Dead Mother scam - still going

[garnwba]

The woman is still knocking on doors asking for ?38.50 for a taxi fare as she needs to get up to Chelsea hospital because her Mother has just died. After the event i've read on this forum that she has tried it hundreds of times before. Anyway she got nothing but a "really" and then the door closed from us but just a warning that i'm sure she'll come knocking on your door soon.

[SteveT]

She will get another 'really' then when she knocks here.

How about: Yeah she's better off out of it;-)

Thanks for the warning Garnwba.

[KalamityKel]

which area is she currently targeting?

[Mark]

and please could you remind us what she looks like

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Youngish looking but is probably late forties. About 5'5", dark brown, good complexion, a little plump, wearing a hat.

[ratty]

FFS ?38.50. She could get a bus in the same time for ?3.50! Cheeky bitch!

[falcao]

She sounds like a right dead motherf**ker.

[Rolo Tomasi]

Tell her to get the 345 from Peckham Bus Garage next time she turns up.

[Keef]

Ratty and Rolo have beaten me to it, but I was going to say, it might be worth pointing out that if her mother has already died, there really isn't any great rush, so public transport should be fine.

[SeanMacGabhann]

for some reason I'm reminded of the scene in Ferris Bueller where Ed Rooney is trying to call Ferris' bluff:

"- Ed Rooney

- Ed, this is George Peterson.

- How are you today, sir?

- Well, we've had a bit of bad luck.

Yeah, I heard (about your mother dying) I'm all broken up

Boy, what a blow

Yeah, it's been a tough morning.

We've got a lot of family business.

If you wouldn't mind excusing Sloane,

I'd appreciate it.

Sure, I'd be happy to

You just produce a corpse,

and I'll release Sloane

I want to see this dead grandmother

first-hand

It's all right, it's Ferris Bueller

I'm setting a trap for him

Ed, I'm sorry, did you say

you wanted to see a body?

Yeah, roll her old bones over here

and I'll dig up your daughter

That's school policy

Was this your mother?

No, my wife's mother.

"

[4hw]

This character just tried to scam me! I was too shocked by her stupidity to say anything rude. She's changed her story slightly now in that she asked me if I lived alone and tried to imply that my flatmate had told her he'd give her the money if she came back with her passport, and the taxi seems to have gone down to a flat ?38. Mother still dead though.

Anyway, beware the residents of Fenwick Road...

[Otto]

She came to my door sat morning...she said the 38.00 was for a locksmith to gain entry into her mothers place after a lengthy dead mother, dead sister and dead brother story. I suggested she go down to the locksmith on lordship lane and he would happily help her. She then looked at me and said "Oh, and I am pregnant too". I told her the shop was not that far away. She was a more than a bit psychotic in her story delivery...and scared me.

oh, and she said she was a neighbor from a neighboring street - she said she lived at 65 Melbourne Grove...which i am sure is false but I am mentioning it to let you know what neighborhood she was working last sat....

she is middle-aged, has glasses and a hat, black, plump. Her bag is striped canvas.

best, otto

[4hw]

Interesting. Definitely the same woman - I remember her white sunglasses. She feigned willingness to leave me her passport and bank statement as security for the money - I wonder what she would have done if I'd taken her up on that? When I said, "I'm sorry, I can't help you." she immediately backed down. Found that a bit surprising, I thought she would put up more of a fight.

[nylonmeals]

she tried us months ago - this was for a locksmith as she had been mugged and the police wouldn't believe her!

[Huggers]

She's already been recently prosecuted for fraud on the locksmith scam. The police know who she is and where she lives, so best thing is to give them a ring and tell them she's still at it.

[benjaminty]

Hmmmm why hasn't anyone called her bluff? If she knocks I'm going to find out which hospital and offer her a lift ... be quite pushy about it and see what happens...

I'm not working today .... really need her to call and make my day a little more interesting.

[HonaloochieB]

Good idea Benjaminty, make sure you get her name right, it's Bates, Norma Bates.

[rifleman harris]

Maybe you should say "Oh you poor thing, I'll drive you there" Get your car keys and walk towards your car. See what she does then. If you dont have a car grab any keys and walk to whatever cars parked outside.