Big Issue sellers & intimidation tactics.A rant!

spike7451

Went up to Belfast today to do some business & parked my car on Great Victoria Street.When I went to the ticket machine,camped right next to it was a Eastern European (Albanian so I have been informed) woman selling the big issue.
As soon as I went to the machine,the begging began & when I went to put the money into the slot,her hand appeared next to it,almost as if I should put the money in her hand instead of the machine.
Now I've got nothing against people that sell the Big Issue,everyone has to survive somehow,but I felt that she was being intimidating by her sitting next to the machine,effectively trying to make you feel guilty.(well that's how I felt when I walked away)
As I walked down the road,the was another Albanian B.I seller sitting next to another ticket machine,and I saw these women sitting next to cash machines later on as well.In told,the must've been around five of them in the area.
On getting home,I called the PSNI & made them aware of these women & their tactics,I have been told they come up to Belfast begging & make quite a lot of money from it too.

pmduk

I'd complain to your local Big Issue office. I know in this area they're fairly strict with lots of rules for the sellers to follow. There are problems at the moment I believe with east Europeans buying copies in bulk and not bothering to register individual sellers so the local office may find your evidence helpful. (To be fair this may be apocryphal as I believe I read it in the Daily Mail.)

tgon

Probably beggars and nothing to do with Big Issue or its causes. I've never been hassled.

santer_2

Going between railway stations I walked past a Big Issue seller, then, as it was Christmas turned round and offered the cover price, to which he declined saying that he was looking for " at least a score "

So left him to it as he was probably nothing to do with the big issue

s_b

i wont buy big issue after watching a programme on look north detailing what they do with the money
i must add i always bought prior to that

catlad

i once conned by one back in 1997 the girl had a kid and she had a bag full and she needed 10pound she said for her kid i only wanted a one magazine that was pound so i give 10pound and she ran off and dumb the bag full of big issues then i found out she was a druggie and it it wasn't her kid. i think she dead now

bordercars

i find most BI sellers ok. i always look them in the face rather than try and ignore them, smile and say NO thanks, nearly always get a " cheers or thanks"

CWCDiver

Big Issue seller outside the Sainsbury over the road from Angel station was using an iPhone 4 the other day...

Bamber19

s_b wrote: »

i wont buy big issue after watching a programme on look north detailing what they do with the money
i must add i always bought prior to that

What do they do with it? Or is the quote below the answer:rotfl:

CWCDiver wrote: »

Big Issue seller outside the Sainsbury over the road from Angel station was using an iPhone 4 the other day...

Jump on the benefits board for a taste of an "It's their money they can spend it on whatever they want" outlook

paddyrg

TBI themselves are quite strict on no intimidation, no begging, no hawking whilst vending, no drinking alcohol whilst vending etc, so advise the local office. It may be that these beggers get a copy from a legit vendor and pose as BI vendors whilst just panhandling, the local BI office will track down and crack down on that happening.

What do BI vendors do with their money? What do you do with yours? Is it any of my business to get pious about? Is it better that they should be begging and shoplifting, or that they should be vendors learning some basic business skills, have a bit of a support and outreach network, and make an honest if meagre living selling a mag.

dealer_wins

For every genuine Eastern European BI seller/begger, I think there are about 50 scammers.

The worst are the ones who send their small children into pubs or restaurants, or get on the Tube.