A man talks to a friend on stage while I’m on the phone. When I hang up, she transfers five euros to him via Paypal. She will never see the money again. Since then, I have seen the man every time at Stuttgart Central Station.
The scam
The scam is simple and always the same: the fraudster talks to people and tells them a story – their wallet was stolen or their card was taken out of the ATM. He says he just wants to go home. For an online ticket he needs some money, which of course he pays back – after all, you have his data. So some people transfer money to his Paypal account. His style is bold but effective.
Most of the time the person speaks English. He looks like any other passenger at the station: smart clothes, combed hair and luggage.
If you refuse to give him money, he won’t be sad and will politely say goodbye – then move on to his next victim.
Fraud succeeded
The next time I see the man again, the first thing I think is a coincidence. Maybe he just looks a lot like the guy who cheated his girlfriend out of money. But I also see this person talking to a stranger from a distance. I am paying attention. A few days later I see the man again – and every time he seems to want money.
The next time I’m waiting at the platform, a woman is sitting next to me. She has her luggage between her legs and is looking at her cell phone when she is spoken to. I see the situation from the corner of my eye and I am ready to intervene. Because the man has lost trust.
When I greet him with the words “Didn’t I see you the other day?” he disappears into the crowd of travelers. I explain the situation to the woman next to me. “At first I thought he needed help finding his connection,” she said, shaking her head. When he asked for money – even if it was only two euros – she became suspicious.
Recurring meetings
A few days later I’m standing at the tracks again. Stuttgart Central Station is a major hub for travelers from all over the world. Thousands of people pass through the halls every day. It is late and yet the station is still full of busy people running to their trains.
In the middle of this extreme, the fraud has created a perfect platform for itself. I’m sure I’ll see the same man walking a different path again. His tactics are clever: he especially chooses people who are traveling alone and who may be under time pressure.
This scam by fraudsters is not a new tactic. My colleague was hit by it 23 years ago – and it still bothers him to this day. At that time he was relieved of 10 euros by an equally well-mannered, well-dressed and elegantly dressed man. With their polite and unobtrusive manner, fraudsters now and then take advantage of the good faith and willingness to help others.
2024-08-25 00:16:57
#discovered #scam #Stuttgart #main #station
