Latest Scam

[Wood spinner]

This is the latest scam around my area

Dig dong on the door bell

Open the door and confronted by a African man offering a handshake

Hollo Sir my name is Anthony I live just down the road , I work for the Royal Mail and don't get paid until tomorrow , We have no electric and have just had a baby , Could you help me out with £10 until tomorrow ?

So what do you do ? slam the door in his face or show some compassion ?

£10 handed over sort of makes you fell good helping out someone in need

3 day later has the £10 been returned , NO it hasn't , Taken for a mug , How can people do this and still sleep at night

Yes it was me that was will to help another human

[Twisted Trees]

Speak to your neighbours, he probably had £10 from 20 houses that evening.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Sorry to hear you have been taken in like that, the trouble is it makes you less likely to help another person in real distress, I am afraid I just assume these days that everyone is on the make unless I know them.

[BrianH]

different cultures have differing standards.
A few years back I was in Strasbourg in the outside seating area of a reasonably crowded restaurant. An Eastern European family were semi hiding behind a street ornament while the mother went from table to table asking for food by poking her finger into whatever she fancied. The diners at the first two tables were so shocked she got away with it but at the third she had a fork jabbed into the back of her hand for her troubles. 
Brian

[fuzzyturns]

The trouble with the fork response is that you may end up in jail for several years for physical assault, whereas I have never heard of anybody getting sent to jail for stabbing their fingers into someone else's pudding (although I do think this should be punishable).
As far as the original story is concerned, I think I would want to see some ID, and if I don't know the guy then I am afraid it's a no-go.