Strange early morning visitor

[Ted Max]

Mrs Ted (being of kind and tender heart) has just let someone in claiming she'd been locked out of her house and needed ?60 for a locksmith. I heard what was going on (working upstairs) and remembering this thread went down and gently suggested that she should call the police if she were locked out, as they'd surely help her. This got her moving towards the door but she seemed v plausible, gave an actual address she said she'd been locked out of and said she'd leave her mobile behind as security if we gave her the ?60. (she also said she'd accompany us to a nearby cashpoint if we didn't have any cash in the house, which seemed less meek!)

We're in Maxted Road, if you haven't guessed from my username. Hoping I did the right thing.

[MadWorld74]

that is really scarey. What do you think she'll do if she's let in!? I shudder to think.

[Jeremy]

I would have booted her out on her arse.

[*Bob*]

I have a nice space lined-up the the shed, all ready for this visitor.

And I recently saw 'Wolf Creek', so...

[Ted Max]

What do you think she'll do if she's let in!?

Mrs Ted did let her in. What she did was take a seat in the kitchen and plead for money until I turned up. Unless she was casing the house's security or planning to take something when our backs were turned, I'd say her plan is merely to plead for money - presumably some people must help her out or she wouldn't bother.

[MadWorld74]

I went home to tell Mr Madworld 74 about this as he's the type (soft and believing) to let this scamstress in! No way jose is she setting foot over my threshold. "Clear orf or I'll call the ol' bill" will be my chant. I still have nightmares about the person in the crash helmet let alone this one!

[alachlan]

I think this woman is fairly harmless but needs sorting out. She came round to my place a few months ago and I stupidly gave her a bit of cash, primarily to get her to fuck off.

She was, from memory about mid 20s, black, and reasonably well spoken. She'd done a little bit of research and tried saying she lived almost next door and that the electric meter had run out and she'd lost her purse etc. Did the "I'll come to the cashpoint thing" amongst others and eventually said she would leave a mobile with me, which turned out to be blocked and stolen. I took it round to the police and explained but clearly they weren't interested.

Maybe someone should let her in, get her talking and call the cops.

[Asset]

I had a woman like that, with very short hair and slender build, knock on my door over a year ago saying that she lived down the road and her electricity meter had run out and could she have a tenner to recharge her key, she was going to give me proof of address and everything, talking about having a six month old baby (she'd seen my pram). I knew she was lying when she said she didn't know my neighbour (he knows everyone in the street). She knocked on his door and he sent her away wth a flea in her ear and told me she'd tried it on with him some time before and he'd fallen for it.

I wonder if she's the same one with the locksmith story?

[flong]

For the benefit of anyone in the East Dulwich Road area... Looks as though the "locked out" woman is back - got a call on my door intercom at 20 past midnight from someone asking me for a word at the door. I asked what it was about, and she said she was a neighbour from number 37 (which is right across the other side of Goose Green from where I live) who was locked out of her flat. After I mentioned the fact that the police had leafleted us about this, she cleared off pretty sharpish.

Anyone else heard from her recently?

[MadWorld74]

what streets does she tend to hit on?

[Tamsin]

She's been round my way (Goodrich Road) but that was last year and she's not been back. She was in her 20s, black and said she needed ?4 for her electricity meter or her kids would get cold. Said she lived across the street. Was about 10pm. Like a mug I gave it to her. Pah!

[Bellenden Belle]

I was approached by her on the corner of Bellenden Road/ Maxted Road on Saturday - she was tearful and told me she needed two pounds to buy milk for her three week old baby. I refused but felt awful about it.

[ClareC]

I havent had anyone at the door bt was accosted in Camberwell when I lived there - a woman in tears wanting a pound for her electric meter so she could cook for her kids (whom she had left alone at home in the dark!!). Its sad that people use these ploys, in a genuine case most would help but its impossible to tell the genuine from the non genuine. That said I was accosted by a chap in Brighton who seemed very genuine so I gave him the money he asked for!

[smith]

Talking of cons... I was driving down Dulwich Common a few weeks ago (the top end after the Harvester)in slow-moving traffic. There was an old boy on a motor scooter who was propelling himself along by his feet. As a drew level he motioned for me to wind my window down and asked me for a pound or two as he'd "run out of petrol". I obliged with a couple of quid, but as I pulled away I got the strongest feeling I'd been had. The scooter didn't actually appear roadworthy at all and he was quite scruffy with a helmet that didn't fit. When I looked in my rear view mirror I could see him doing the same thing to other drivers. Don't know if he was just passing through or whether it's a regular ruse.

[MadWorld74]

There's also an inebriated bloke outside the seacow asking for 50p towards a packet of chips, regularly. This night time caller though sounds terrifying.

[ClareC]

Is that the one with a really nasty scar round his neck / lower face?

Begging for money is one think, coming to a persons door in the middle of the night to do it quite another!

[Quaywe]

I'll rest easy tonight knowing that I didn't fall for the "Electricity Metre Scammer" when she came knocking on my door. Honestly, do people really still fall for that crap? This is London!

A fair few people must be spitting tacks that they got sucked in to her little scams and coughed up. If there wasn't any money in it she wouldn't be doing it would she! :-S

[*Bob*]

I had a good one last week:

Approached outside Sainsburys, a woman asked my friend and I if she could return our trolley and keep the quid. Cunning, eh? It rules out the standard 'no change' response, and all you're left with is the 'sorry, no I want my pound' as you unload hundreds of pounds of luxury items into the car whilst the spotty glue-sniffer looks-on with pleading eyes.

Amusingly, I say 'no' and my friend said 'yes' - at exactly the same time. So she got the quid. Bah!

[MadWorld74]

yes ClareC there is this guy with the most horrific scar on the lower half of his neck, the two sides of skin are BOLTED together with metal stitches. He came up to me a while back and asked me for money. I adopted my best street slang (years of living on Murder Mile in Clapton!) and said I was broke. I knew that he has terrified people with his looks and have seen people running the opposite way when he approaches them. So I stood face to face with the guy and chatted to him. Treated him like a human being that he is. He thanked me for doing so and said that I was the only person who hadn't screwed up their nose and taken off when seeing him.

[ClareC]

Poor chap :(

I havent been approached by him myself so didnt realise the extent of it, only seen him when passing and not paying too much attention. He asked and was given money by my husband, the injury appeared fresh and the chap had said it happened in a pub (glass if I remember correctly)and subsequently he couldnt work and needed money.

[MadWorld74]

yeah that's him. I think he must be on the fiddle then, because he was fresh out of Kings, still had the wristband on! He was supping on some Tennants I remember and need money for food........

[*Bob*]

MadWorld74 Wrote:

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

I think he must be on the fiddle then,

You don't say!?

[Jeremy]

Don't give me that "poor chap" b*ll*cks.

He approached me a while ago, told me that he'd been stabbed in the neck. I was very civil but told him I didn't have any change (which was true). He then followed me into safeways, and when he saw that I'd been given change then approached me again.

Please nobody give this scumbag any money, hopefully he'll then sod off.

[MadWorld74]

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Shouldn't though should I!

[ClareC]

Certainly seems that way :'(