
Originally Posted by
digitalron
Scammers know that most Filipinos still have a kind heart that is why their depredations continue.
By the way, I have had two unusual (to me at least) experiences with people asking for money.
First was in Greenbelt around four years ago, it was late afternoon. A guy in his mid to late 40s approached me and asked for fare money because he claimed he lost his wallet. Not terribly unusual... except for one thing: he was a North American Caucasian! He was wearing smart casual (short polo tucked in, beige slacks, and brown leather shoes), and he spoke in an educated manner. At first I refused to give him money but he was insistent (but relatively polite) so I ended giving him twenty pesos just so he would leave me.
The second was while walking along Buendia going towards South Super Highway around two or three years ago. It was night and very few people were around me. Just past Export bank, a somewhat tall Filipino guy with a bonnet approached me, and said "Sir, I'm sorry to bother you, but do you have some spare change for me?" I was taken aback because he looked like a street tambay but when he spoke, he had a nice inflection! He didn't sound like someone trained in a call center; he sounded like he was a well-mannered, well-educated, fluent person. Of course I was a bit troubled because no one was around the area... and he was taller than me, so I gave him a fistful of coins (mixed five and one peso coins, didn't really bother counting).
Have any of you encountered similar stuff?
I still do get the usual woman and child who need fare money, older guys who claim they have a sick child, and other similar stuff; but those two specific incidents really burned in my brain because of their being so unusual.