Man in grey suit on Grove Vale asking for money

[Carol]

I wondered if anyone was approached by a young man in a grey suit on Grove Vale over the weekend, asking for money (enough to get to Sevenoaks) and claiming he'd lost his wallet.

To be honest, when he approached me he was drenched and upset, and I believed him, so I hope I haven't been conned.

[Otta]

With this sort of hing, it's best to just be satisfied that you did a good thing, and not dwell on it.

If he was/ is a con man, then he's scum, but you thought someone genuinely needed help, so you helped them. Good for you.

[PipD]

Used to have a few of 'characters' when I lived in Nottingham with various MOs, one would carry a petrol can and claim he had run out, and just needed a couple of quid to get home. Sometimes it was embellished with a pregnant wife. When I first arrived as a fresh faced uni student I gave money to all of them. You live and learn but as Otta says you did the right thing regardless.

[Carol]

Thanks, that's the nicest way to look at it I think. And I'm honestly not convinced he was a con.

[Sue]

Sadly I think it probably was.

If you had lost your wallet, would you not phone a friend or relative for help to get home, or maybe ask at the ticket office if they could help? Or the police?

I've done the same thing - gave someone money who claimed the same as your guy, then realised too late that it's highly unlikely someone in this position would approach a total stranger in the street.

Did he ask for your address so that he could return the loan? Has he contacted you?

Sorry.

But let's be grateful we're the nice people we are and not the con merchants, eh?

[pommie]

or wouldnt you go to the police station to report it too?

[TreacleRabbit]

I was approached on Friday Night by a strange looking guy in a tracksuit asking me to look at him because he'd 'been stabbed' top of derwent grove & Ed grove. He was asking for money. My friend says he did it the week before too!

[Mick Mac]

When did any one remotley connected with Sevenoaks need money. Think that was a giveaway.

[StraferJack]

bald guy? scar near his eye?

He's all over the area - one week he approached me 5 different times - I wouldn't mind as much if he recognised me and didn't have the memory of a goldfish

[pinkhalf]

I try to be nice in situations like these - but the longer you don't say anything, you tend to get the most ridiculous story imaginable which makes no sense. They try and push you into it before you have time to think.

I normally ask if there's anyone they can phone who can pick them up - they just get a bit aggressive after that. It's so unusual to have people ask for cash in this manner that it is always rubbish.

It's not that I don't help strangers, but pushy strangers... no.

[seanmlow]

I had a guy come up to me asking for ?5 because his truck had been clamped and he couldn't get home. He said he had losth is wallet and phone. I offered him the use of my phone and he said no.

Two weeks later he stopped me on L Lane and asked the same thing. When I told him I remembered him and he had asked me the same thing a few weeks before, he soon vanished!

[PipD]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> >

> bald guy? scar near his eye?

>

> He's all over the area - one week he approached me

> 5 different times - I wouldn't mind as much if he

> recognised me and didn't have the memory of a

> goldfish

There seems to be a lot of stabbing going on, can one of the usual doom-merchants start a thread on this please? ;-)

Other characters in Nottingham, more beggers than con artists, included a guy with a microphone wraped in tin foil who would do an improptu satnd up routine and a chap would would offer to sing you a song (who it turned out usesd to be famous, tipped for world wide fame the famous, before drink and drugs got the better of him)

[DulwichFox]

Whilst many people asking for Small amounts of money will often be dressed scruffy with accompaning dog,

there is the 'Professional' con-man dressed Very smartly who will ask for much larger amounts.

The usual spill is they have Lost their wallet : Left their briefcase on the train :Been robbed..

They will ask for specific amounts of money, say ?12.80 for their train fare.

They may take your number, or say they travel this way everyday and will reimburse you the next day.

This happened to a work mate of mine some time back. He was approached by an very well dressed Asian

gentleman asking for money.

Being Asian himself the two quickly struck up a friendly conversation and my friend thought he could trust

the other guy. My friend gave him around ?17.00ish

Not sure about what arrangement was made to pay back the money but.. He had been conned.

Then several weeks later the guy was back at the station conning other people.

We seem to trust well dressed smart people. These con men might even give you a number you can

call to veryfy their ID. this person will be in on the con..

Right I will stop there. I have given you all far too many ideas.

Fox

[Frankito]

*suit jacket on, heads for ED station*

[Carol]

Well, I hate to admit it but I think I have been conned, and I'll just put it down to experience. What a shabby way to make a living. Next time I'll suggest calling someone...perhaps the job centre.

[Spaceman]

My nephew is a great young man, but is forever losing his phone/ipod/wallet etc. Hopefully this guy was genuine and you helped him out. Probably not a good idea to give a potential con artist your phone to use though as they might do A RUNNER with it!

[Dee Woffaz]

Last evening there was a young woman asking for money outside Forest Hill railway station, she looked well dressed but sounded pretty desperate, but then she probably was. I am ashamed to say i walked by without giving her a second glance. I suppose the more we give to these people the more we will be harassed by them.

[Dopamine1979]

StraferJack Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> >

> bald guy? scar near his eye?

>

> He's all over the area - one week he approached me

> 5 different times - I wouldn't mind as much if he

> recognised me and didn't have the memory of a

> goldfish

This guy often pesters me when I'm on my way to work. I often see him in the off licence on corner of LL and East Dulwich Grove buying an 'eye opener'. He nearly had me convinced the first time but he was holding a can of Stella during his speech.

[Otto]

The bald guy who just was stabbed...yes. I fell for it once - he cried real tears as he was talking to me...anyway, he has asked again and again and again...I now keep my head down when I see him. He prob needs a bit of rehab and psychological care...

[Otta]

I saw him yesterday (not for the first time). Gave him a smoke, then a quid, but he just keeps asking for more (he wanted a pint).

I think he genuinely needs some help from mental health services.

[cab]

I've been asked for money by the scarred eyed grey tracksuit man. He hangs around on East D Grove asking people for money. He says he's been stabbed and just out of hospital all the time, then forgets and tells the same story to the same people again and again. He's and alcoholic - the police had to scoop him up as he was unconscious outside William Rose on ED Grove the other day. Then a few days later I saw him up and about but drunk. He needs help, I feel sorry for him but he does need to think up some new stories!

[Frankito]

Carol, conor no con, you didthe right thing at the time which involved helping out someone in need. Whatever the true story may be, your conscience is completely clear. And once bitten, twice shy isn't a bad lesson to learn. I am a sucker for a sob story but, have learned through poor experience to remove emotion and apply pure logic in such situations.

If I had lost my travel card I wouldn't be asking people in the street to fund my journey home, I would be in the station actively negotiating with the ticket office people and doing the big puppy dog eyes routine.

Don't stop being caring just because of one enterprising individual.

[sambless]

Man people in East Dulwich can be totally naive some times. If a young mother approaches you begging for money for baby food or milk, why not offer to buy the baby food or milk from Sainsburys if you can afford it. If a man asked for his train fair because his wallets been stolen, why not buy the single ticket from the ticket office. I can't believe you lot hand ?20 over so readily and then get home bitting your nails and make these kinds of threads.

[PipD]

sambless Wrote:

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> Man people in East Dulwich can be totally naive

> some times. If a young mother approaches you

> begging for money for baby food or milk, why not

> offer to buy the baby food or milk from Sainsburys

> if you can afford it. If a man asked for his train

> fair because his wallets been stolen, why not buy

> the single ticket from the ticket office. I can't

> believe you lot hand ?20 over so readily and then

> get home bitting your nails and make these kinds

> of threads.

?20?? where does it say that?

[Otto]

Bald man was scraped off the sidewalk while having some kind of bizarre fit a few weeks ago by the police. Today, he has been caught shoplifting booze in the coop and is currently with a bunch of police. Needs some serious rehab.