Foreigners Begging...

[Panserhansen]

Being in Ayala in February, a guy in his thirties approaches me and asks if I'm American. Told him not, and he gave me a story about him being mugged and beaten up and that his gf was in Manila. He had a fresh scar above his lip and his story seemed quite genuine. He didnt have any needle marks on his arms, and seemed healthy.I asked if he had contacted his embassy, and he said yes but no help there. That confused me. Being a Norwegian citizen, they would allow me to use the telephone so i could call my bank for an emergency Visa or Mastercard. Would this be a common treatment at the embassy or consulate?I usually never give to beggars, but I felt there might be a slight chance the story was true, so I passed him 500 peso. He asked for my phone number to pay me back later, but I refused and told he could keep them.Is this common - foreigners approaching others begging for money? I've been in RP for a total amount of 6 months and that was the first time this happened. If the story was real they might have helped him, if not I still sleep well at night beacuse 500 peso is not that much.

[johnb]

Being in Ayala in February, a guy in his thirties approaches me and asks if I'm American. Told him not, and he gave me a story about him being mugged and beaten up and that his gf was in Manila. He had a fresh scar above his lip and his story seemed quite genuine. He didnt have any needle marks on his arms, and seemed healthy.I asked if he had contacted his embassy, and he said yes but no help there. That confused me. Being a Norwegian citizen, they would allow me to use the telephone so i could call my bank for an emergency Visa or Mastercard. Would this be a common treatment at the embassy or consulate?I usually never give to beggars, but I felt there might be a slight chance the story was true, so I passed him 500 peso. He asked for my phone number to pay me back later, but I refused and told he could keep them.Is this common - foreigners approaching others begging for money? I've been in RP for a total amount of 6 months and that was the first time this happened. If the story was real they might have helped him, if not I still sleep well at night beacuse 500 peso is not that much.

There is an elderly foreigner who patrols the streets down town, I've mostly seen him in the evenings up and down the streets by Pete's Kitchen and Century Hotel, he told me some months ago that he'd just came in from Thailand and was having problems accessing money via his Bankaccount, well he's still here and still begging, I would guess 6 months now, someone said he was Australian! or perhaps British.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Being in Ayala in February, a guy in his thirties approaches me and asks if I'm American. Told him not, and he gave me a story about him being mugged and beaten up and that his gf was in Manila. He had a fresh scar above his lip and his story seemed quite genuine. He didnt have any needle marks on his arms, and seemed healthy.I asked if he had contacted his embassy, and he said yes but no help there. That confused me. Being a Norwegian citizen, they would allow me to use the telephone so i could call my bank for an emergency Visa or Mastercard. Would this be a common treatment at the embassy or consulate?I usually never give to beggars, but I felt there might be a slight chance the story was true, so I passed him 500 peso. He asked for my phone number to pay me back later, but I refused and told he could keep them.Is this common - foreigners approaching others begging for money? I've been in RP for a total amount of 6 months and that was the first time this happened. If the story was real they might have helped him, if not I still sleep well at night beacuse 500 peso is not that much.

I have heard of this type of begging or scamming from foreigners before, could be that there are some who can't go back home even if they are broke because they are wanted in their own country by the law. :36_1_50[1]: Tom

[Mike S]

Hummmmmm .... the way the US economy is going maybe some of us will get to find out ......... I got dibs on the right hand corner of Osmena and Mango Ave ....... :36_1_50[1]: Julie told me about a US beggar in Manila who came from Pampanga who lost all his property when the volcano erupted years ago ....... he has been begging ever sense ...... the US government offered to send him home but he refuses ....... he apparently is quite a celebrity there and is interviewed by the news media every once in a while ...... he can sometimes be found on Quezon Memorial Circle in Manila ........

[twostrokes]

There used to be back in the day, half dozen that hung out in the Ermita Dist. when that was the red light dist. with nothing but bars there. If any of you remember Rosie's diner, there was also a cople hung in front of there. When I was in Angeles city there was also some there, American, Aussie, and a Brit for sure. I know one of them lived in a 6x10ft loft in the Market with his wife and 1 small child. Not a pretty site.Jim

[paul]

Be very careful who you trust in this country, especially foreigners.

[Panserhansen]

Be very careful who you trust in this country, especially foreigners.

I am generally aware of scams, and have avoided a couple of them(maybe not this one).During the conversation I immideately thought this was a scam, but I also felt there could be something in it. If not, this guy has a great talent as an actor.I didn't want to have any contact later, that's why I didn't give him my phone number nor telling where I stayed(he did not ask where we stayed). Do some of you guys have stories of foreigners scamming? Bring them on..

[Mr Lee]

Panser, over the years I have not met any expats who I would consider trying to scam me. There are some who say they do not have money to do things and it is possible that a nice person could feel sorry for them and try to help them out and what would be lost by doing that, just some pesos. I would rather be scammed for a few pesos than to think that I could have helped someone and I didn't. I have become very cynical over the years and I have had many an American try to scam me in the US and I only gave money to a few of them because I felt their story was real and it made me feel good that I did it and I think that is all that is important...... Like the money you gave, if the guy was really in trouble, then you helped him and if not, oh well, he beat you out of 500 pesos, as long as you had the extra money to give, no real harm was done IMHO and I think the same goes when we help out a poor Filipino.I would rather buy a person a meal than to give them money and I have done that a few times over the years and my wife and I often carried some snow flake crackers with us or we bought loafs of bread and when we saw a beggar who actually looked like they were starving, we would give them some. Sometimes I would buy a kid a hamburger or meal and give it to them when they were begging near a McDo or a Jollybee, and I felt like I had done something good and that is all that counts to me and they seemed extremely thankful. Now back on topic, there is one American guy named Paul to look out for and who just by looking into his eyes and seeing his frail body :any-help: makes you want to buy him a drink because those eyes just seem to be yelling out to you to buy him some Jack and Cokes or some San Mig and I just felt that I had to do that on occasion, but I think it was money well spent. :1806: Heck buying any expat a drink or a meal is money well spent and I only wish I was rich enough to buy them all meals and beer. :36_1_50[1]: I'll drink to that. :23_11_62[1]:

[twostrokes]

I'm not sure being scammed and being ripped off is the same thing. Can' t remember ever being actually scammed by an foreigner, but sure have been ripped off.Before I start this, I know I'M A SLOW LEARNER....I know that....anywayFirst time was when I sold a motorcycle to an American that I met after not seeing him for a few years At Sangley Pt. Cavite. He had joined the Navy a couple of years before me. We happened to be stationed at Sangley at the same time. I had a motorcycle I was selling and he wanted it. I let him take it with a few bucks down. I then proceded to hound h im week after week after week for more money which I never got. One day I spotted the bike off base. I knew how to start it without a key, so since I was walking, I just started it up and left. The next day I was stopped out in town by the cops....I didn't know why.It turned out he had sold the bike to a local cop....Long story short, I got it all sorted out, got the bike back but had a really big hassle on the base, as it was all done improperly. 2nd time...A guy I worked with when working in Crow Vally, another american had a grown son in the PI with him. His son wanted to buy my car which I had just totally restored. I found a truck I wanted and had bought it. Didn't h ave space for two so was gonna sell the car anyway. He is supposed to be getting a job on base at Wallace in La Union. I was coming back to the states for a month to take care of some business. He begged to use the car while I was gone and would pay me when I got back as he would have the month of work behind him. I didn't have parking for both anyway, so I said ok. Afterall I worked with his dad....He sold the car for a ticket out of the PI with the US Gov't on his tail..His job was working on the slot machines, and I guess he kinda helped himself to the till....3rd time....The last time I was there I became very very sick and had to leave the country in a hurry. I couldn't get my Bike, a Honda CB750cc or my truck sold...I had a good friend, an Aussie, I had known for 6 years...He had been there in AC much longer than that...When I got down to the wire, I wrote power of atty for him to handle the sale of the two. Well after not hearing from him for quite some time and I was in the hospital for a very long time nearly dead much of it, Anyway, I finely found out that he had sold them both, took the money and moved back to Australia with it. I found him there by phone and called him. He gave me some lame story about giving the money to an American who was going to do a bank to bank transfer, which was crazy. But, that was his story and he was sticking to it...Now after three times, I can assure you that I may make new friends when I return to the PI, but there will never ever be any type of financial deals with anyone. I have ZERO trust for anyone when it comes to money....and/or material things...Burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me, burn me the 3 time and I am just plain stupid...But I don't have to stay that way...If I make a mistake in judgement about someone, better it to be with my money and property still in my possession instead of theirs. May hurt some feelings someday, but still have my stuff.Jim

[Mr Lee]

Boy Jim, those are some sad stories, as you said yourself, you must be a slow learner or have sucker written on your forehead, Darn and I was hoping to sell you the island of Cebu when you got back. :welcome: Well can you at least buy a nice bike and let me use it. :cheers: Actually had so much time not passed already, I would say that you and I should go visit those guys and collect one way or the other. :728: :welcome: Oh well, I just hope they got what they deserved somewhere down the line. :lol: People like that do not deserve to walk this earth because they ruin it for good people and there are plenty of those out there as well :as-if: just harder to find.

Edited October 20, 2008 by Mr. Lee