woman asking for money door to door

[Cam123]

Has anyone had a woman come to the door asking for money for her electric meter? I just had my "neighbour" come and ask for ?6 so that she can heat the kids' dinner. I told her to fetch me a bill with her address on....

She introduced herself as Lisa, was in her early thirties i'd say, black, and quite tidy and pleasant (by which i mean she didn't start shouting at me when i started to pull a here-we-go face).

[ludoscotts]

hi yes I had her knock at my door last year same story, promised she would return the money when her hubby came home from work. I didnt believe her really but little nagging doubt in the back of my mind thought what If I was in that situation etc, etc and I was heavily pregnant which she played on. I didnt really want to say no as I thought if it did turn nasty Im in no position to defend myself and she knew I was in the house on my own. Wont ever fall for it again though! ive put it down to experience.

[Cam123]

I don't blame you in the slightest; in that situation i'd have done the same thing. I'm female and was home alone and only went for the "show me a bill" option because it seems to negate the situation whereby a confrontation could occur.

Unfortunately she really was quite good at it - i can imagine rather a lot of folk being taken in by her. If anything she just slightly overplays the kiddy needing feeding part.

I hope she doesn't read this and take that as a tip for her future acting performances.

[missd]

Ha ha! Love the thought of her reading this and taking our advice on her acting skills!

I had this same woman knock on my door last week and I almost believed her. However, something didn't seem right - she only had her phone on her, no house keys and where was the child that needed feeding? I wouldn't have left my child at home. If anything, I would have brought him/her along to back up my story.

My son started crying and I used him as an excuse and just apologised saying I had to go.

[Andystar]

Can i ask which road(s) this is happening on??

[SteveT]

She came to my place (barry rd) some months back but I was sceptical about her story so said go elsewhere. She has been written about on here before, the lying lazy fraudulent toad.

When people like her come knocking at your door it makes it so much more difficult to react positively for a genuine person in need.

I would call the police next time as she must be known to them, because she's been at it for years.

[ayresc]

had this last year, ask her to bring the bottle or food to your house to heat it up, that'll shut her up. Then follow her outside shortly afterwards and clock the reg.

scheming f^ckers, get a job like the rest of us.

[clux]

she came to my house in nunhead last year with exactly the same story about needing to heat up her kids milk - i offered to heat up a bottle for her if she wanted to go and get one. never saw her again!

[ludoscotts]

hi it was on overhill road when she got me with the story.

[Cam123]

she was starting to well up at one point so she did seem desperate, even if the story was rubbish - she didn't have an obvious drug vibe though.

She even shook my hand!

[SteveT]

Cam123 I will be delighted to shake your hand for half the amount she wanted:))

[Cam123]

Well there's a gentleman - ?3!

[TheAllSeeingEye]

Careful when shaking hands, soon as they have hold of you they can pull you out of the front door and do god knows what.

Having said that, Id tell her to get lost. Its no better than burgulary coming to your door annd bullying you and making you feel guilty.

Reminds me of the Big Issue sellers that hang out on Lordship Lane everyday, then get in their car and drive home at 5pm, b**tards.

[woofmarkthedog]

It's what..

" SMOKING CRACK COCAINE " does to people

Sad but true

W**F

[Sue]

TheAllSeeingEye Wrote:

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

>

> Reminds me of the Big Issue sellers that hang out

> on Lordship Lane everyday, then get in their car

> and drive home at 5pm, b**tards.

xxxxxxxxxx

Is that true? The Big Issue sellers outside Somerfield? I find that a bit hard to believe, TASE. If you can convince me that it's true, they won't be getting any more money from me.

The people who piss me off are the ones who sit outside Londis (opposite the Palmerston) on Friday and Saturday nights. What do they do the rest of the week? Haven't seen them lately though.

[TheAllSeeingEye]

Im serious, I work on Lordship Lane and everyday I look at them with disgust ... they have also been seen betting in BetFred.

[woofmarkthedog]

TheAllSeeingEye Wrote:

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

> Im serious, I work on Lordship Lane and everyday I

> look at them with disgust ... they have also been

> seen betting in BetFred.

_______________________________________________________

Look...

???? & Mic mac need some respite

Betfred hits the spot

[hpsaucey]

HHm - there's a guy outside Londis. Last time I saw him he said he needed money for a ticket somewhere. Knew it was phoney but decided to give benefit of the doubt. When I gave him a quid (I'm pretty skint at the mo) he just said 'Is that all?'. I was pretty p***ed off!

Do you mean the ladies outside Somerfield - are they the ones that get into a car at the end of the day??? Guess no law against having a car but I don't think I could afford to run one at the minute.

I'm all for giving people the benefit of the doubt but there are a lot of scammers out there giving real Big Issue sellers and those in genuine need a bad name.

H

[katie1997]

hpsaucey Wrote:

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

When I gave him a quid (I'm

> pretty skint at the mo) he just said 'Is that

> all?'. I was pretty p***ed off!

Grrr....that is annoying.

You should have said "you're right - I'll have it back then"

[woofmarkthedog]

In..

San Francisco a beggar asked me...

" got a dollar for a coffee pal "

I actually had a fresh coffee in my hand, so I gave it to him. But he continued to hold his hand out at me

"What" I asked

"A dollar, I still need a dollar " he replied

"You liar" I thought, as I handed him that dollar

( I mean what are these people like ? )

W**F

[Only me!]

A polite decline to give money but a genuine offer of food, assistance or even a lift ...... will usually show the true intentions of the requester. (is that actually a word?)

Never, so far have the people begging outside Peckham McDonalds taken a ?2.00 burger & Chips, rather than the ?1.00 cash they requested.

[globalskier]

Going back to the original topic I too answered the door to the same woman about a year ago. Goose Green end of Crystal Palace Road. I thought the whole thing quite strange, but gave her the benefit of the doubt and handed over ?3. She was talking to her "husband" on her mobile and offered me the phone to talk to him myself to back up the story, which I declined. She promised to return once her husband was home to repay the money. As the days passed I started feeling incredibly stupid for having been taken in. Having also been a victim of the "tea towel boys" I will simply not answer the door anymore unless it's the postman or a friend.

[hpsaucey]

Had the same. My mum bought sandwiches for some girls begging for food - this was in Leicester. They took them and as we walked away we saw them throw them in the bin! Maybe they had food allergies etc. but to chuck them away ...

[The Minkey]

"she was starting to well up at one point so she did seem desperate, even if the story was rubbish - she didn't have an obvious drug vibe though."

Unfortunately, that's all part of the act. It was quite common when we lived in Brixton a few years ago - maybe they've burned out their welcome there. Some other scams:

Distraught woman, crying fit to burst, claiming to have been attacked, bleeding from where she's picked at her scabs.

Smartly dressed person claiming to need money for petrol - can't remember what the excuse was.

Asking for money for travel ticket to get home, to Brighton or similar, because they've been robbed.

Man asking for ?1 in exchange for a handful of coins, when you get your coins out to see whether you've got one, he swiftly scoops the lot and makes off.

[Siduhe]

There is a very long, similar thread from last year - if it is the same woman, she is fairly well known around these parts:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,211732,211732#msg-211732