Asked for cash, what would you do?

[BishBosh]

On our way to a few nights out in the motorhome we stop off at a service station on the M6 near Staffordshire. We take the dog out for a walk and use the facilities to freshen up a little.
On returning to our van we are approached by a guy who explains he is with his family and needs to get to Holyhead but can’t get any fuel for his car. His credit card is being refused and his wife and daughter are distressed about getting back in time for his ferry.
Reading this and thinking about I would say that we have been had and given in to begging at the services, however we couldn’t walk away and gave the guy £40 believing his story, we also saw others after also giving him some cash (he said he needed £80 to get home).
We’re doing alright and I don’t think I’d have been okay with saying no, he did send me a text message, after asking for my number, so he could repay when he got back and sent me a message so I have his number. I won’t chase the £40 and will leave it as it is. I will update should things change but has anyone else had this or similar? What did / would you do.....

 

[Chris]

Hmm.. Irish accent and a caravan?

 

[Googlebot]

I think you have been had, it’s a well known scam.

 

[tonka]

It is an old scam that I have heard of in the past. Sorry to say. But I hope to be proved wrong (doubt it though)..

 

[pappajohn]

I would tell him to bring his car to the pump and I'll dispense and pay for the fuel.
Wonder how long it would take for him to realise he's not getting cash.

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[tacr2man]

Thats one of the oldest going , used in many countries throughout the world , they even offer you their wristwatch in some variations . i have had it tried on me in Australia , and here in UK .

 

[klaatu]

I’m sure I’ve heard the same story before, on this very forum.

 

[Hollyberry]

Afraid there was a similar scam going on in France when I lived there.
There‘s just a glimmer this might be genuine but I wouldn’t hold out much hope.

 

[BishBosh]

Ok, I agree with you all. I’m fully embarrassed....a sucker for his wife and kid in the car.

I would tell him to bring his car to the pump and I'll dispense and pay for the fuel.
Wonder how long it would take for him to realise he's not getting cash.

Yes.

 

[WillH]

Sat in my van at a services once and watched a guy carrying out this scam. Carried a baby and had another child hanging on. Worked it for nearly an hour on three victims.

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[Langtoftlad]

99% scam
But maybe the one time.
So what.

 

[irnbru]

Sounds like the similar scams at the airport. Ive well warned mum not to fall for them

 

[Charente16]

And in France - Irish accent/UK number plates, not saying it was legally registered though!

Robert

 

[Googlebot]

I even had one chap follow a delivery lorry to my house asking if he could siphon his tank for £50 then refill on the company card.....

Another was offering TV’s, they were broken and not working but of course, with a wink he insisted he never said they worked.

 

[Silver-Fox]

As above, bring car to the pump.
If it turns out to be a white transit, unlucky

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[PhilMary]

On our way to a few nights out in the motorhome we stop off at a service station on the M6 near Staffordshire. We take the dog out for a walk and use the facilities to freshen up a little.
On returning to our van we are approached by a guy who explains he is with his family and needs to get to Holyhead but can’t get any fuel for his car. His credit card is being refused and his wife and daughter are distressed about getting back in time for his ferry.
Reading this and thinking about I would say that we have been had and given in to begging at the services, however we couldn’t walk away and gave the guy £40 believing his story, we also saw others after also giving him some cash (he said he needed £80 to get home).
We’re doing alright and I don’t think I’d have been okay with saying no, he did send me a text message, after asking for my number, so he could repay when he got back and sent me a message so I have his number. I won’t chase the £40 and will leave it as it is. I will update should things change but has anyone else had this or similar? What did / would you do.....

Typical Irish gypsy sob story. I heard it many, many times over the years. I put it down to driving a UK registered car.
Phil

 

[Googlebot]

Ok, I agree with you all. I’m fully embarrassed....a sucker for his wife and kid in the car.




Yes.

Don’t feel bad, they prey on people being kind. It was a very nice thing of you to do.

 

[irnbru]

Sat in my van at a services once and watched a guy carrying out this scam. Carried a baby and had another child hanging on. Worked it for nearly an hour on three victims.

Was this inScotland? You know how are canny folks

 

[rangi]

Happened to me at a rail station, same OP purse stolen needed to get home, mother ill etc etc!

C'mon me @ansome I'll buy you a ticket, lets go to the machine!

No no just give me the cash, don't you trust me?

No!

**** *** ******!

 

[lorger]

Think as folk have said probably a scam although sometimes these requests can be genuine, in 2003 while my dad was in Seville to watch Celtic play in the uefa cup final he was approached by an Irish guy in the street. The story was similar that he'd lost his wallet and his ticket to fly home that night and wondered if my dad could help, dad went back to the hotel got 100 euros from my mum and gave it to the guy.

The guy took my dads details and 1 week later a bunch of flowers for my mum and a cheque for the cash arrived, about 3 months later the guy was passing through Dumfries and as my dad had gave him his shop address rather than home the guy popped in with his wife to thank him.

Not all folk are scammer but due to the ones that are we end up not trusting anyone.

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[M-J]

Seriously, you fell for this obvious scam?

 

[BishBosh]

Think as folk have said probably a scam although sometimes these requests can be genuine, in 2003 while my dad was in Seville to watch Celtic play in the uefa cup final he was approached by an Irish guy in the street. The story was similar that he'd lost his wallet and his ticket to fly home that night and wondered if my dad could help, dad went back to the hotel got 100 euros from my mum and gave it to the guy.

The guy took my dads details and 1 week later a bunch of flowers for my mum and a cheque for the cash arrived, about 3 months later the guy was passing through Dumfries and as my dad had gave him his shop address rather than home the guy popped in with his wife to thank him.

Not all folk are scammer but due to the ones that are we end up not trusting anyone.

I would like to believe that too, he has my details and will see in a few weeks time. I do not normally fall for anything so either I was on a high being out after lock down or my brain was fuddled by something else. Lol.

 

[WillH]

Was this inScotland? You know how are canny folks

No, Sandbach services, and if pushed I would have thought the guy was Turkish. Never stopped there again funnily enough.

 

[Just smiffy]

This reminds me when one night just got into bed and there’s a knock on the door, went down and some bloke on the step said can you give me a push..! I said no chance mate and slammed the door, back upstairs mrs asks what was that about so told her and she said he might have his wife and kids in the car and just needs a jump start go and help him... so I goes down and outside shouts out where are you mate... “over here on the swing” he says...

 

[phillipsheila]

thanks i needed beer money

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[maison]

This was a regular scam in France a number of years ago. Having given a German €20 which he promised to post to us later we learned the lesson.

Later the same year, at a Service Area on the A26 an English guy used the same story, promising to send the money to us as soon as he got home. I said, “OK, just let me take the details from your Passport and we will help”.

We couldn’t see him for the dust cloud he kicked up in making a quick exit.

Since then we have used the same technique if approached.

 

[Lanerboy]

I has similar, i got to know a chap vaguely whilst fishing the same lake on a few occasions, he asked for my number so we could meet up and go fishing at other places together i fished with him about 5 or 6 times

Then one night he rang me and said he had put £50 fuel in his car and could not find his debit card, could i pay for his fuel over the phone and he would sort it out the next day.

I did this and paid the fuel station for his fuel and thought it would get sorted the next day. Never seen him since and he has blocked my number on his phone, you live and learn that its not always a good idea to be nice.

I dont loose sleep over it as it was 50 quid but i probably with never help anyone again which may cause a genuine person some grief

 

[Silver-Fox]

This reminds me when one night just got into bed and there’s a knock on the door, went down and some bloke on the step said can you give me a push..! I said no chance mate and slammed the door, back upstairs mrs asks what was that about so told her and she said he might have his wife and kids in the car and just needs a jump start go and help him... so I goes down and outside shouts out where are you mate... “over here on the swing” he says...

 

[Figaro]

Did you see the wife and daughter in their distress ?
Agree with pappajohn asking him to bring the car to the pump and offer to enough fuel in to get him to destination is the way to deal with it

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

But sometimes, some things are genuine.
It's very difficult to judge.
Your charitable nature and approach is commendable, and I would perhaps have not offered cash, but some other form of assistance, depending on the circumstances.
Good for you for thinking about someone else.
Perhaps there is some faith in human nature after all during these troubled and turbulent times.

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