dave21478 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Does anyone else get this? Today was the third time some fud tried the same routine on me within a period of about six months or so.I pulled into a layby at the side of quite a busy road to siphon the python, when a flash looking 5-series bmw pulled in too. After I had finished, the arab-looking chap approached and launched into the speil....Nearly out of fuel, did I know how far the next service station was? and the problem was he had no cash on him and his foreign bank card would not work here blah blah blah wife and kids in the car boo hoo hooo....and he then removed a gold ring from his finger and offered it to me....... I was walking away from him by this point as I knew what he was saying pretty much word for work due to previous encounters like this with others (all arabic - make what you will of that!). He half-heartedly called after me saying I was nasty and mis-trusting, he was an honest family man etc etc!I was looking for a poorly signed address on this road and after making a u-turn to come back and find it, I saw the same chap in a different layby a little further on trying to flag people down, and then later on in the afternoon he was even further on, still trying it. This time and the previous encounters I have had with others doing this, he was being quite aggressive trying to get people to stop..waving his arms and walking part way into the road to get peoples attention.I am not sure exactly how the scam works, as I have never listened much further than that....I assume the ring is offered as a guarantee for a cash advance or filling his tank up with the victims card, and later turns out to be worthless?Anyone else seen this sort of thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 There's been a lot about this on AngloInfo Normandyhttp://normandy.angloinfo.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=82391 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I have heard of many such things in the past. There were problems on the autoroutes a few years ago too. Didn't like having to be vigilent when stopping at the 'aires' as I am quite social and will have a chat to other motorists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 [quote user="idun"]..... There were problems on the autoroutes a few years ago too. Didn't like having to be vigilent when stopping at the 'aires' as I am quite social and will have a chat to other motorists.[/quote]Never seen them in France ye, but this is common in UK.I was approached by a chap who was on his way back from a fashion show and he had a load of designer clothes left over. Rather than take them back to his shop, he would like me to buy them cheaply blah blah blah - Basically its shoddy fakes being flogged as high value stuff at knockdown prices....... My wardrobe is 99% from the Decathlon or Tesco Value ranges so designer gear is of no interest to me at all anyway!The other one is the famous bag switch and a friend fell for it, sadly. The chap was selling a laptop computer cheaply. Showed it to my friend - an almost new, high spec Sony for £250 cash. My friend took the risk and withdrew the money. He came back to the carpark to see the guy packing the pc into its carry case, ready to hand it over. At some point he pulled a fast bag switch, took the cash and left. My friend got to his car to find he had bought a laptop case with a plank of hardwood in it to give it shape and weight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Crumbs I have been rumbled...Did you see on 'Do get Done get Dumb' today the faith healer who when he was raided had a Bentley, Ferrari and Range Rover outside his ginormous house.I am forgetting the annoying people in laybys scam and going for the faith healing jobby it pays better me thinks.I'd keep a Lada outside and avoid suspicion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherman Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 We had a similar thing on an ‘A’ road last year down in south 86 area. This chap was to Eastern EU appearance complete with a pregnant female. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 [quote user="dave21478"]The other one is the famous bag switch and a friend fell for it, sadly. The chap was selling a laptop computer cheaply. Showed it to my friend - an almost new, high spec Sony for £250 cash. My friend took the risk and withdrew the money. He came back to the carpark to see the guy packing the pc into its carry case, ready to hand it over. At some point he pulled a fast bag switch, took the cash and left. My friend got to his car to find he had bought a laptop case with a plank of hardwood in it to give it shape and weight![/quote]I am unsure which aspect of this tale is the less believable - that "your friend" fell for it or that he admitted it. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Over the years there have been so many scams.Cars running into the back of cars in say Marseille, or where ever else (or the UK) and when you get out, car being stolen or items taken from the car. Stopping at aires on motorways, car stolen or robbed if left unattended. Roadside sales of non existent goods. Money obtained for petrol etc on the road side.UK, cars braking hard to getting hit, to claim injury insurance. The only thing I have ever done and I have done it twice was bought some petrol for people who found themselves embarrassed at the pumps. Never put more than 50FF or £5 worth in, as I would never hand over money.(would buy quite a bit of fuel in the old days[Www]. If a scam, then I have been scammed, tant pis. Also in France I give fruit or bread or cheese or tinned food or all, to people begging, never give money and yet I have heard of gangs of beggars, so I chose my 'beggar' too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Trunk Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 If you ever take your car to Barcelona you can experience all of these scams, and several dozen more, within ten minutes of arriving in the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 [quote user="Iceni"][quote user="dave21478"]The other one is the famous bag switch and a friend fell for it, sadly. The chap was selling a laptop computer cheaply. Showed it to my friend - an almost new, high spec Sony for £250 cash. My friend took the risk and withdrew the money. He came back to the carpark to see the guy packing the pc into its carry case, ready to hand it over. At some point he pulled a fast bag switch, took the cash and left. My friend got to his car to find he had bought a laptop case with a plank of hardwood in it to give it shape and weight![/quote]I am unsure which aspect of this tale is the less believable - that "your friend" fell for it or that he admitted it. John[/quote]Definetely wasn't me, I am waaay to cynical!He admitted it to a group of friends, and also on his facebook thing, and seemingly the mocking still goes on over a year later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurier Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Yes, I had this last year. As a woman travelling on her own I wouldn't normally stop if someone waved to me from the side of the road but he (a gent who told me he was Turkish and asked if I spoke French) was desperately trying to flag me down from a lay-by while a lady was sat on the side, head in her hands looking as if there was something very wrong with her. I can't remember the car but it was certainly bigger than my little Megane!Same story, when I stopped and asked if he needed help he said he had run out of petrol and could I help him with money, then offered me a gold chain.I promptly beat it, jumped in my car and didn't stop again for a couple of hours in case he was following me! I think he was probably targeting an English number plate. I have come over this in South Africa where, sadly, I would never have stopped but had never seen it in France or England and I would definitely be very wary of ever stopping again.Laurier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Just in case I am ever stupid enough to even think of being a Good Samaritan would someone please translate FOAD into French for me.TIAJohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 [quote user="dave21478"]He admitted it to a group of friends, and also on his facebook thing, and seemingly the mocking still goes on over a year later.[/quote]At least my low opinion of those who post on F book is justified.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now