Worst scam you've fallen for

partyguinness · 09-08-2019 2:10pm

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

There used to be an English fella doing that outside Busaras, he was about three years trying to get the bus fare.

I had guy try it on with me in a train station in Birmingham last Christmas.

Embarrassingly and coincidentally he was Irish. Just started banging on about his pregnant wife, had to get back to Solihull, they had fallen out blah blah blah.

His face dropped when he clocked I was Irish but then of course he starts off again trying that angle and doing an awful lot of swearing on the life of his children. Apparently he was from Mayo (basically a Traveller).

He just needed £2.00 but I had just got off the plane I genuinely had no sterling change and I really enjoyed emptying my pockets to show him.

He was disgusted and walked off to some other punter.

Patrick2010 · 09-08-2019 2:19pm

Went to the canaries once and warned my companions to be careful of buying the genuine brand not something that has a similar name.
Went into a camera shop and got a good demo of a nice Canon camera, agreed a price and left. Came back to the apartment and discovered I was now the proud owner of a Canonmate camera. Fecker had somehow managed to switch the boxes putting it in the bag:mad:

09-08-2019 2:53pm

Only one I fell for I think was the old switcharoo on a ticket I bought off a tout to get into a music festival in the UK. I checked the ticket meticulously to make sure it was real of course. But stupidly then let him hold it again while I fished my money out. He clearly switched tickets on me while I did that and i ended up buying a fake.

Wheeker · 09-08-2019 3:04pm

This still annoys me to this day :mad:

About 10 years ago: I had just dropped off the missus & was minding our 18-month old baby on my own. Was driving into our estate, which we hadn't lived in very long, when I see a woman running to meet me in my driveway. She told me she was a neighbour in need- she had run out of baby milk formula, her baby was starving, she had no money & her husband was on a night-shift. No problem says I- I'll lend you some baby formula, went to get it while she cooed over the baby :mad: But when I brought it back she said it was the wrong type, any chance I could lend her some money to buy some? Hmm, er, ok, what's your name again & what house do you live in? I opened my wallet & of course I only had a €50 note. No problem she says- I will go & buy it & come straight back with the change. Ummm- ok I say

Never. saw. her. again. After a while I called round to the house she gave me as her address & they'd never heard of her. :mad:

I was furious with myself. How could I be so gullible? Why didn't I ask - well where's your baby now? It seemed like quite a convoluted scam- an opportunist I suppose. I can only put it down to me wanting to be a good neighbour and, as a new father, wanting to help a mother-in-need. Eejit :rolleyes:

Still annoys me to this day :mad:

partyguinness · 09-08-2019 3:11pm

mr_fegelien wrote: »

In all seriousness though, your talking about mtf? most have masculine features after transition so I don't know how you'd fall for that...lol

Look, it happened to me too...........in Cork City at 7pm on a Monday evening one late November. Stone cold sober.

She/he was Indian and honest to God I had no suspicions. Ok in hindsight, the hotel room was pretty much pitch dark but still she was a gentle and considerate lover.

Naively I thought I was going for an Indian Head massage to try something different. She only wanted €40.00 which is way below any rate for a shag so it was a massage I expected.

About half way through (no sex at this stage) massage etc that the penny started to drop (it was about 11-12 years ago) but even now I can't recall what it was exactly that triggered my suspicions.

I think it was because she was way more affectionate and kissing me. She really seemed to be enjoying herself and I'm not talking some BS fake porn star noises to go with the act. Normal hookers do not do that.

But it was clear that her *apparatus* down below was not 100%. I mean don't get me wrong it did the job fine but I did catch a few glimpses. It didn't feel the same and then like a fog lifting I noted her distinct lack of hips from behind.

TBH for €40.00 I was delighted. Normally that **** costs 5 or 6 times- not that I have done it since.

grounderfill · 09-08-2019 3:20pm

Worst Scam Ever - The Irish property market of the noughties before it all went wallop in 2007.
TO top it off, we haven't learned a single thing because we are in the midst of another Scam with the current property buble.
What's the scam - I think it's all summed up here

https://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/property-mortgages/timeline-ten-years-of-chaos-36156646.html

..."Taoiseach Bertie Ahern puts it bluntly: "Sitting on the sidelines, cribbing and moaning is a lost opportunity… I don't know how people who engage in that don't commit suicide."

First Up · 09-08-2019 3:34pm

Two entertaining hustlers;

Stopped by a guy in the souk in Agadir peddling a shop. Asked where I'm from; I say Dublin and quick as a flash he says "I have a brother in Swords"! I wonder how good a mental Roladex he needs to be able to do that for the dozens if not hundreds of places his targets name. Impressed but I didn't go to the shop.

On a street in Istanbul and a shoe shine guy walking in front of me drops some brushes. I draw his attention and he is so overcome with gratitude he insists on giving me a free shine. Of course as he does it I get the sob stories about his tough life, his dependent family etc. All good natured; we both know what's going on. I give him a few lira, complimenting him on the hustle. We both laugh.

ohnonotgmail · 09-08-2019 3:38pm

First Up wrote: »

Two entertaining hustlers;

Stopped by a guy in the souk in Agadir peddling a shop. Asked where I'm from; I say Dublin and quick as a flash he says "I have a brother in Swords"! I wonder how good a mental Roladex he needs to be able to do that for the dozens if not hundreds of places his targets name. Impressed but I didn't go to the shop.

On a street in Istanbul and a shoe shine guy walking in front of me drops some brushes. I draw his attention and he is so overcome with gratitude he insists on giving me a free shine. Of course as he does it I get the sob stories about his tough life, his dependent family etc. All good natured; we both know what's going on. I give him a few lira, complimenting him on the hustle. We both laugh.

I had something similar in agadir as well. One of the guys outside a restaurant trying to drag people in asked us where we came from. as soon as we said ireland he comes out with "conas a atá tú?"

Patrick2010 · 09-08-2019 3:45pm

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

I had something similar in agadir as well. One of the guys outside a restaurant trying to drag people in asked us where we came from. as soon as we said ireland he comes out with "conas a atá tú?"

I've had that in Turkey and Spain also

partyguinness · 09-08-2019 3:48pm

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

I had something similar in agadir as well. One of the guys outside a restaurant trying to drag people in asked us where we came from. as soon as we said ireland he comes out with "conas a atá tú?"

I had that as well out on the Aran Islands.

TheShow · 09-08-2019 3:49pm

the time my hot neighbour tricked me into riding her. true story.

decky1 · 09-08-2019 3:52pm

magic_murph wrote: »

Ex-Wife - said she would love me and the 5 kids forever.She took half my money and is now shacked up with a Nigerian prince.

I think you got good value for your money, mine spent all my money ,rode my friend for years and won't leave the house[cos half of it is hers.] only good thing yer man finished with her when they got caught.:D

xckjoo · 09-08-2019 3:53pm

Was working in a pub around 18/19. Man and woman came in at lunchtime and ordered food. Noticed that the guy got up and left after eating but that's not unusual. A few minutes later the woman calls me over in a panic. Her kids school called, he's really sick, husband not back with cash yet but she'll come back later to settle up, blah blah blah. Off she goes and I put the bill aside for later. It was a country pub so not that unusual. Lots of regulars and I wasn't there that long so didn't know them all. Of course we never saw here again and it dawned on me how suspicious their behaviour had been. TBH she could have skipped the story and just walked out the door after eating though. I'm not in the habit of tackling customers every time they get up from the table

decky1 · 09-08-2019 4:01pm

Getting marriedf

lmao · 09-08-2019 4:05pm

sugarman wrote: »

None, because I'm not a gullible moron!

If you say gullible really slowly, it sounds like oranges ...

Weird!

storker · 09-08-2019 4:12pm

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

The African guys who hang around the piazzas in all major Italian cities.

I was stopped by one of those when I was working in France in to 80s. Offered me a large gold-plated lighter for 20 Francs. I said no and he asked how much would I pay. Hoping to end the exchange, I offered 2 Francs thinking he'd tell me to feck off. He accepted, and I ended up walking away with a heavy desk lighter I hadn't even wanted and thinking maybe I should just have told him the truth - that I didn't smoke...

josip · 09-08-2019 4:23pm

decky1 wrote: »

Getting marriedf

Took her for better, got her for worse?

Gregor Samsa · 09-08-2019 5:32pm

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

I had something similar in agadir as well. One of the guys outside a restaurant trying to drag people in asked us where we came from. as soon as we said ireland he comes out with "conas a atá tú?"

We went on a Jeep safari in Morocco. All the rest of the passengers were Irish auld wans. All the places we stopped had local musicians playing Berber music. After a few songs, they’d stop and shout “SUCKIN’ DIESEL!” Obviously someone told them this was an Irish expression, and it had got around to everyone in the area. We were cringing. The auld wans thought it was hilarious though, and were lashing tips at them, so it worked.

Another night walking along with my wife quite late at night. All the restaurants were closing. There was a chef standing outside one having a smoke. As we walked past (silently) he goes “Allright bud, how’s it goin’“ - in a perfect thick Dublin accent. I looked in amazement. He just smiled and went back into the restaurant. They have an absolutely uncanny ability to know where everyone is from. For the first week, you get hassled at every step. The second week they totally leave you alone, because there’s fresh meat in and they know you’re a little wiser.

Last day of the (package) holiday, we were all on the bus leaving the hotel for the airport, but for some reason it wasn’t moving. Next thing a moped appears. It was the waiter that had been serving us breakfast for the 2 weeks (we were herded to the same area of the restaurant each morning). Turns out it was his day off, so he came in specially to “say goodbye” i.e. to collect tips. So he climbs on the bus and basically put his hand out to each and every one of us. The bus wouldn’t move until he was happy with his trawl.

decky1 · 09-08-2019 8:03pm

TheShow wrote: »

the time my hot neighbour tricked me into riding her. true story.

Tricked? LoL:cool:

decky1 · 09-08-2019 8:05pm

josip wrote: »

Took her for better, got her for worse?

That's just the way it is.:eek:

Austria! · 10-08-2019 11:17am

A good few years back now, got an unexpected windfall. Was about to claim it when the young fella sticks his head round the door. What's all the commotion he says. I've just won 25K in the lotto, son, that's what the commotion is. Well, he wasn't having this at all, starts going on about if I was ever in Spain (the lotto was Spanish), this can't be real, blah blah blah, giving it the whole Victor Meldrew treatment basically. Before I know it he has the letter out of my hand and thrown away so I'm not taken in by some scammers. 8 years later I see him at my sister Muriel's (third) wedding, and has a new dive watch. Was doing some scuba on a 6 month trip to travel Asia. Great experience he says, best 25K he's ever spent he says, smiling away like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.

fryup · 10-08-2019 1:26pm

The old american guy who used to hang around dublin city centre years back...he use to spin a yarn saying he was mugged the night before and his wallet was taken and needs the taxi fare to the american embassy....first time i encountered him i fell for it..then i read an article in the herald about him, seemingly he was doing this rouze up & down the east coast for years.

Didn't know whether to feel angry or pity for him, cause its a pretty pathetic way to go through life.

btw - is he still around?

MarkY91 · 10-08-2019 1:36pm

archer22 wrote: »

One at Manila airport a few years ago, after arriving on the long flight from Ireland myself and the wife got into a taxi at the airport and asked him if he knew any cheap reasonably priced hotels not too far away.
He informed us that he did indeed and said there was a nice one about 30 minutes drive away.So we said grand take us there, so we headed off and after 30 minutes driving up and down streets in Manila we arrived at a small little hotel...we paid taxi driver and even gave him a tip and got into hotel which was fine, reasonable price and clean room.
Next morning we got up fairly early and decided to go for a walk to see what kind of area we were in and where to get a taxi back to the airport later....Anyhow we walked down the path at the back of the hotel and climbed up a pedestrian bridge that crossed a main road, imagine our surprise when we got on the bridge and looked across, there was the phucking airport on the other side!
All we had done was got a taxi from the airport...went for a spin around the city and back to the airport again :pac:

You ended up in Pasay? It's at the airport but requires a stupid route to get to and heavy traffic so takes longer to drive than walk.

archer22 · 10-08-2019 4:11pm

MarkY91 wrote: »

You ended up in Pasay? It's at the airport but requires a stupid route to get to and heavy traffic so takes longer to drive than walk.

Possibly but in any case he could have just told us to walk across the road..it was only a few minutes on foot

Anyhow no matter taxi fares are low in Manila.

BorneTobyWilde · 10-08-2019 4:32pm

Nigerian Prince

mr_fegelien · 10-08-2019 4:41pm

fryup wrote: »

The old american guy who used to hang around dublin city centre years back...he use to spin a yarn saying he was mugged the night before and his wallet was taken and needs the taxi fare to the american embassy....first time i encountered him i fell for it..then i read an article in the herald about him, seemingly he was doing this rouze up & down the east coast for years.

Didn't know whether to feel angry or pity for him, cause its a pretty pathetic way to go through life.

btw - is he still around?

Could the American embassy not deport the guy?

gozunda · 10-08-2019 4:42pm

pgj2015 wrote: »

Are you from Cavan?

No - with a group clearly raised well by Irish mammies. The Moroccans didnt stand a chance tbh ...

10-08-2019 4:53pm

I've always felt scammed whenever I've spent more than usual on skincare products.

poisonated · 10-08-2019 5:00pm

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Could the American embassy not deport the guy?

Can they do that?

peasant · 10-08-2019 5:40pm

My grandfather stole my nose...fell for that one more than once

Worst scam you've fallen for

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