Would YOU pay £159 for a strangers train ticket?

Teacher2

There is a scam running at Gerrards Cross and nearby stations and those caught by it have posted their experiences on Streetview. A young, well spoken, attractive man (or woman) is seen in distress in the station car park and, when approached by soft hearted members of the public, they say they have lost their wallet. Often the kindly stranger will offer to pay for a ticket or to allow their phone to be used for a 'rescue call' which turns out to be a premium number.

I am not saying that people should be hard hearted or ungenerous but to be sceptical and wary. An offer of a ride to a police station for assistance or even to buy the ticket might put those after 'cash now' off.

gloriouslyhappy

This discussion reminds me of an incident I'd almost forgotten - many years ago when I was much younger and on a backpacking holiday in Thailand on a small island long before mass tourism or the internet, I was robbed of all my valuables. Fortunately I had my passport and air ticket separately, but was left with no cash or cards, and the credit card company said it would take three days to get a replacement card to a local bank when I used the call box outside the police station to phone them reversed charges. While I was wondering what to do, a German girl about my age came over and said she'd overheard my phone call. She introduced herself and offered to lend me money. After buying me a much needed cold drink (it was over 30*) and telling me where she was staying at a cheap backpackers 'hotel' and offering to pay my room or lend me cash til my card arrived, I gratefully accepted. In the event, it was just as well as when the replacement card arrived, it wouldn't allow any cash advances, only to pay for services, so I borrowed around £100 from her, got her bank details, and promised to pay her after I returned home in a few days time.
Which of course, I did immediately I got home. The bank charges were extortionate but I gladly paid them, and topped up the loan amount a bit as well. This was long before the internet existed, so I wrote to her c/o the Thai backpackers hotel and also her parents in Germany to thank her again and confirm the loan had been repaid. She was quite amazing - really helped out a complete stranger, and had no guarantee of being repaid, she just saw someone in need and came to help. She had no idea whether or not I would keep my word! Luckily for her, I did, and we corresponded for a few years before it tailed off to the odd christmas card.
I have repaid the favour by occasionally helping out by buying the odd bus ticket or cup of tea for strangers, but rue the fact that today, most requests for financial assistance are likely to be scams so I don't give cash. All this has made me reflect on how lucky I was to be the recipient of such generosity in a more innocent age.

Tricia1

I definitely would pay for it if I could afford it at the time. A good Samaritan did the same for me many years ago and trusted me to pay it back by posted cheque (I did not let him down) even though he did not know me from Adam. He did not even seem bothered if I would pay it back either, even though it was the equivalent of half my week's wages at the time so quite expensive. I too was tearful and at Paddington Station.

DCFC79

I'd have to gauge if it was genuine or not, I wouldn't just hand over the cash but would go with them to the nearest station and actually buy the ticket (if it wasn't genuine then I'd find out if they agreed to it or not), would get a taxi as it would be safer IMO.

wapow

I cant stand the crying. Seriously winds me up when "girls" fall into tears over such things. Its so prevalent these days.

Dird

Look at her pictures, maybe I'd pay hoping for a special kind of thanks...I'm sure the doctor was fantasising the same. Probably not for others though

People saying yes probably blank homeless people still like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y17DlMlDbic

wapow

Adult Tantrum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8xUAfct034


Another
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIyW_-6IILk


Loads like this. Spoilt birds "my daddy will" mentality

Dird wrote: »

Look at her pictures, maybe I'd pay hoping for a special kind of thanks...I'm sure the doctor was fantasising the same. Probably not for others though

People saying yes probably blank homeless people still like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y17DlMlDbic

XIII

Got stopped by an old couple in Tesco a couple of years ago and they told me they had lost their train tickets back home after a hospital appointment and needed some money for a room until their son came down to collect them. I parted with £50 on a promise they would send it back to me - still waiting so probably would struggle to part with £159 because my first thought would be its a scam.

meknowalot-51

My initial thought would be it's a scam,so i would ask to speak to her parents via her mobile.After asking a few questions and verifying the answers then i would either be reassured enough to help or realize my original suspicions were correct and walk on.

shaun7033

I once paid £5 for an old woman's petrol because she didn't have enough money to pay at the till.She was ever so grateful.