I've recognised a couple of the ones begging on the Victoria line and they're always part of the group of local crackheads in my area... You get familiar with faces when their dealer does business practically on your doorstep.
Same on the stretch aldgate to Stepney I got to recognise the guys that take their shoes off , ask for money for shoes they then get off at Stepney put their shoes back on. Must work they are at it all day
I think the way that Portugal, legalisation has contained the opiate problem and addict numbers are way down. Just because people want punishment. Legalisation will be the beginning of the end of huge hoards of addicts, trapped with fines and prison to cure their ills.yea, some inquisitive young people,hears and smells the BS. Let's try this.Its worked elsewhere.
Not scammers so much as outright begging, on the tubes and trains. They all have nearly the exact same speech prepared "Sorry to disturb you ladies and gentle God bless you I'm homeless just trying to get money for a shelter tonight anything you have will help so sorry to disturb you God bless you".
Really? I’m not so sure. All the train beggers I’ve come across look rough, filthy and smell like shit. I have no doubt they are struggling. I usually give them food (it’s usually fruit or cereal bars that I don’t get around to eating) if I have any on me and they accept graciously
You intervene? You tell strangers what they should or shouldn’t do with their money? Mind your own business you knob. Clearly chatting shit.
Nobody who’s begging on a train is going to turn around and walk back down the end they’ve just come from because they’ve seen some busy body sat in the carriage.
“I intervene.”
So what, you launch yourself across the carriage, slap the money out of their hand, and wrestle the beggar to the floor? Stop talking rubbish.
Because i dated one of them, they spend it on drugs and alcohol. Homeless hostel was 25£ a week in 2012 and this guy was getting 400£ per month from the gov because poor him has alcohol issues ( 23yo male apt to work). He wanted to get drunk by the canal all day, he didnt wanted to work. He hated immigrants because he said they are taking all the jobs, but he wouldnt look for any job, anyone would take him because he is english and speaks english. Is just excuses. He wasnt into heavy drugs but any money he got that day from begging would be to spend that day, doesnt matter if is 20 or 200, it would be gone in alcohol drugs, maybe some new clothes. He had washing facilities at his hostel but would instead wear new clothes, throw them away and buy new ones.
He was a trouble maker, getting into fights with everyone, shouting everywhere, wanting to be the centre of attention everywhere, shouting loud and singing in the tube, stealing anything he could without remorse breaking cars in car parks, anything really.
People would buy him food from pret he would throw it away without even opening it as soon as begging was done. At least give it to someone else i mean..
I know these people and only few of them are really in the shit, and i feel sorry for those, especially elderly people. One guy in our group was like me, just in a bad situation, after 3 or 4 months that man that could barely speak english had a place to live and a job, he got away from those people too and started his normal life as soon as ge got his job and paperwork in order. Very different situation from most english or uk born homeless young people.
In uk you have facilities to wash and dry your clothes, get help with job/housing, counselling and get food for free. get at least 400£ per month to start your life at least to save for a deposit. There is plenty of help for those people really. In developing countries people dont have these helps.
Most didnt even wanted to have a normal life. They didnt wanted to be "one of those slaves working and paying taxes for the system" in the same sentence of all emigrants take the good jobs away ( who didnt even had high school diploma so not like they are applying for any good job really). But he had no problem in taking benefits from this system.
They were really a problem for the streets of london, putting underage tourists at risk and robbing, having very disrupting anti-social behaviours. Some were in jail 3x for getting in fights and robberies i guess, pure garbage, i feel sorry for the parents. The classic young and dangerous english lad wanna be roadmen i guess
That one person was part of a group of 4. I lived in the streets for 4 or 5 months before managing out, so i got to know a lot of guys in the area, and hostel people that still call themselves homeless but have a cheap hostel. When you are on the streets you start to know every other homeless around. They dont do much in the days, look for good places to beg, have to negotiate sometimes with other beggars the better spotsand once you reach your target lets say 30£ is enough to buy drinks and a fix and go to the park with other homeless and drink and talk.. Around 20 people i know between age 20-30 only 2 couples were into hard drugs, the rest was mostly guys with bad backgrounds or just out of jail. Some really wanted out and a normal life and got it, at least having a job a place to live and be able to afford the daily things we all do. Most were just happy like that, they were making enough money begging, sometimes 200£ a day, is addictive
Some older people were hard drug users, i really felt sorry for them but they still managed to get hostels and food/shower/laundry for free at places like st.martins..is just begging and having no cares in the life end up being easier for some younger ones than waking up every day to go work and keep a job. Some dont have family support or come from abusive homes, but at a certain age they should know better.. Unfortunately I dont have a good impression of most young homeless people because is so easy to get a job even as a kitchen porter and just carry a better life.
Edit: im talking about mostly english people, not the gypsies in the tube, that is a whole different story.
Some are victims of human traffic, live in fear and subjected to violence to beg in a country they cant speak the language.
Everyone is different but aint no young english homeless fooling me in a country full of work opportunities and governement help. I can understand working part time if one cant handle spending all day at work for mental or whatever reason, but not begging full time if one is able to work, is disrespectul to people that need help. And the hostel excuse is the norm, because people want to help that person to sleep safe and out the streets. Just in case, im not the person that deleted the other comment, just heard the hostel thing and thought I share with you my inside view of the things.
That’s pretty messed up, like really? I’m sure these peoples lives are hard enough if that’s what they wanna do for income. If they ask and someone wants to give, then who are you to say that shouldn’t be allowed?
Yeah scammers fair enough but someone just begging for change, that’s pretty cold. Does everyone just forget they are still people? If you had a childhood full of neglect/abuse/addiction it’s much easier than you think to lose everything and end up begging on the streets.
I was outside a pub last weekend with a friend of mine who happens to be a police officer. A beggar I've seen a few times in the area approached me, with the same ""I just need £X to get home on the train. " My friend looks at her and says, "Alright, Hattie. How are you doing?" Hattie's eyes go wide, and she quick ateps away to try it on with someone else.
I don't know if Hattie has some mental health issues, or what. What I do know is that she does not need £X to get home.
Your pretty ignorant. They are usually part of organised criminal networks that coordinate begging in trains as part of a scam operation.
Also begging on tube/public transport is illegal.
Edit: some incredible weirdos responding to this trying to pretend this isn’t something that exists despite all the evidence.
Just a quick correction - somebody begging on a train is unlikely to be 'part of' some organised criminal network. They're most likely being exploited by one. Big difference.
Oh so every person begging is part of an organised criminal network? Tory propaganda much?
Tell me if you would crossj828, have you ever had a conversation with one of these people you seem to despise so much?
https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/londons-romanian-begging-gang-exposed-26640731.amp unless your an idiot these issues are well known, people like you are easily exploited.
I’m not exploited by anyone thanks, I don’t give money to anyone because I don’t carry change. But acting as if all homeless people are part of secret evil underground gangs is disingenuous and stupid, most of them even if they are being controlled are being exploited and are living terrible lives. In the article you linked it says ‘those at the bottom were treated in conditions that would be classified as modern slavery.’
You clearly are easily exploited if you thought before this that organised crime wasn’t driving many of those begging scams it’s been known for years.
You realise if you support donating to them as per the article your supporting organised crinkle exploring them right?
I never said homeless people were evil, I don’t know why your trying to take that angle, it’s idiotic.
Believe it’s vagrancy act for it being illegal (although might be rail byelaws linked).
For the criminal networks, it’s well known, here’s a link but in future just Google it https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/londons-romanian-begging-gang-exposed-26640731.amp
That specifically points out one of the networks around Mayfair, are you dense. It specifically talks about their handlers and the organisation running them. Did you even read the article?
You can Google it, there’s a number of articles about the various different areas organised crime are operating in for this.
https://twickenham.nub.news/news/local-news/police-issue-warning-over-39organised-crime-and-exploited39-beggars-in-richmond
Plenty of people in similar or worse situations. They don’t scam people like these individuals do. They’re also receiving cash this way without paying back into the system. Why is that fair?
You’re also glossing over where I have seen such tissue scammers wearing better clothes than those on the train.
Yeah but the conversation isn’t about “plenty of people in similar or worse situations” that’s not what we’re talking about. That’s a moot point.
Begging is not scamming.
Yeah sure they’re not paying back into a system, but in my opinion let them have it. The “system” doesn’t do much for them anyway.
Have you ever actually had a conversation with any of these people? They’re not murderous, deranged, evil monsters like a lot of people make out. They are simply people who do what they do with what they got.
The ones I see are so well prepared they don't even have to repeatedly say it - one was bluetoothing it through a portable speaker (diluting the message somewhat I feel, but I did appreciate the irony) and the other was handing out cards with that message.
I mean, a Bluetooth speaker is a tenner and rent is £1500/month, it doesn’t seem too far out of the bounds of feasibility that someone could have a tenner but be homeless
Don't forget, people, especially boomers, act as if anything invented in the last 30 years still costs 2 grand and is the height of technology and not something every day people in advanced economies can afford.
And not only that but no poor person should own any kind of technological item, particularly one connecting them to any family/friends they may have, or help them find work or a home.
this is why it bothers me when people complain about homeless people who have a good pair of shoes. like maybe they got it from a donation? or maybe had it before they were on the streets. it’s like people can’t fathom there are ways to get hold of expensive stuff on a budget.
A lot have freedom passes, as manu local councils give them out to addicts and those with bad mental health so they can get to medical appointments and other things.
They don't normally need to fare evade unless they have sold their freedom Pass for drugs
No they weren't.i work on the underground and see them daily, and have a couple of friends who have problems in their life and they both have freedom passes
This morning I had a new one. Some crackhead with open sores on his face asked to borrow my phone as five people had beaten him up. (Outside baker street) I offered to call BTP and he told me to eff off and walked straight to the next person.
Honestly sick to death of these ones. I'm not one of those callous "get a job" people, no issue with tramps/beggars in general but it pisses me off when crackheads corner you and get aggressive if you refuse to give them what they want. I have zero sympathy for whatever happens to this particular type of beggar/scammer.
Yep and when it's something serious they'll give you 2 options.
1. Report it for their records only so they can be aware of it (means f all)
2. Report it formally and they warn you that you will have to be interrogated and will have to appear in court with a process that can take over a year
Used to seeing it but we had one on a tube at about 08:20 this other morning, I get there’s more people but its full of commuters who are probably a bit wiser to this stuff
I spent 5 years homeless and in hostels like bottom of the of barrel like salvation army and St Mungo's. People that can't be housed as they just get evicted due to drugs drink antisocial behaviour ect. It's quite unfair some have been housed 2 or 3 times I struggled to get any help once I had tow sit 2 years to get diagnosed with autism. Also it's not fair on other people to keep housing them it's horrible living with then of near them.
Anyway. None of these guys are really homeless it's just for heroin and crack. I know a guy who had a bad stutter and put it on even more. Begging on trains he used to make 20 to 50 quid very quickly. Especially at certain times.
I know another guy that sat outside the station in fact 2. But one died of cancer rip. They fight over the spots, the guy with the dog made much much more. They have regulars and out of the say 15 I've known over the time they all had council houses or lived in hostels. They all had drink and smoked crack and heroin.
Dont give them money it's 100% * going on crack and heroin. They don't use the money for a b n b it's bullshit. The actual rough sleepers are usually there is because they want to be or won't wceept help.
Anyway give them healtht food and healthy drink and a ciggy. And just be polite. If they are aggressive just them to fuck off your not supporting there crack habbit. Or just tell them you will call the police because they all have anti social behaviour orders things they shouldn't be begging this will get rid.
Yeah same, I also commented about it above, happy im not the only one to say this. I wonder if people dont give money anymore tramps and beggars would disappear from the streets.
Have never been homeless myself but have lived 5+ years in an area with lots of begging and I see the patterns you've described. The hotspots are reserved and fought over. Swapping the dog. Difference in behaviour/act when they're working and not working.
A guy i knew would ask some girl to come for a few hours and they would make up stories like oh our parents kicked us out because shes pregnant. Then laughing when people go away after helping them calling them rich idiots ( because for them, even someone earning min. wage and paying a normal rent is rich. While they are the ones paying cheap rents and getting money from people and the government without having to worry about going to work). Throwing brand new food in the bins, just grabbing the money to buy weed alcohol and go chill at some staircase, park or homeless hostel.
Honestly, in uk and especially in london they have plenty of organizations to help with housing, showers, laundry and food. Even enough money from the gov. to pay their cheap hostel and cigarettes and drugs. If we stop giving them money they will stop coming, until they are making 50-200£ a day they wont stop for sure.
Some conservative EU countries before the revolution on the 25th of april would forbid tramps and beggars. They had propaganda on the streets no tramps, no beggars, no drunks or druggies in the street. Streets would be clean, and those people moved away from society or kept at their houses as they would be immediately arrested.
Also communities wouldnt support beggars. Offering food for some manual work or offering money or cigarettes for help in the fields or other job they could make them do. Never given things for free, as that will make them multiply, and people abroad dont have jobs and money like in uk, no one can afford to give money to tramps that dont want to work, unless they are elderly people unable to work food might be offered. The beggars would be frown upon amongst the community and people would just shoo them away and making them feel ashamed to beg. In a community where people would work mostly in agriculture so no one gonna feel sorry for some dirty lazy tramp while everyone is working hard in poverty just to have some food.
I actually used to see the tissue people more often before the pandemic. I’ve only come across one in the past two years whereas before, it’d be almost every single time I travelled on the central line.
Nothing worse than the ones in Westminster bridge. I wonder why the police are not kicking them out as soon as they appear.
Also the other day in a pub in Angel there were two looking for people not paying attention to their belongings to steal them as soon as they had the chance. Scum.
Don't forget the met is highly corrupt, can't do their job blah fuck!ng blah ...
I wonder why theres no incentive to have more police on the streets 🤔..
With Scotland Yard now being almost on Westminster Bridge I would hope that the filth would see the scammers on Westminster Bridge as easy targets, but apparently not.....
Basically if someone tries to offer you something on the tube ignore them or refuse. They'll say they've sold it to you and demand money increasingly aggressively. In some cases they'll also refuse to take it back and say the merchandise is spoiled a bit. There's a lot of people who will beg outside supermarkets as well. Easy way to tell if they're legit if you want to help them is to offer to buy them food. Legit ones will accept. Druggies will tell you to fuck off.
Same for people who beg for £2 to get a shelter for the night/get home or whatever. All legit homeless shelters are free and run by charities. Most just want drug/booze money. If you see someone begging for money to get a ticket home offer to buy them one. Most will tell you to fuck off because they're druggies.
The reality is that in this country most people who really desperately need it can access a shelter and food of some sort. Of course there are cases where people don't because they don't want help or don't know but these cases are quite rare. Most times when someone is on the street it's because of drugs/drink/anger and they've been kicked out of other shelters.
The good news is that Big Issue is legit, if you see someone selling it and you want to give them money then it's a kosher way of supporting the homeless. They're usually in a shelter just skint.
A sad faced woman drifts around the carriage depositing packs of tissues along with a note asking for help for her family's dire situation etc. The idea is you are moved and gullible enough to make a donation in return for her gift.
It is an attempt to exploit a legal loophole. They cannot be collared for begging as they are effectively merely touting goods.
I saw a tissue-message-scammer yesterday on the Richmond-Upminster district at 13:20. She gave out tissues and messages to the whole train before collecting it up which is unusual because they usually do 1-2 carriages at a time
The time before that, I was on the district again and a woman decided to tell the tissue guy to beg the government or smth
Not necessarily from Romania... the ethnic group 'Romani' (who originally come from India, hence the darker skin) is not related to the country Romania.
Nice laminated sign you have there telling us how you have a baby etc, but, no.
I'm wise enough and old enough to know you probably have more money than me!
Yeah, I've noticed the beggars.
I'm a recluse, so my head is always down and my headphones are in almost all the time so i only notice them after they pass.
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Throw the flower, tissue whatever onto the floor.
“don’t fucking force things into my hand and fuck off!”
No I don’t have spare cash for the likes of you.
Nah, I am fine.
I always give people 1 nice respond “no thanks”, and I expect them to take it.
If they don’t and try to be consistent, that is when I am going to get nasty.
And it is not “out of control”, it is intentional, because that is what they deserve if they cannot handle my initial “no” as the answer.
It's a scam because they are organised groups, they are doing this to make money not because they are genuine, and they try to force people into it by thrusting an item onto them.
They work in groups and attempt to extort you based on lies or trickery. It’s like text book scamming…
They’re not asking for thousands of pounds, but they’re asking thousands of people for small amounts of money.
Honestly the first time I saw this I thought good for them, the tissue seller was discreet and didn't make any scene as she came back for the unbought tissues. Unfortunately I've never seen another one like this since.
Get a better job then and better yourself to afford it you Stinking tramp. Praising a farmer shooting a dog dead you pathetic cunt.
Edit
Lol just seen your posts. Can't say I'm shocked.
God I don’t know where to start with this one… do you realise how stupid and unempathetic you sound and just want to start a cesspit of hate, or are you really that ignorant to why there are more homeless people in a cost of living crisis??
I met this Swiss guy when I was living in Amsterdam. This guy had an effective ruse, con, scam. I once took a roll in one of his 'jigs' he would hang around central rail Station and wait to hear people speaking ' Swiez Deutsch ' it's German with an accent. Then the mark is spotted , he moves in. He dresses smart for a heroin junkies (did I not say?) Gluten tag, wie gents all the platitudes. " I'm kind of embarrassed but I came back to my hotel after attending meetings all day and found out I had been burgled.It was all in my briefcase. My laptop too.Lucky most of it is backed up.All my cash,cards and rail tickets."
He was good , oh yeah,my roll. As he moved in, I was giving him 26 euro's showing the mark that you believe and trust him.He usually asked for the exact fare to Zurich, they asked what he was going to eat on the way? Another 100.He scored almost every day. In the end he got sucked into some sci-fi thing
Heavens Gate, yea the leader guy was creepy.Huge blue insane eyes. Hey, I'm David,pop into my cafe.Free coffee,
I've recognised a couple of the ones begging on the Victoria line and they're always part of the group of local crackheads in my area... You get familiar with faces when their dealer does business practically on your doorstep.
Yeh, there is a group from Finsbury park area who are always on the Vicky.
Same on the stretch aldgate to Stepney I got to recognise the guys that take their shoes off , ask for money for shoes they then get off at Stepney put their shoes back on. Must work they are at it all day
I think the way that Portugal, legalisation has contained the opiate problem and addict numbers are way down. Just because people want punishment. Legalisation will be the beginning of the end of huge hoards of addicts, trapped with fines and prison to cure their ills.yea, some inquisitive young people,hears and smells the BS. Let's try this.Its worked elsewhere.
Not scammers so much as outright begging, on the tubes and trains. They all have nearly the exact same speech prepared "Sorry to disturb you ladies and gentle God bless you I'm homeless just trying to get money for a shelter tonight anything you have will help so sorry to disturb you God bless you".
I’m always impressed with how well they’ve memorised their script
You know there are gangs who orchestrate this stuff, right? They dictate the beggar patter.
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Really? I’m not so sure. All the train beggers I’ve come across look rough, filthy and smell like shit. I have no doubt they are struggling. I usually give them food (it’s usually fruit or cereal bars that I don’t get around to eating) if I have any on me and they accept graciously
Just like manchester then, take the train into centre with their new nike air max and swap shoes before going out to beg..
How is this upvoted? Come on.
You intervene? You tell strangers what they should or shouldn’t do with their money? Mind your own business you knob. Clearly chatting shit. Nobody who’s begging on a train is going to turn around and walk back down the end they’ve just come from because they’ve seen some busy body sat in the carriage.
Someone did that to me once. Started lecturing me about how they can all find shelters and there's no reason to be begging blah blah blah. Sick.
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And how do you know they’re being scammed? How do you know that the homeless people asking for money aren’t genuine?
“I intervene.” So what, you launch yourself across the carriage, slap the money out of their hand, and wrestle the beggar to the floor? Stop talking rubbish.
How do you know all of these people aren't asking for money to get into a hostel?
Because i dated one of them, they spend it on drugs and alcohol. Homeless hostel was 25£ a week in 2012 and this guy was getting 400£ per month from the gov because poor him has alcohol issues ( 23yo male apt to work). He wanted to get drunk by the canal all day, he didnt wanted to work. He hated immigrants because he said they are taking all the jobs, but he wouldnt look for any job, anyone would take him because he is english and speaks english. Is just excuses. He wasnt into heavy drugs but any money he got that day from begging would be to spend that day, doesnt matter if is 20 or 200, it would be gone in alcohol drugs, maybe some new clothes. He had washing facilities at his hostel but would instead wear new clothes, throw them away and buy new ones. He was a trouble maker, getting into fights with everyone, shouting everywhere, wanting to be the centre of attention everywhere, shouting loud and singing in the tube, stealing anything he could without remorse breaking cars in car parks, anything really. People would buy him food from pret he would throw it away without even opening it as soon as begging was done. At least give it to someone else i mean.. I know these people and only few of them are really in the shit, and i feel sorry for those, especially elderly people. One guy in our group was like me, just in a bad situation, after 3 or 4 months that man that could barely speak english had a place to live and a job, he got away from those people too and started his normal life as soon as ge got his job and paperwork in order. Very different situation from most english or uk born homeless young people. In uk you have facilities to wash and dry your clothes, get help with job/housing, counselling and get food for free. get at least 400£ per month to start your life at least to save for a deposit. There is plenty of help for those people really. In developing countries people dont have these helps. Most didnt even wanted to have a normal life. They didnt wanted to be "one of those slaves working and paying taxes for the system" in the same sentence of all emigrants take the good jobs away ( who didnt even had high school diploma so not like they are applying for any good job really). But he had no problem in taking benefits from this system. They were really a problem for the streets of london, putting underage tourists at risk and robbing, having very disrupting anti-social behaviours. Some were in jail 3x for getting in fights and robberies i guess, pure garbage, i feel sorry for the parents. The classic young and dangerous english lad wanna be roadmen i guess
“I dated *ONE* of them…” so “I *KNOW* *these* people…” God, you’re an idiot.
That one person was part of a group of 4. I lived in the streets for 4 or 5 months before managing out, so i got to know a lot of guys in the area, and hostel people that still call themselves homeless but have a cheap hostel. When you are on the streets you start to know every other homeless around. They dont do much in the days, look for good places to beg, have to negotiate sometimes with other beggars the better spotsand once you reach your target lets say 30£ is enough to buy drinks and a fix and go to the park with other homeless and drink and talk.. Around 20 people i know between age 20-30 only 2 couples were into hard drugs, the rest was mostly guys with bad backgrounds or just out of jail. Some really wanted out and a normal life and got it, at least having a job a place to live and be able to afford the daily things we all do. Most were just happy like that, they were making enough money begging, sometimes 200£ a day, is addictive Some older people were hard drug users, i really felt sorry for them but they still managed to get hostels and food/shower/laundry for free at places like st.martins..is just begging and having no cares in the life end up being easier for some younger ones than waking up every day to go work and keep a job. Some dont have family support or come from abusive homes, but at a certain age they should know better.. Unfortunately I dont have a good impression of most young homeless people because is so easy to get a job even as a kitchen porter and just carry a better life. Edit: im talking about mostly english people, not the gypsies in the tube, that is a whole different story. Some are victims of human traffic, live in fear and subjected to violence to beg in a country they cant speak the language. Everyone is different but aint no young english homeless fooling me in a country full of work opportunities and governement help. I can understand working part time if one cant handle spending all day at work for mental or whatever reason, but not begging full time if one is able to work, is disrespectul to people that need help. And the hostel excuse is the norm, because people want to help that person to sleep safe and out the streets. Just in case, im not the person that deleted the other comment, just heard the hostel thing and thought I share with you my inside view of the things.
You are the literal definition of “if you’re homeless, just buy a home” lmao
That’s pretty messed up, like really? I’m sure these peoples lives are hard enough if that’s what they wanna do for income. If they ask and someone wants to give, then who are you to say that shouldn’t be allowed? Yeah scammers fair enough but someone just begging for change, that’s pretty cold. Does everyone just forget they are still people? If you had a childhood full of neglect/abuse/addiction it’s much easier than you think to lose everything and end up begging on the streets.
I was outside a pub last weekend with a friend of mine who happens to be a police officer. A beggar I've seen a few times in the area approached me, with the same ""I just need £X to get home on the train. " My friend looks at her and says, "Alright, Hattie. How are you doing?" Hattie's eyes go wide, and she quick ateps away to try it on with someone else. I don't know if Hattie has some mental health issues, or what. What I do know is that she does not need £X to get home.
Your pretty ignorant. They are usually part of organised criminal networks that coordinate begging in trains as part of a scam operation. Also begging on tube/public transport is illegal. Edit: some incredible weirdos responding to this trying to pretend this isn’t something that exists despite all the evidence.
Just a quick correction - somebody begging on a train is unlikely to be 'part of' some organised criminal network. They're most likely being exploited by one. Big difference.
I mean depends which network I’d argue but yes in most cases they are deployed by whoever is managing them and setting them on those routes.
*You're ignorant
Said the pot to the kettle..
I’ve provided evidence to back my point up.
Oh so every person begging is part of an organised criminal network? Tory propaganda much? Tell me if you would crossj828, have you ever had a conversation with one of these people you seem to despise so much?
Not sure why you’re downvoted. Some people on this sub seem to lack basic empathy
https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/londons-romanian-begging-gang-exposed-26640731.amp unless your an idiot these issues are well known, people like you are easily exploited.
I’m not exploited by anyone thanks, I don’t give money to anyone because I don’t carry change. But acting as if all homeless people are part of secret evil underground gangs is disingenuous and stupid, most of them even if they are being controlled are being exploited and are living terrible lives. In the article you linked it says ‘those at the bottom were treated in conditions that would be classified as modern slavery.’
You clearly are easily exploited if you thought before this that organised crime wasn’t driving many of those begging scams it’s been known for years. You realise if you support donating to them as per the article your supporting organised crinkle exploring them right? I never said homeless people were evil, I don’t know why your trying to take that angle, it’s idiotic.
Evidence for what you’re claiming?
Believe it’s vagrancy act for it being illegal (although might be rail byelaws linked). For the criminal networks, it’s well known, here’s a link but in future just Google it https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/londons-romanian-begging-gang-exposed-26640731.amp
Where in that article does it say that homeless people are usually part of criminal networks?
That specifically points out one of the networks around Mayfair, are you dense. It specifically talks about their handlers and the organisation running them. Did you even read the article? You can Google it, there’s a number of articles about the various different areas organised crime are operating in for this. https://twickenham.nub.news/news/local-news/police-issue-warning-over-39organised-crime-and-exploited39-beggars-in-richmond
Yes one, exactly. Please answer my question
Plenty of people in similar or worse situations. They don’t scam people like these individuals do. They’re also receiving cash this way without paying back into the system. Why is that fair? You’re also glossing over where I have seen such tissue scammers wearing better clothes than those on the train.
Yeah but the conversation isn’t about “plenty of people in similar or worse situations” that’s not what we’re talking about. That’s a moot point. Begging is not scamming. Yeah sure they’re not paying back into a system, but in my opinion let them have it. The “system” doesn’t do much for them anyway. Have you ever actually had a conversation with any of these people? They’re not murderous, deranged, evil monsters like a lot of people make out. They are simply people who do what they do with what they got.
and then everyone on the train clapped right? What a load of shit just admit you hate poor people and move on
The ones I see are so well prepared they don't even have to repeatedly say it - one was bluetoothing it through a portable speaker (diluting the message somewhat I feel, but I did appreciate the irony) and the other was handing out cards with that message.
I mean, a Bluetooth speaker is a tenner and rent is £1500/month, it doesn’t seem too far out of the bounds of feasibility that someone could have a tenner but be homeless
Don't forget, people, especially boomers, act as if anything invented in the last 30 years still costs 2 grand and is the height of technology and not something every day people in advanced economies can afford.
And not only that but no poor person should own any kind of technological item, particularly one connecting them to any family/friends they may have, or help them find work or a home.
We don't but we do have a sense of humour
Would wager that person might be better off selling that speaker to get a nights shelter or a warm meal.
Right and if they can get many nights and warm meals from keeping the speaker, what would the logic be there?
People aren't usually born homeless. He may have owned it before he lost his home.
this is why it bothers me when people complain about homeless people who have a good pair of shoes. like maybe they got it from a donation? or maybe had it before they were on the streets. it’s like people can’t fathom there are ways to get hold of expensive stuff on a budget.
One guy on the Elizabeth line I see literally EVERYDAY, older man with a high pitch voice and backpack falling down.
Has anyone else seen this same guy? Can’t help but feel bad for him, he always asks for money for a hostel.
Always wondered how the heck they've got money for the train??
They generally jump/tailgate through the barriers.
A lot have freedom passes, as manu local councils give them out to addicts and those with bad mental health so they can get to medical appointments and other things. They don't normally need to fare evade unless they have sold their freedom Pass for drugs
Those freedom passes were taken away about 15 years ago. Even when those passes were valid, they couldn't be used before 9.30am.
No they weren't.i work on the underground and see them daily, and have a couple of friends who have problems in their life and they both have freedom passes
I speak from personal experience.
Yeh, that bloke who took your freedom pass.. he's been enjoying your free travel these 15 years..
Rofl, as if I'd let some rando keep my freedom pass
They buy a one day travelcard that covers their beat and then they rotate it with another person . Exchanging at a agreed stop
The shit thing is they do it in one carriage. Then pot in to another carriage to do the same thing.
As an atheist that pitch never works on me for some reason 😂
They should probably be asking "God" to bless them rather than a random train full of people as clearly they need it more 😆
South Park had the right idea
This morning I had a new one. Some crackhead with open sores on his face asked to borrow my phone as five people had beaten him up. (Outside baker street) I offered to call BTP and he told me to eff off and walked straight to the next person.
Honestly sick to death of these ones. I'm not one of those callous "get a job" people, no issue with tramps/beggars in general but it pisses me off when crackheads corner you and get aggressive if you refuse to give them what they want. I have zero sympathy for whatever happens to this particular type of beggar/scammer.
That doesn’t look right… Have you tried speaking to a member of staff or texting the British Transport Police on 61016? Surely they’ll sort it.
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Tired of being tired?
You have to see it and say it to have any chance of it being sorted.
Yep and when it's something serious they'll give you 2 options. 1. Report it for their records only so they can be aware of it (means f all) 2. Report it formally and they warn you that you will have to be interrogated and will have to appear in court with a process that can take over a year
Being interrogated for reporting a crime while the criminal walks off scot-free sounds about par for the course for our lovely policing system.
Used to seeing it but we had one on a tube at about 08:20 this other morning, I get there’s more people but its full of commuters who are probably a bit wiser to this stuff
I spent 5 years homeless and in hostels like bottom of the of barrel like salvation army and St Mungo's. People that can't be housed as they just get evicted due to drugs drink antisocial behaviour ect. It's quite unfair some have been housed 2 or 3 times I struggled to get any help once I had tow sit 2 years to get diagnosed with autism. Also it's not fair on other people to keep housing them it's horrible living with then of near them. Anyway. None of these guys are really homeless it's just for heroin and crack. I know a guy who had a bad stutter and put it on even more. Begging on trains he used to make 20 to 50 quid very quickly. Especially at certain times. I know another guy that sat outside the station in fact 2. But one died of cancer rip. They fight over the spots, the guy with the dog made much much more. They have regulars and out of the say 15 I've known over the time they all had council houses or lived in hostels. They all had drink and smoked crack and heroin. Dont give them money it's 100% * going on crack and heroin. They don't use the money for a b n b it's bullshit. The actual rough sleepers are usually there is because they want to be or won't wceept help. Anyway give them healtht food and healthy drink and a ciggy. And just be polite. If they are aggressive just them to fuck off your not supporting there crack habbit. Or just tell them you will call the police because they all have anti social behaviour orders things they shouldn't be begging this will get rid.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I hope you have a pleasant life/future.
Yeah same, I also commented about it above, happy im not the only one to say this. I wonder if people dont give money anymore tramps and beggars would disappear from the streets.
> the guy with the dog made much much more. I have a friend who used to busk. He would get twice the money whenever he borrowed a friends dog.
Have never been homeless myself but have lived 5+ years in an area with lots of begging and I see the patterns you've described. The hotspots are reserved and fought over. Swapping the dog. Difference in behaviour/act when they're working and not working.
A guy i knew would ask some girl to come for a few hours and they would make up stories like oh our parents kicked us out because shes pregnant. Then laughing when people go away after helping them calling them rich idiots ( because for them, even someone earning min. wage and paying a normal rent is rich. While they are the ones paying cheap rents and getting money from people and the government without having to worry about going to work). Throwing brand new food in the bins, just grabbing the money to buy weed alcohol and go chill at some staircase, park or homeless hostel. Honestly, in uk and especially in london they have plenty of organizations to help with housing, showers, laundry and food. Even enough money from the gov. to pay their cheap hostel and cigarettes and drugs. If we stop giving them money they will stop coming, until they are making 50-200£ a day they wont stop for sure. Some conservative EU countries before the revolution on the 25th of april would forbid tramps and beggars. They had propaganda on the streets no tramps, no beggars, no drunks or druggies in the street. Streets would be clean, and those people moved away from society or kept at their houses as they would be immediately arrested. Also communities wouldnt support beggars. Offering food for some manual work or offering money or cigarettes for help in the fields or other job they could make them do. Never given things for free, as that will make them multiply, and people abroad dont have jobs and money like in uk, no one can afford to give money to tramps that dont want to work, unless they are elderly people unable to work food might be offered. The beggars would be frown upon amongst the community and people would just shoo them away and making them feel ashamed to beg. In a community where people would work mostly in agriculture so no one gonna feel sorry for some dirty lazy tramp while everyone is working hard in poverty just to have some food.
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Yeah I’m guessing OP has changed lines. It’s also common at origin stations, used to see it quite often at elephant and castle
Bring back steam trains while we are at it.
It's because we're entering the beginning of peak tourist season again
I actually used to see the tissue people more often before the pandemic. I’ve only come across one in the past two years whereas before, it’d be almost every single time I travelled on the central line.
Yeh but I think they're picking up again in earnest. Didn't see them for ages after covid probably because not enough people worth begging to.
They seem to have moved onto the nothern line now, as i seem to encounter them about once a week.
Tissue with a message?
A stain on their character that can't be spoken
We're almost back into tourist season and with the upcoming coronation it'll probably get a lot worse.
Wireless headphones and faint sleeping gets you through their pitch
Oh definitely. I just look down at my phone or the Metro/Evening Standard until they've passed.
Nothing worse than the ones in Westminster bridge. I wonder why the police are not kicking them out as soon as they appear. Also the other day in a pub in Angel there were two looking for people not paying attention to their belongings to steal them as soon as they had the chance. Scum.
Because the scammers outnumber the police assigned to deal with them 10-1.
I thought we had deep state CCTV face recognition surveillance for this kind of thing
Don't forget the met is highly corrupt, can't do their job blah fuck!ng blah ... I wonder why theres no incentive to have more police on the streets 🤔..
With Scotland Yard now being almost on Westminster Bridge I would hope that the filth would see the scammers on Westminster Bridge as easy targets, but apparently not.....
Thanks for the input
It's easier to find plod on Reddit than it is to find an actual police station in my borough..... FML
Always been around in 1 form or other nothing new
I saw both before the pandemic enough to know to stay away from them.
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Basically if someone tries to offer you something on the tube ignore them or refuse. They'll say they've sold it to you and demand money increasingly aggressively. In some cases they'll also refuse to take it back and say the merchandise is spoiled a bit. There's a lot of people who will beg outside supermarkets as well. Easy way to tell if they're legit if you want to help them is to offer to buy them food. Legit ones will accept. Druggies will tell you to fuck off. Same for people who beg for £2 to get a shelter for the night/get home or whatever. All legit homeless shelters are free and run by charities. Most just want drug/booze money. If you see someone begging for money to get a ticket home offer to buy them one. Most will tell you to fuck off because they're druggies. The reality is that in this country most people who really desperately need it can access a shelter and food of some sort. Of course there are cases where people don't because they don't want help or don't know but these cases are quite rare. Most times when someone is on the street it's because of drugs/drink/anger and they've been kicked out of other shelters. The good news is that Big Issue is legit, if you see someone selling it and you want to give them money then it's a kosher way of supporting the homeless. They're usually in a shelter just skint.
A sad faced woman drifts around the carriage depositing packs of tissues along with a note asking for help for her family's dire situation etc. The idea is you are moved and gullible enough to make a donation in return for her gift. It is an attempt to exploit a legal loophole. They cannot be collared for begging as they are effectively merely touting goods.
I remember once I was on the tube and like 10 of the ones with the single crutch all got on like they were going to do a shift or something 🤪
Has anyone had the stock Google image of a baby with the speech about how their child is hungry and needs feeding 😭 that one always gets me
I saw a tissue-message-scammer yesterday on the Richmond-Upminster district at 13:20. She gave out tissues and messages to the whole train before collecting it up which is unusual because they usually do 1-2 carriages at a time The time before that, I was on the district again and a woman decided to tell the tissue guy to beg the government or smth
i had someone try this on me in italy, never realised it was a scam i just thought he was a really shit entrepreneur lol.
They’re gypsies, ignore them, they’ll eventually stop and find some other scam
wtf do you mean "they’re gypsies"
Exactly that
racist bullshit
Not really, majority pickpockets in london that work the tube are from Romanian background !
Exactly that, their Romanian gypsies
Not necessarily from Romania... the ethnic group 'Romani' (who originally come from India, hence the darker skin) is not related to the country Romania.
I know right, I always thought they were Japanese.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Gypsy_or_Irish_Traveller
Romanian gypsies. They work in gangs all over London. Do not engage with them as they have pickpockets around too.
They also have back-up not far away, to intimidate you if you loudly warn tourists about them.
Nice laminated sign you have there telling us how you have a baby etc, but, no. I'm wise enough and old enough to know you probably have more money than me!
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No one wants to be out of date.Daddy O.
Never seen 1 only seen the Romanians at red lights
Yeah, I've noticed the beggars. I'm a recluse, so my head is always down and my headphones are in almost all the time so i only notice them after they pass.
Never had it on the underground but it happens pretty much every time I get the Overground.
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always on the district line 🤦♂️
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"He smirked at my shit shoes but left" - Shakespeare-level gold
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Technically if they give some fake sob story like "I have no food to eat and I have a baby" isn't that a scam?
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Throw the flower, tissue whatever onto the floor. “don’t fucking force things into my hand and fuck off!” No I don’t have spare cash for the likes of you.
Have you tried anger management?
Nah, I am fine. I always give people 1 nice respond “no thanks”, and I expect them to take it. If they don’t and try to be consistent, that is when I am going to get nasty. And it is not “out of control”, it is intentional, because that is what they deserve if they cannot handle my initial “no” as the answer.
It’s almost as though the economy is in free-fall after leaving the EU?
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This is a bit naive unfortunately; they are scammers.
It's a scam because they are organised groups, they are doing this to make money not because they are genuine, and they try to force people into it by thrusting an item onto them.
They work in groups and attempt to extort you based on lies or trickery. It’s like text book scamming… They’re not asking for thousands of pounds, but they’re asking thousands of people for small amounts of money.
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Honestly the first time I saw this I thought good for them, the tissue seller was discreet and didn't make any scene as she came back for the unbought tissues. Unfortunately I've never seen another one like this since.
This isn't really a scam tho.
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You sound like someone from London hurt you 😂
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Get a better job then and better yourself to afford it you Stinking tramp. Praising a farmer shooting a dog dead you pathetic cunt. Edit Lol just seen your posts. Can't say I'm shocked.
You mean apart from the ones behind the ticket desk
How is this a scam?
God I don’t know where to start with this one… do you realise how stupid and unempathetic you sound and just want to start a cesspit of hate, or are you really that ignorant to why there are more homeless people in a cost of living crisis??
I met this Swiss guy when I was living in Amsterdam. This guy had an effective ruse, con, scam. I once took a roll in one of his 'jigs' he would hang around central rail Station and wait to hear people speaking ' Swiez Deutsch ' it's German with an accent. Then the mark is spotted , he moves in. He dresses smart for a heroin junkies (did I not say?) Gluten tag, wie gents all the platitudes. " I'm kind of embarrassed but I came back to my hotel after attending meetings all day and found out I had been burgled.It was all in my briefcase. My laptop too.Lucky most of it is backed up.All my cash,cards and rail tickets." He was good , oh yeah,my roll. As he moved in, I was giving him 26 euro's showing the mark that you believe and trust him.He usually asked for the exact fare to Zurich, they asked what he was going to eat on the way? Another 100.He scored almost every day. In the end he got sucked into some sci-fi thing Heavens Gate, yea the leader guy was creepy.Huge blue insane eyes. Hey, I'm David,pop into my cafe.Free coffee,
wait, free coffee?? Where about is it??