £10 but ...
Minnie_the_Minx
27-11-2007, 19:55
Well I've heard a similar thing tonight. Two separate stories in fact and funnily enough the guy's name in both instances was Jamie.
On the first occasion, he'd apparently been burgled or was it locked out, can't remember, second occasion was something to do with his sister needing insulin
teuchter
27-11-2007, 19:58
Well I've heard a similar thing tonight. Two separate stories in fact and funnily enough the guy's name in both instances was Jamie.
On the first occasion, he'd apparently been burgled or was it locked out, can't remember, second occasion was something to do with his sister needing insulin
Yeah, the guy who knocked on our door at the weekend called himself Jamie...
some guy in a nice car stopped me in central London. He said he'd left all his money and credit cards at home and he's car was low on fuel. He showed me ID saying he was a BBC chauffeur and he was on his way to pick someone up but didnt have enough fuel.
I had a long chat with him and suggested that he just goes into a service station and fuel up and leave something behind as security.
I still dont know if he was genuine and i felt bad about not lending him £10 but ...
crap scam, he'd be able to ring someone at the bbc, surely:mad: at least try and make it look authentic:mad:
Gixxer1000
28-11-2007, 16:55
I sometimes give them money even though I 'know' it's a scam, cos maybe it isn't.. and I hate that someone might actually need my help and not get it.. :(
Whats your address?:D
A guy doing some painting for us got done by this yesterday. This guy asks him if the owners were around (we weren't), said he lived a few doors down, daughter needed insulin, he had to go get some but no cash for a cab, etc ... painter gave him £10, whereupon the guy walked down the end of the street and hopped on his bike.
Apparently the painter spent the rest of the day fuming, pounding his fist and muttering, "where's that guy with my £10".
Minnie_the_Minx
29-11-2007, 21:38
So there's the lesson for all of you.
Never ever answer the door to a guy called Jamie whose sister needs insulin or whose mother is in hospital
teuchter
29-11-2007, 23:23
But how do we tell all that before opening the door?
poster342002
30-11-2007, 10:34
But how do we tell all that before opening the door?
Simply don't answer the door unless you're expecting someone. That'll foil them. Nice, simple and easy! :D
vauxhallmum
30-11-2007, 12:53
But how do we tell all that before opening the door?
Listen to the story nicely then tell them that unfortunately you have just given your last tenner to a neighbour in desparate need
Minnie_the_Minx
30-11-2007, 12:56
But how do we tell all that before opening the door?
Vauxhall mum's idea is good but here's a better one:
If he comes to the door using the "mother in hospital" excuse, then tell him you've just given your last tenner to a guy who has a sister who needs insulin.
He'll probably be wandering the streets looking for someone who's ripped off his idea ;)
teuchter
30-11-2007, 13:07
Vauxhall mum's idea is good but here's a better one:
If he comes to the door using the "mother in hospital" excuse, then tell him you've just given your last tenner to a guy who has a sister who needs insulin.
He'll probably be wandering the streets looking for someone who's ripped off his idea ;)
Both solutions involve opening the door, however.
Perhaps a "no insulin/hospital/taxi scams please, Jamie" sticker to go next to the "no junk mail" one that everyone ignores anyway.
brucenbart
01-12-2007, 17:50
Had a letter from Brixton police about a 'Jamie' knocking on peoples doors Brixton Hill area. For the benefit of the rest of society call the police if one of these scam artists knocks on your door - they might do something about it. The posters on this forum are savvy enough not to get ripped off, however my 80 year neighbours were not.
Just had Jamie round so thanks for the tip. I didn't waste to much of my Sunday working out if he was serious.
Is there a non-time consuming way to report this kind of thing to the police then? I suppose they could just keep an eye on this thread.
teuchter
02-12-2007, 13:20
Just had Jamie round so thanks for the tip. I didn't waste to much of my Sunday working out if he was serious.
Is there a non-time consuming way to report this kind of thing to the police then? I suppose they could just keep an eye on this thread.
Not sure quite what the police would be able to do about this, though.
teuchter
02-12-2007, 13:22
The posters on this forum are savvy enough not to get ripped off, however my 80 year neighbours were not.
That's awful. Trying to scam a few quid off someone like me is one thing; picking on vulnerable people is another.
Yeah, the guy who knocked on our door at the weekend called himself Jamie...
*sigh*
Jamie paid me a visit at 5am this morning. I should have read this thread earlier.
He said "You know me...I'm Jamie from number 42." Said he owned the tire place on Brixton Hill.
I don't envy his hours.
brucenbart
10-12-2007, 19:05
Hmm,
Reoprt them. - Brixton polices number is 0207 326 1212. They usually answer within 2 mins.
Just had another scam artist at the door. Women, looks 40 (could be 25 and a serious drug habit) dark hair trousers and a poncho. Said she needed help with her taxi fare to visit her grandmother who lives on my road.
These scum bags do not differtitate between those who can afford and those who can't - they make most of their money from the most vulnerable.
AnnO'Neemus
10-12-2007, 20:30
crap scam, he'd be able to ring someone at the bbc, surely:mad: at least try and make it look authentic:mad:Yeah, but then they'd have to send out another driver (and they might be booked up, he might have to wait a while till another driver arrives with some money).
If he has to wait for someone else to come and help him out, he might end up being too late to pick up an interview guest who might miss their interview time slot.
gaijingirl
10-12-2007, 21:02
Yeah, but then they'd have to send out another driver (and they might be booked up, he might have to wait a while till another driver arrives with some money).
If he has to wait for someone else to come and help him out, he might end up being too late to pick up an interview guest who might miss their interview time slot.
yeah but but... he could at least get someone famous on the phone - someone with a really recognizable voice - say Jeremy Paxman or similar, to explain why it is that the BBC have absolutely no back-up plan, secondary taxi system or other way to get their guest, who must be on an incredibly tight LIVE-TV schedule to the studios in record time and thus it is necessary for Joe Bloggs at no. 4 Fuckwit Terrace to pay a random stranger - purporting to be a professional BBC driver - for his petrol!
piratetv
10-12-2007, 23:30
Jamie "from 2 doors down who owned the tyre place on Brixton Hill" called on me too and was insisting that i knew him :rolleyes:
Didn't get aggressive tho when i told him NO I don't know you at all so you better go away before i let the dogs out :D
I had a silly idiot knocking a few weeks back in Croydon, this lass wanted cash to feed her kids breakfast. I asked if she had spunked all her cash on smack again as she is always lolling about pinned near the Whitgift Centre. She gobbed in my direction which was rather offensive. I had to really try hard not to be horrible back.
Jografer
11-12-2007, 13:43
Had similar a couple of times in Bristol, & offered a lift rather than cash, had a similar response to others here....
Couple of months ago I had this very dodgy looking (& pissed) guy at the front door wanting to borrow a hammer... :eek:
I had a silly idiot knocking a few weeks back in Croydon, this lass wanted cash to feed her kids breakfast. I asked if she had spunked all her cash on smack again as she is always lolling about pinned near the Whitgift Centre. She gobbed in my direction which was rather offensive. I had to really try hard not to be horrible back.
I think if someone gobbed at me I would lose my cool somewhat and kick them all over the place. That really isn't called for.
Giles..
I'm sexist and can't hit women, the flob did not hit me either. It is mucky to get gobbed at though, I would prefer a punch!
brixtonvilla
11-12-2007, 19:34
Is this guy white, slim/medium build, late 30s early/40s, short light brown-ish hair? If not, I may have sent a genuinely needy case away the other night...
*loses sleep*
vauxhallmum
14-12-2007, 09:58
On Wednesday 12th December, my neighbours ( in ahem..Vauxhall) were visited by two fake policemen. They said they wanted to 'Check the house had not had a burglary'. They were equipped to open front doors and possess false ID.
Kennington Police are aware of this but keep a look out and tell your neighbours.
vauxhallmum
14-12-2007, 10:01
Yes, I know it's not Brixton but near enough.
teuchter
14-12-2007, 10:40
Is this guy white, slim/medium build, late 30s early/40s, short light brown-ish hair? If not, I may have sent a genuinely needy case away the other night...
*loses sleep*
Yes that sounds like him.
Yu can sleep at night again now.
brixtonvilla
15-12-2007, 11:52
*sleeps*
Geoffers
22-12-2008, 12:44
I had the need-money-for-taxi scam at my door last night. This time to get his wife to hospital as she was in labour. Funny, as I'm sure there's some sort of free 'taxi' service to get people to hospital in a hurry :)
11:45 on a Sunday night; a guy calling himself Dave (or, 'you know me, I'm your neighbour!') in case he uses that name again.
I seem to get hit by these at Christmas time, and - judging by the dates of the comments above - perhaps it is a juicy time for these con-men: when we're all feeling generous and festive! I wonder what they do for money the rest of the year.
yup, he was round mine as well.
"i'm staying with ---- next door, my wife's just gone into labour, i need 20quid to get a taxi to romford hospital"
he actually knew my neighbour's name as well, which made it a bit more believable. but then he asked my name as soon as he knocked on my door, so he'd probably just been round there as well!
needless to say, i sent him packing.
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