… Not the scammers.
Good afternoon from Notre Dame Cathedral, where I’m soaking up a few rays of light.
However a new breed of people have seemed to infested this city – the scammer.
Here’s a few examples encountered in some of the big tourist areas:
– The ring found on the floor scam and someone offering it to you (Champs Eelysee
– the ball and three cups game near the Effiel Tower
– a new one of sign a petition and donate to our cause (ensuring you speak English first).
– the friendship bracelet scam
– the interesting sight of people who run away when the police turn up with Effiel towers in their hands
And so on. Even at Gare du Nord someone tried to guilt me with the “speak English” scam/beg routine, and also at Notre Dame.
And it does it’s fair share of bringing down a place in my view….
Or as some would say – it leaves a sour taste in my mouth… And I know that taste isn’t down to the Orangina….
I was accosted at the TGV station at CDG after a transatlantic flight. A little woozy from the flight, I simply answered “Bu Yao, Bu Yao” (Chinese for I don’t want it). The look on the girl’s face was priceless, and I did not even realize I spoke in Chinese.
My wife and I suffered through the petition scams when we were there a couple of years ago. We had to get a little forceful for them to quit hassling us sometimes…
strangers on the street ( mostly in thailand) ask me where I am from, I say Rhodesia, interestingly enough, some of them say they have a brother or sister that live in Rhodesia and want to talk about it further.
The gold ring scam is an old Paris classic!
These scams are organised by gipsy gangs from Romania. The best is to avoid them.
This truly makes me avoid cities and maybe countries all together. Sigh
If I was blunt: me too
In Italy, learn how to say phrases such as “grazier no” and in Paris “merci, non.” It’s not that har to be firm, but polite. When politeness fails, have more appropriate phrases to use before breaking contact.
*grazie no. The spell checker did it I swear.
I wouldn’t call any of these scams “new” – even to Paris. I’d actually consider these scams quite common in Paris and Rome…