A cautionry tale:

On the way home from a Baptism in Bath, at the end of a 3hr drive back to SE London. About 3 miles from home I spot a young girl, in obvious distress with a petrol can in hand, waving frantically. It is about 11.30pm and in a fairly dodgy area (generally) but a safe residential street.

I pull over, and ask what is wrong - she tells me that she has run out of petrol and asked a guy to lend her some money to get home. He had agreed and taken her off to find a ATM, but after a while 3 other guys appear and suggest she "stays the night" with them. She runs off and is petrified.

I offer to drive her back to her car (about half a mile away) and ask what is wrong with the car. I suspect it is just fuel but am no mechanic so suggest that she gets a cab back home (Luton). I speak with her father on the mobile, assume him all is OK and leave her with the £35 for the cab. I have her mobile and her fathers mobile no.

As I drive away I realise that apart from the phone numbers (1 of which I haven't tried - hers) I have no other means of contacting her to retrieve the money. After numerous calls over the last few days it is fairly apparent that the number she gave me is fake and her "father" now unwilling to pick up the phone.

OK, £35 is not much, and I was a bit nieve for taking things at face value - but it is a shame that someone doing a "good dead" is screwed over.

Other than give up on getting the money back - is there anything else anyone suggests??

 

Sorry to hear that, some people are scum. Not too much you can do really. How about posting the number on here for the Scoobynet massive to have some fun with? Maybe he'll get bored and send you the money?

 

I'd have probably done the same thing. Offered her the £35 to get home, or driven her myself.

Only I'd have asked what was in it for me.

 

Just got to write it off to experience mate. Shame really as if you now saw a young girl who genuinely was in trouble you probably wouldn't stop. I'd have done the same thing in that situation, especially if she was fit

Was walking into town one evening to meet a mate for a drink when this middle aged woman came up to me crying with some sob story about how she needed to contact her daughter, no money, etc. I would have offered her the use of my mobile but luckily the battery was on it last gasp and I wanted to preserve it in case my mate had to ring regarding meeting up. If I'd have given it to her I doubt I'd have seen it again. Anyway gave her a few £ for the phone box, she suddenly cheered up and headed away, I followed as I was going the same way, must have passed at least 2 phone boxes didn't go in one of them. Off to find her next victim I guess (or dealer). Cow