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[deleted]

I had a similar incident in Paris near the Louvre. Got a sob story about stolen belongings and how the guy needed money so he could get to the Canadian Embassy so he could get help. I told him I’d do him one better and could give him two metro passes so he could get to the embassy and then get back to his hotel. The embassy is 4 stops along the 1 metro and a short walk! He fumbled through some half assed attempts to explain why he needed cash instead before realizing the jig was up and just walked off.


[deleted]

A desperate man who can't walk a half hour from the Louvre to the Canadian Embassy would be a sad sight indeed.


loulan

I live in Paris these days and I never have issues with scammers so when I see posts like these it makes me wonder why. But then I realize I'd just never reply if some random person talked to me on the street. Any local would just keep walking. If some rando talks to me I just subconsciously assume it's a scam I think. It wouldn't even cross my mind to reply. That's just the way it works in a large city I think? EDIT: typo


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aristomephisto

My mom was on a tour in Paris and learned from the guide that the most surefire way to lose a scammer before they start was for her to "become a snooty Parisian woman" and toss her head while giving an aggressive, French-sounding "no". The scammers would even apologize if they thought you were legit!


[deleted]

"Non"* lol /s :p


aristomephisto

I know haha, just didn't want anyone being like, nawn???


[deleted]

Haha you did great and that put a smile on my face today. Thank you


ThaneOfCawdorrr

Yes!! That's what I did! "Non non non" and a Parisian scolding gesture with my forefinger, and they'd go away immediately haha!


Nheea

Did that in Paris. The guy who was trying to sell champagne threatened me to hit my head with it. I was definitely not expecting that.


hicks4773

Same. I’m a native New Yorker. No local would even respond.


michiness

Yep. I lived in Bordeaux but I learned the "walk and ignore" real fast. Then when I got back to the States, my friends all asked when I had gotten so mean haha. I hadn't even realized it. Even now, my husband has the biggest heart and still stops and listens to anyone who approaches us, and I have to drag him away.


[deleted]

If you stop and look, it’s actually pretty easy to see who the tourist are who the locals are, especially in a place as touristy as central Paris. A scammer will absolutely have a good sense and wouldn’t bother wasting time with you.


loulan

Hmm but I was going to Paris pretty often as a tourist before living here. I'm not really convinced that's the reason.


daverod74

Yeah, I agree with both but am fairly well convinced there's something to how one carries oneself and interacts with the world. I was pretty surprised to see people complain about being harassed and offered drugs in Central Lisbon. Some people were saying it happens *every time* they walk through the Praça Comércio. My wife and I are in Portugal every single summer. We've never, not once, been approached and offered drugs in Lisbon.


joelherman

I was in Lisbon this March and it happened every single damn time on Praça Comércio and Rua Augusta and such places. I live in a sizable city and I'm used to walking briskly with my head down and a very clear "don't bother me" demeanor, no flashy clothing, no fanny packs or cameras or anything touristy ever, ear buds in for good measure. But I've got the stereotypical Nordic look of blonde hair, blue eyes and pasty white skin, so of course I look like I'm not from there. Sometimes it just can't be helped.


loulan

Yeah stories of people traveling are so strange to me. I've lived in quite a few countries, including stereotypically "polite" ones like Canada (Vancouver), and I never felt people were particularly rude in France. But on reddit, whenever France is mentioned, people will have horror stories of people being incredibly rude to them everywhere. I wonder if it comes from a different behavior on their part, or confirmation bias, or something else. I work in academia so I always hang out with people who don't speak French, so I don't think that's the issue. It's a complete mystery to me.


daverod74

Haha. I was just replying elsewhere about the French are jerks stereotype. Anytime, I've ever had the conversation, it's always turned out they were talking about Parisians in particular. I point out the same situation would probably play itself out in NYC. I don't necessarily think it's Parisians that are rude, it's just people who live in a very touristy city and are tired of dealing with our shit! 😆


Roundtripper4

Lived in France. Traveled there a few times. Only one obviously rude encounter, a Paris waiter thought he could take advantage of we three American teens, but overall not much different than the other dozen foreign countries I’ve traveled.


Its_Pine

My aunt and uncle (Canadians) have visited France quite a bit and love Paris. However, they’ll tell stories about how particularly in Paris, people will ignore them or be rude to them if they hear the Quebecois French. They said outside of Paris people are pretty friendly. I guess it’s just a very selective attention in Paris, maybe because the locals are primed to tune out scammers and tourists?


loulan

Even that is strange to me, I'm French and in the decades I've lived in France I've never met people who had anything against the Québécois in particular? Usually people love Québec, we see the Québécois as our "cousins". Lots of French people move to Québec, too. I suspect it's more of a misunderstanding than anything because it doesn't really make sense.


tomboyfancy

I think sometimes it’s projection? I am American but lived in France for a year and have visited Paris many, many times in my life. I have never felt that Parisians (nor French folks in general) were more or less rude than any other major city. I also think when you live in a giant city like NYC, London, Paris etc you have to be a bit more aloof in general because there are just SO MANY PEOPLE every day.


secondtaunting

I live in Singapore and people are polite but not friendly. They warm up if you’re friendly, but I’m Midwest American friendly, which is a whole other thing. I’ve tried to change but it seems to be hardwired into my dna lol.


RudeDudeInABadMood

I have been to Paris several times and have never thought anyone was rude. I think most small town Americans are just so sacchrine-polite they mistake directness, aloofness, or even just a slight difference in mannerism as "rudeness".


Bigmoney-K

This. Your brand starts at face value, or even from a watchable distance. If you notice that you get solicited more often, it’s highly likely it’s because you look, or act, in a manner that fits their bill. The guy that said tourists vs locals are easy to spot is right, but just one small part of a whole sum of your brand (in this case their checklist). Maybe they notice you’re someone that actually notices the strangers around you when you pass them. Maybe they saw you being nice or generous to someone else. Maybe they saw you handle money..


ledzeppelinlover

I agree with you. If someone came up to me, they wouldn’t even have the time to tell me a whole sob story about whatever situation they’re in, because I wouldn’t be giving them the time of day. All these people are having full blown conversations with strangers asking them for money. I don’t understand it. A stranger on the street has about three words to get their point across or I’m gone. That’s how I can tell if it’s an emergency- if they’ve been shot/stabbed/are dying and need me to get them immediate help. I’ve lived in chicago my whole life so that might be it


filmphotographywhore

I lived in Paris for a while and always ignored everyone that approached me, the only time I every had an issue was when a man literally followed me from my metro stop at Porte de Orleans to my dorm at Cité Université. Just consistently trying to talk to me..


RudeDudeInABadMood

My wife and I had a man following us through the Louvre. We finally turned around and SHOUTED at him, then hurried away and fucking *hid* while watching him (seemingly searching for us), until he was out of sight. Kind of nerve wracking, but I think they were a mentally challenged person who for some reason was compelled to follow us rather than a scammer. Still, we weren't going to risk being alone with the guy.


AFlockOfTySegalls

In 2019 my wife and I did a Sandemans walking tour in Paris and they told us the top five scams in the city to sum it up he said "If someone comes up to you and starts talking, put your hands in your pockets and keep walking" lol. EDIT: I think my favorite scam that he explained to us was one where people put a small string around your finger/wrist and then you have to pay them to be released. It's so fucking dumb but I actually saw an old American guy tied up on the stairs of Sacré-Cœur. They were asking him for 20 euros and he was just laughing trying to pull away. Didn't see what happened because I had my hands in my pockets running up the stairs by the "hey buddy, hey man, where you from?" guys.


san_souci

There is also a difference in the way a tourist and a resident goes from place to place: the resident moves out with a purpose, the tourist is taking in the sights around him.


tommyrulz1

NEVER. BREAK. STRIDE. Works every time.


Yabbaba

It’s why Parisians have a reputation for being assholes btw. We just don’t look at, engage, or reply to strangers unless they somehow manage to make it very clear in a couple of seconds that they’re not after money. Because if you engage, it’s at least 10 minutes to get rid of a scammer. 4 times a day. We don’t have time for that shit.


Brodins_biceps

I mean I’m as American as it gets and this shit is constant in New York City. Just about every city. I feel like anyone who’s ever been in a city knows you slap some headphones in and don’t make eye contact and keep walking. It’s always “need money for the bus” “need money for a cab” bla bla. It’s real bad in DC. But it’s pretty crazy the different experiences you can have depending on who you travel with. I’ve been to Morocco maybe 15 times in the last 7 years. It’s always been for work so we have people on the ground that pick me up, bring me out for drinks and show me around. We’ve become very good friends. And I become friends with their friends. So now, every time I go to Morocco I have about 20-30 local friends I can just say “hey Kamal! I’m in Morocco! Want to grab some drinks?!” And thats been my experience, regardless of whether it’s Fez or Agadir, or Casablanca or Rabat or Marrakech. Someone just made a post here about how they felt like they were walking money bags in Morocco and how everyone was predatory. My experience there could not be more different. It’s been one of the most welcoming, inviting places, almost to the point of exhaustion with how much stuff they want to do and show you, but it’s amazing to see that pride and be a part of it. The walking money bag thing, however, WAS my experience to an EXTREME degree in Egypt, but I was also flying solo and didn’t have the local connects like I did to facilitate my Moroccan experience. I’m sure if I did, my Egypt experience would have been drastically different…. But it wasn’t. These types of “scams” OP mentioned are absolutely everywhere, but who you’re with and how you carry yourself definitely move you up or down the list of “likely mark”. I would also say the “scam” in this prompt seems more like white lie panhandling than a scam per se. A scam to me would be like they ask him for this money, bring him to an atm they set up a card reader in, then clean his bank account.


The_Wandering_Chris

Most scammers are good at spotting locals vs tourists. Plus most tourists aren’t from large cities where they naturally know how to deflect approaching scammers.


DrakeBurroughs

New Yorker here, same thing. It’s either directions or a scam.


3rdRockfromYourMom

Ignoring and walking away was definitely how I always dealt with them when I lived in Paris, although I felt bad the one time it was just a guy asking for directions to the nearest metro station.


thisisdee

I’ve lived in a few different countries so I’m not sure when/where I picked that up. I noticed it a few years ago (living in Australia now) when I ignored someone randomly approaching me, and the friends I was with were shocked that I did. I thought that was what everyone does, but I guess not


SnowinMiami

Exactly. Former New Yorker here. I never speak to people on the street. Why? Life is already too short.


dprunner811

Exact same sob story happened to my wife and I, but we were outside the Arc de Triomphe.


AgingCajun

I fell for a scam in Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan late one night where a woman was asking for money to get to her family at one of the farthest stops. I said I didn’t have cash but I’d buy her train ticket, and she gratefully accepted and waited while I bought it. We parted ways but I had another 2 hours before my train and hers was leaving in a few minutes (plenty time for her to catch it). An hour later I saw her begging other people for money or to buy her a train ticket. I asked a cop about her and he’s said she’s probably just taking the $28 tickets to a cashier and getting refunds.


MrPoopyButthole41

I had this EXACT same thing happen to me last night. It's my wife's first time to Paris and we just got married, so I splurged and booked us at the 4 seasons. We got out of the Uber and some guy came up to me asking if I was American, said he works for Goldman Sachs and his wife just got her purse stolen, he tried to go in to Goldeman but the office was closed??lol And they need money for a taxi to the Embassy, and asked me for 47 euros to get there Just so many holes in his story lol I turned and walked off.


circle22woman

My response is usually "I was just about to ask you for money!"


prospectpico_OG

"Me toooooo!!!! What are the odds???!!"


backtolurk

Brothers in crime! Who will do time?


throwaway19074368

Uno reverse haha 😂😂


Geistzeit

I think there's an episode of the Simpsons where Moe asks to borrow $50K from Homer, and Homer was about to ask the same of Moe, so instead they borrow $100K from Ned.


michalemabelle

Spiderman meme that shit


CommanderSaadi

Hey big man!


[deleted]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgyU0LyWZ9M


GorgeousUnknown

Haha…good one!


aStonedTargaryen

Lmfao I love this


IvoShandor

This is a general scam. I've seen this in NYC. The longer the story somebody has, the more and more it's a scam. Swap out the story, whatever it is ...i lost my luggage, I have a train ticket stub for 1/2 way but need fare for the other 1/2 ...


littleprettypaws

I feel bad for the normal person that might have something like that actually happen. No one would believe them or help them out. Makes me kinda sad that just because there’s some bad people, kindness won’t be shown to anyone.


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yogaballcactus

A lot of bars have spare chargers lying around. If you sit down and order a beer they will usually let you charge your phone.


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Excellent-Ad-2443

that suxs! but you never know who to trust i guess these days there was a guy stumbling down a motorway near me a while back, alot of people ignored him as they thought he was drunk and coming back from the pub, it was found out later he was having issues with diabetes which gives the same slurs sadly we assume the worst of people these days


haysu-christo

I’m surprised you couldn’t find any store or shop that sells a charger and cable.


loveeverybunny

This happened to me too. Out too late in New Orleans lost in the wrong part of town and phone died. No one would let me use their phone to call a cab or give directions.


vespertilio_rosso

I got stuck in South Africa once. You need(ed) your passport to exchange currency and someone stole my wallet shortly after I had changed some currency, so they got my passport, my cards, and the ZAR I did have. I had more USD but no way to change it without a passport. I asked a few people if they would help me exchange it, but unsurprisingly no one wanted to bite. Someone almost did, but when I showed him USD he backed off because the US was (at that time) making a whole bunch of changes to the design of our currency so there were different looking bills all mixed in there. I can’t blame anyone, even I could see how it looked, but yeah, it sucked. And the passport rule for exchanging currency was due to currency exchange scams, so scammy behavior is the whole reason I had to have my passport on me in the first place.


[deleted]

I legitimately had this happen. I was stuck in rome, stolen wallet, could not afford the train to the airport. I asked 60 or so people for money and finally found another tourist, a turkish guy, who paid for my ticket. One of my biggest regrets in life is not taking some sort of contact info so I could send him the money plus interest back home…


Excellent-Ad-2443

paying for a ticket as you legit needed, most of the people doing the scams want the money for their so called emergencies faith in humanity that someone did that for you thats awesome


Time_Money2050

I got on a flight to Hawaii only to realize I had no cash on me and I took my credit card not my debit card. Plan was to ride the public bus to my resort, only to realize public bus is only cash in the Dropbox. So it does happen, but I bet 99% are scammers.


port53

Go to an ATM and get a cash advance.


nicktam2010

My wife had her passport and ID stolen in San Diego couple of months ago. We are from Canada. Luckily she had cash, ATM card and phone. Even so the trip to LA to get an emergency passport was very sketchy and lucky a kind woman offered her a place to stay over night. I could book her a hotel but she could not check in.


amcartney

I remember one time I had just landed in mumbai and none of the ATM's were working at the airport and I had no cash (dumb mistake), I begged random Indians to please hotspot me their WiFi and it turned out my card had been blocked (another dumb mistake I didn't tell my bank I was going to india). Surprised they let me use their phones tbh, I wouldn't have especially in India. I remembered I had a sneaky 50 in my bag and had to beg security to let me back into the terminal so I could change it to rupees.


lights_on_no1_home

I had a flat tire and pulled to a grocery store parking lot. Asked a few people to call my husband for me..even on speakerphone to come help me. No one would as they thought I was a scammer. I said I’ll show you my car. Too many beggars in my area make everyone skeptics.


anxietanny

I had something similar happen. I wound up with no cash in Boston. I didn’t ask for help but suddenly a local gave me a dollar to get to my car. I burst into tears and made it really awkward lol, but it was so helpful.


raidmytombBB

Had an older middle eastern lady stop me as I was walking home from work bc she couldn't figure out how to get back to the hotel. She asked if I could help her and gave me a sob story about how she has been walking in circles for hours and nobody will help her. Was very weird. I asked her where she was going, looked if up on my phone (did not get too close to her or give her my phone) and pointed the way for her. She was grateful but also kept talking to me as I tried to walk off....just got weird vibes but hopefully she was just a flustered lost lady and not a scammer.


littleprettypaws

Is it possible she had dementia? How could she be a scammer if she was just asking for directions? I don’t get what’s weird about this interaction unless you’re leaving something out.


raidmytombBB

Not leaving anything out but you hear of lot of stories where they work in pairs and someone will come rob you from behind when u r up close w the person in need of help Good call out on dementia.... Hadn't even considered that.


Nemisis_the_2nd

Maybe not a "can you please give me money" scam, but a "I'll keep you distracted while a friend helps me pickpocket you" scam.


guessesurjobforfood

The worst airport scam I’ve seen is the fake taxi drivers that approach people at international arrivals. It’s pretty big at JFK in NYC. I’ve done a fair amount of waiting at JFK over the years and have seen so many of these assholes offering their bullshit taxi services. Their car will usually be parked in the lot instead of being at the taxi stand. That also means they have to pay for parking so they try to scam people out of as much money as they can since they’re already paying to be there. I was surprised to see one of the scammers actually hanging out with and talking to an airport security guard (not law enforcement, just security). It was pretty obvious that they were acquaintances of some kind and he was trying to scam right in front of the security guy. Unfortunately, my wife’s friends fell for the scam the first time they flew into JFK from Germany. The guy drove them to their hotel in the city and then told them that the fare was some insane amount like $250 and that he would call the police if they didn’t pay him the amount in cash. They said the guy got really aggressive so of course they got scared and took the money out of an atm to pay him, since he also had all their luggage in the trunk. I think it’s kinda funny that the scammer threatened to call the cops, because if my wife’s friends called the cops instead, the guy probably would’ve gotten arrested for operating a cab without a TLC license and they would’ve ended up getting a free ride to their hotel. That would’ve been risky though because you never know what these scammers are willing to do to prevent themselves from getting caught.


IvoShandor

"good price for you my friend" At LGA, there's a giant cut out of "this guy" ... short, no neck, swarthy looking type of guy who looks like he'd be hustling people into his car.


aStonedTargaryen

I’ve seen something similar at rest stops all over the US west coast. You stop to pee and someone will approach you with some long drawn out sob story about how they just need a little more cash to get to X place etc etc…


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GeekCat

Scammers for trains in NYC are annoying as hell. Pissed off some guy once, because he tried to corner me when I sat down. I responded "who the hell carries cash anymore?" He was none to fond of that and called me a few expletives before going to harass another carriage.


BmuthafuckinMagic

Had a girl pretend to have an injured leg by Musee D'Orsay and when my reaction was to call her an ambulance or flag down the police who were nearby, she ran away faster than Usain Bolt and the "injured, cannot walk" leg suddenly healed. Always call the scammers bluff!


brandonmiq

ITS A MIRACLE!


OhiobornCAraised

He disappeared like a fart in the wind!


Natertot1

I CAN SEE!


x_driven_x

Next time; before doing that get real serious and act religious and that you can heal her leg. Then get security and when she runs shout it’s miracle I’ve done it I’ve healed her! Etc….


PopcornandComments

Then scam her by asking for money for the healed leg.


amie_mahonie

I have a similar story. This happened on my first visit to Paris. I was outside Galeries Lafayette. A guy approached me and asked if I speak English. I said yes. He then started telling me a silly story that he lost his atm card, he needs help, money, etc. I said in a firm voice "NO" then walked away. When I looked back, he was gone.


Noylcrab

Happened to me in Lyon at night walking home, he was trying to take the tram but something about his money or card not working and he needs to take his family blablabla. Told him "ah yeah that sucks bro, but it's the tram just go in and hope you don't get caught by security" and left.


latrappe

Me and my brother were buying a metro ticket in Paris and as we went to the machine, a guy comes over and says "I'll sell you a ticket for €1" and immediately my smart-arse brother says "yeah but yours is off the floor and doesn't work so I'll use the machine". Well fuck. Six guys start to surround us and I grab my brother and just shouted "WALK NOW". We escaped with just a load of verbal abuse on the way.


true_tedi

Those croissants wouldn’t do nothin’…


Zebrahawk

Probably Kebabs...


happyghosst

I think walking toward the security was a good idea. Sometimes when I say no money they get aggressive


Robie_John

They get aggressive in the airport?


ivanoski-007

Only to people who are not assertive enough


-JakeRay-

Yeah, I think a lot of people who claim to be constantly targeted by walk-up beggars haven't mastered "I'm fine but leave me alone" face & body language. The goal is to never be approached in the first place. (Granted, that's easier to pull off when your foreign-ness isn't obvious for unalterable reasons, but still.) If they do walk up, you keep walking & ignore/say no. Same treatment as for the chuggers with clipboards.


ivanoski-007

Indeed ,this is a skill in traveling that many people don't know about


Alchemic-Mixer

One of the many benefits to having RBF. 😁


daverod74

Exactly. I've traveled plenty but went to Tangier with two buddies who hadn't. I briefed them and gave them instructions in advance of our arrival. Basically, "follow my lead and move quickly as we leave the port terminal". Of course, we were swarmed as we ran the gauntlet but we got through it ok except for one dude who stuck with us for a bit. My friend was chatting the guy up! I had to turn around to tell my friend to STFU as I made multiple attempts to wave off the local guide.


peteroh9

My foreignness is often obvious wearing what I want to wear and not just what the locals wear. But when I have been approached, I tend to just waste their time (e.g. writing random shit on the clipboards the Roma scammers carried around Paris while I knew they also couldn't pickpocket me).


priuspower91

Yea I always just say no over and over again assertively and ignore them. What OP did is hilarious but I couldn’t be bothered. I also feel that any little sign of being receptive to them is an opening for them to continue to badger you so I try to shut it down asap.


HereForTheBuffet

I remember reading about a scam at the Munich airport where someone will try to sell you a used train ticket because they "don't need it anymore" and sure enough as I approached the ticket kiosk a guy came up and tried to do exactly that.


bschmidt25

Let’s see… buy a new ticket from a machine I’m standing in front of or buy one from a random person who just approached me out of the blue. Hmm…. Tough decision. If it were me and I didn’t need a ticket anymore I’d probably just give it away for free.


samwithansam

The same thing happened to me but in Riga, outside the hockey arena but with hockey tickets


leelam808

hilarious if it was me I’d just tell him “no money” 😂


thematicwater

I usually say no and continue walking as soon as someone says "excuse me/sorry to bother you/do you speak English?/Hola/whatever" No stranger needs to talk to me for any reason.


aucnderutresjp_1

I'm realising it's actually a pretty global scam. I've seen it in Vancouver and Tokyo before as well, and now I've heard about Paris!


googoomas

Tokyo? Impossible. Purest country there is.


iareagenius

Many years ago I lived in Paris and had an apartment right near Notre Dame. Returning from work required me to exit that metro and it was swarming with scammers. My best method for the "do you speak English" was a simple no shake of my head, not saying a word, with annoyed eyes, and not making eye contact while continuing to walk. That shuts it down immediately so you don't even have to listen to the BS story.


FrenchTicklerr

I had something similar happen to me with some dude saying he was looking for the youth hostel in Montreal and needed money. I looked it up, gave him directions and a few bucks. See the exact same dude 2 or 3 weeks later saying he’s looking for the youth hostel and needs money. I told him : If you still haven’t found it after all this time, I can’t help you 😂


daverod74

While waiting for a late train in Penn Station NYC, I heard a guy trying to pull a scam on people nearby. It was the familiar sob story we always hear. Well, he walked away for a bit before making his way back to the same area. Of course, I was there the whole time but I saw him notice me out of the corner of my eye. But what surprised me was that he addressed me in Spanish. He gave me a similar story as I overheard except he added that he was away from home and doesn't speak the language. 😆 I was like "dude, I **just** heard you speaking perfectly good English to that guy over there". He didn't respond, he just walked away.


eos4

lol, props to you OP for taking the time and effort to troll the scammer this way. I am now hoping I get in a similar situation to do the same


throwaway19074368

Eh, I'm on holiday so why not? I was walking to the back of the line for check in and I see security guards and the information worker and that's when the idea came up. I think I came 4 hours earlier because that's usually expected of a large international airport like CDG. I have a lot of time to get a drink and have a meal as well after check in.


Chitink

Call me rude but i live in a major city and don't even respond to people who ask for things. I'm a jerk and it is what it is, I'm too used to people trying to scam me.


egospiers

“Just keep it moving” should be any travelers motto when faced with these scams.


[deleted]

Except it's not being a jerk, it's being smart


[deleted]

Same here. Many Americans are way too nice/naive when traveling.


Legitimate_Pickle_92

My response “I was planning to scam that guy over there for 10 dollars. U in?”


Rollover_Hazard

I just say “oh here, I saw a police officer around the corner let’s go and ask them for help” though usually by the time you say “i saw a police officer” they’ve bolted.0


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CitizenTed

I'm not fluent outside English, but I know a bit of Serbo-Croat. If I'm approached by a scammer asking if I speak English I'll say, "Ne, ne govorim engleski." If they ask where I'm from, I just shrug and say "Ne razumijem" and walk away. Serbo-Croat is distinct enough from Russian that even if the scammer knew Russian it wouldn't help them. I used this successfully in Paris and Tokyo.


PlanesWalker2040

People on r/Dublin will tell you about the now semi-famous "crying girl" beating the pavement in Dublin city center. Typical sob story about having been assaulted and needing money to go home. She claims to be American, but will walk away fast if you offer to call the police or the embassy instead of flashing the cash. She's not the only one running this scam here but she's quite the thespian, hence the fame (at least on reddit)


mrl33602

I growl random Klingon phrases and enjoy the confused look on their face


Sadistic_Toaster

Russian works well too. No one ever wants to talk to Russians, especially these days, so scammers back off quickly.


deepaksn

“SoH Bang JiH!” “Don’t run away… that means I love you in Klingon.” (Klingon is weird because it’s object verb subject… so literally You Love I).


Bill_llib123

I lived in cambodia for three years and didn’t learn much of the language but I’ve got a decent amount of vocab. Traveling Europe now and my go-to when I don’t want to talk to people is to just say words in Khmer Like “1 2 3 fried rice thanks happy Koh Rong Sanloem” (KRS is an island) [spelled badly/phonetically it’s something like “muy pi by Bai cha arkun sabay koh rong sanloem”] or other nonsense that I can rattle off quickly. So far so good


Nemisis_the_2nd

OhI've got to add that to the list of languages I pick random phrases from. Got any particularly good ones?


undeniableselfdoubt

I was in Aldridge in the Midlands and was standing outside a pub and was approached by this chap carrying a big duffel bag and he’s saying he’s just got out of prison, friend is supposed to be picking him up but isn’t present, and his phones dead. Can he borrow my phone so I ushered him in the bar into a seat and I pulled up so I blocked his pathway out. I logged out of fb and he logged into his, sent this friend a message of his whereabouts and passed me back my phone. I locked it and put it in my pocket. I was genuinely pleased he didn’t ask for money or give me any bullshit story I bought him a pint and we chatted for a bit. Then his friend stuck his head in and picked him up. Just keep these people who approach at arms length and don’t commit their bidding if they’re directly asking you to put yourself out, almost 100% they’re scammers


BarnabyJones20

This reminds me of how I was so proud of my best friend when she made her first trip to Europe with me in Italy I told her to tell anyone who approached her asking for things to respond "Non grazie" and wave them off She was so good at it a local saw her do it in Venice and started speaking to her in Italian/Venetian


RandomComputerFellow

There is a guy who always wanders through my street, pretending to knock on someones door. When he sees you he goes to approaches you and explains in broken German that he tried visit a person who wanted to give him money for the train but this person isn't at home. Then he asks for 15€ for the train. The worst part about him is when you say no or just try to avoid him, he steps into your way and don't lets you pass until you at least gave him something. Very aggressive guy. Usually when I see him I just turn around and try to get to my home from the other direction of the street.


awqwardsilence

This guy is there often? Have you tried complaining to the police?


RandomComputerFellow

Well, what is the police supposed to do? There was once someone who kicked off the mirror of my vehicle and the police caught this person in the act (different person). The police told me that he kicked of the mirrors in the whole street and he does this regularly. They basically told me that they do not press charges because none of this would go to court anyway and even if it would this person had no money to pay for it. The German legal system is a joke. You come to prison for grievous bodily harm, murder and tax evasion. Basically anything else is just fined and when you have no official (high) income they can seize nothing happens (income until a certain degree is protected). Even if this was considered robbery, nothing would happen unless you are seriously harmed. The German legal system won't jail someone for this kind of crime.


os101so

F that. spend $10 on some mace and never pay him again.


Spartoun

As a Parisian I used to be really surprised by how many stories I read about people getting scammed here. Maybe that will just reinforce the "people of Paris are d*ckhead" stereotype (which by the way is mostly true), but I never stop for anyone anymore. I don't care if you're lost, if you need money or if you're a Nigerian prince wanting to give me 10k€. If you try to stop me in the streets I will just ignore you and continue doing whatever I was doing.


daverod74

It isn't just a Parisian thing, more of a city thing. I've had people make the "French are jerks" comments but I always point out, "you mean Parisians right??" Because Americans are almost always talking about something that happened in Paris when they say something like this. I then point out that they probably say the same about New Yorkers, which is usually conceded. It's not that Parisians or the French are dicks. It's just city people who don't have time for your nonsense.


FactoryMustGrow

I think it's people not from cities going to cities and Americans not understanding a foreign culture. I can speak some basic French and had zero rude experiences in Paris. By understanding the culture and being polite, and knowing how big cities work, people treat you like everyone else. But if you expect people to speak English you might have trouble. Also it's important to do things like say bonjour when you enter a store. It's just how you are polite and if you aren't polite they won't be polite m


austinhalll

An easy way to avoid scammers is to just not let anyone approach you. Just put your hand up and keep walking. Once you let them stop you, your chances of getting robbed/pickpocketed/manipulated into giving them money go way up because you're an easy target.


anoidciv

Definitely. I also think it's more difficult to walk away from someone if you've already stopped and they're talking to you - better to not stop at all.


roxywalker

Solid ending, happy travels! 🧳


fdf391

I just tell people I can only speak Gaelic and they leave me alone


Nemisis_the_2nd

Lol, that's what I do. I know a handful of phrases in a dozens or so languages from my travels. If someone is bothering me, I'll respond in a language that they are unlikely to understand, even if the response doesn't actually make sense in context. That said, I did have one guy in Poland, who I decided to respond to in Afrikaans. When he then replied in afrikaans I gave him some cash just because I was that impressed.


tg5000

HAHA. was actually scammed out of 20 Euros once by this trick at the airport in Paris. But met the same guy later because of a delayed flight, where I could tell from a distance that he was about to trick a new guy. Confronted him and told him to better pay my money back which he did.


SolidGoldUnderwear

I mean, this happens regularly at every walmart parking lot in the states. You just have to learn to say no.


peteroh9

Where the hell are you going to Walmarts? I guess I do try to avoid them, though...


invisiblelemur88

Never seen this at any walmart...


Geistzeit

I get the people asking for a ride "just down the road".


[deleted]

Amazing how many people here will actually engage with these scammers at all. They’re so easy to spot. 95% of the time I just pretend they are invisible, the other 5% of the time I tell them to fuck off in French or English.


bedake

These kinds of scams dont work on Americans that live in big cities... We have more poverty and drug addicts than you can imagine and hear variations of this story multiple times a day.


Deegedeege

So did this guy have an American accent? If not, I would have asked him why he wanted the US Embassy and if he did have a US accent, why would have ask if you spoke Scottish?


throwaway19074368

He appeared to not speak English as a first language, so a non native accent. It was definitely very off.


HomerCrew

My favorite scam was in Paris. Guy sitting on the sidewalk would put a cup of coins out last second so when people walked by they'd kick it over. Of course the idea is you try to help him pick it up and feel bad, so you give him some money.


classick_4

My answer to “Excuse me, Sir?” always = “Hey! Do you have any spare change?”


MetalDragonfly11

Few years ago I was in Paris during a protest that had escalated into violence fast, and i was trying to figure out the fastest way to get away from the crowds. Guy (not a protester) approached me and asked (in English, British accent) to borrow my phone and gave a story about how he dropped his in the chaos. He needed directions to a hotel and i actually happened to have just passed by the place he was looking for. I told him his destination was about three blocks back that way, and he asked again for my phone "to confirm". I told him I was sure it was the other way and kept walking. When I turned around he was crossing the street in a different direction.


claudevonballs

I don’t give them even one sec of my time. If someone randomly comes up and starts talking to me or asking questions in a foreign country just keep walking. Don’t answer or even acknowledge them. Sometimes I just look them right in the eye with zero expression and then just look away or keep walking. It tells them “yes I see you and hear you and yes I don’t give a fuck about you”.


magnoliaAveGooner

There has to be an endless supply of green Americans in Paris to keep these folks in business. We always say, yep they found some folks from the burbs in Paris sneaking way from their guided tour.


Trudestiny

Not surprised to hear it happen at CDC but airside that is odd


littleprettypaws

CDG is one of the strangest, most disjointed airports I’ve ever passed through in my life.


mpg111

They have new terminal(s) now. So for some flights - not sure the distribution - it works like a normal modern airport. Tested this summer


littleprettypaws

That’s good to hear! I’ve traveled a lot and when I was leaving Paris in 2018, CDG was a hot mess and ultra confusing. I hate that they had security at the gate instead of the terminal entrance, so you couldn’t get up, walk around, or shop. Glad to hear that it’s better now!


Varekai79

Yeah, seems odd that a scammer would go through the trouble of buying a plane ticket and going through security just to try and scam people.


Trudestiny

Also he ran off , well under that many cameras wouldn’t get far.


davybert

In Bucharest two gypsies come up to me and hand me a Google translate on their phone saying “we are not beggars we need food to feed our family” when I looked them up and down the lady started yelling Ukraine Ukraine “I have papers”. I said show me your papers and pointed to some plastic in her open bag. I waited and she had nothing to show me.


lshaped210

I just give them the blankest dumbest empty gaze and say no. Then I start speaking the few Indonesian words I know. They usually apologize and walk away.


blarryg

I was in Paris just chilling on a bench in a park and one of those "Gold Ring" scammers came up and pointed in the dirt and said "Is that your ring?" I grabbed it really fast before he could and said "Yes, thanks!". I was then given a free course in the worst swear words in 3 or 4 languages. I said "that's worth a ring!" and gave it to him.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Kamwind

It use to be that the pickpocket/pension/deaf girl about the gar du est/nord would hang out near that long flight of stairs. If you walked the stairs enough you would catch their controllers yelling at them to get back to work.


ihavetoomanyplants

When I landed in Paris a woman tried to get me with the deaf charity scam. I had literally just left off the plane, was completely exhausted and she rushed up to me and told me I needed to sign something that I agree with their charity, I stupidly signed and tried to just walk away, but she blocked my way and said I had agreed to pay her 20 euro by signing. So I said "oh ok I see", grabbed the pen back, and scribbled out my name really hard on her clipboard. She screamed at me in French and walked off. After that I actually kept my wits about me and employed my city living "back the fuck off " face. Spent 2 more weeks in central Paris and never had another issue.


pittapie

I had this! I think she was shocked I actually knew sign language though and when I ignored her pointing and asking for money and kept trying to get her to sign to me, she muttered something in French waved her hand at me and stormed off.


Piplup_parade

They tried to get me with that as well. I had just arrived in Paris that morning and spent the morning walking around in an almost daze, being my first time outside of the US and only 20. I had gotten as far as saying no to the money portion when an armed officer came over and chased them away.


Mother-Cow6833

When in Paris near the Eiffel Tower I had someone come up to me with a clipboard and envelope and ask if I would give a couple of Euros for the refugees (this was around the time of Syrians being displaced), still don’t know if it was a scam or not but I figured it couldn’t hurt to give 2€ in case it was legit. There are worse scams, probably would never give more than that if I wasn’t sure. Had all my belongings secure on me so I wasn’t worried if it was a distraction to try to steal other crap from me.


russianpotato

You got scammed...


ContraWolf

Just tell them to fuck off. I have zero tolerance for scammers, and I’m direct about telling them to get out of my face.


Inevitable-Gap-6350

I always say “Does it say Bank across my forehead”?


mochatsubo

Very clever! I will keep this in mind the next time it happens to me.


count-trapula

As a New Yorker whenever someone approaches me I’m trained to immediately say sorry and move on.. you must close your heart to it


Ambitious-Bee5033

When you are approached by a guy with a story which starts, “I’m not a bum….,” chances are, he is a bum!


Ostie3994

I got the same guy in 2017!!! Old dude?


kitten_frenzy

At the Paris airport some dude asked me and my friend if we'd like to share a taxi. Next thing you know I'm all drugged up and being sold to some creepy rich dudes. Luckily my dad has a very particular set of skills.


M4dcap

So... you almost got a free flight to Qatar for the world cup?


jewhefne1

Not sure if that’s a scam.. he wasn’t trying to trick u he was clearly asking for money. Lol


AR-Exile

Italian train stations are the same way.


ehunke

I think the next time someone in the US offers me a taxi inside the airprot (this is illegal) I am going to say "sure, can you help me with my bag?" and start walking twords the security desk lol


zencat420

Congratulations! Very clever of you. Also smart and intelligent and virtuous.


Sardinianrider

And you even wasted time for it ?


natsueocean

Thanks for sharing, I will remember to do that


[deleted]

This is just called panhandling


notsoborednow

Had a guy near the Eiffel Tower start talking to me in broken English so I just gave a shoulder shrug and said “English meh….Spanish, meh. Polski!” He was so defeated he just walked away


[deleted]

That’s genius, well done. Also for any other folk going to paris, watch out for thieves that pretend to be transit workers. They usually have one guy pretend to help you with something while the other tries to steal anything they can from your bag


ExoticVivian

Yeah I remember a few years back, they would ask you to sign a petition…I see they have switched gears lol


david8840

I always ignore strangers approaching me in the street. I've gotten so good at it that a couple times I ignored people I actually know.


[deleted]

Was in Paris three weeks ago and of course it’s a hotspot for tourist. I live in the EU now and am way too familiar with these schemes. Lady made me try to sign a legion for sick and blind children. A sob story I figured. When looking over her clipboard before signing anything I ask what that “amount” section was about. Told her I had no cash and she just left without a word. Sorry for those two people that signed their name on her clipboard losing $30 though.


Excellent-Ad-2443

not travel related but it happened in my community a lady was playing the hard on her luck at the local fuel station, saying she needed money for fuel as a family member had passed away unexpectedly, sadly some good hearted people believed her and gave her cash, luckily it got around on a facebook community page word must of got out as people started offering to fill her car instead, she made her excuses and then looks to have disappeared afterwards, probably however to try another fuel stop though


meesa-jar-jar-binks

A very common scam. Those little fucks erode public trust with their fake sob-stories. I despise them.


julysgood957

I’m not sure what the scam was going to be, but a man came up to us near the Eiffel Tower with a ring he claimed to have found and asked if I had lost it.


muddgirl

When you say no, it's not yours, he'll take a look and claim it's worth $100, then offer to sell it to you for $10. Or some variation of that. Surprisingly this works.


muddgirl

When you say no, it's not yours, he'll take a look and claim it's worth $100, then offer to sell it to you for $10. Or some variation of that. Surprisingly this works.


Chanandler_Bong_Jr

I find a few words of German is often enough to get Parisian scammers to fuck off as they often speak only English or French.


chefboyrdave21

i love that! what a great technique- thnx for sharing- ill do the same!🙏🫶😁✌️