“Playwright Alan Bennett had his wallet, with £1,500, stolen by pickpockets pretending to clean ice-cream from his coat. It’s a classic scam, so what others should you look out for?
He’s not the first person to fall for such a scam. The back of Alan Bennett’s raincoat was splattered with ice-cream by two women and a man, who then pretended to clean it off, while they pinched the writer’s wallet from a pocket.
Bennett, whose works include his Talking Heads monologues, The Madness Of George III and The History Boys, said the incident was “most upsetting”. The fact he had been carrying £1,500 in cash couldn’t have made it any easier.
The “distraction” scam is a favourite with thieves in London and police have repeatedly warned tourists and shoppers to be on their guard. But what other ploys should people watch out for?”
To read up on 5 classic scams visit BBC News
-
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=5&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" title="Share this on Facebook" onclick="window.open(this.href,'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436'); return false;"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=%24%7Btitle%7D+-+%24%7Bshort_link%7D+%28via+%40DerrenBrown%29&service=7&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Tweet This!"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=196&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Share this on Bebo"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=219&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Blog this on Blogger"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=2&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Share this on del.icio.us"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=3&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Digg this!"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=207&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Add this to Google Reader"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=88&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Share this on LinkedIn"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=201&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Email this to a friend?"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=39&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Post this to MySpace"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=195&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Submit this to Netvibes"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=236&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Send this page to Print Friendly"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=40&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Share this on Reddit"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=38&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon"> -
%20%20
404%20Not%20Found %20%20Not%20Found
%20The%20requested%20URL%20/api/v1/cligs/create%20was%20not%20found%20on%20this%20server.
%20
%20Apache/2.2%20Server%20at%20cli.gs%20Port%2080%20&v=1&apitype=1&apikey=8afa39428933be41f8afdb8ea21a495c&source=Shareaholic&template=&service=78&tags=&ctype=" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Share this on Tumblr">
"
If you do carry money in a pocket, you should keep it in the pocket next to the hand that you DON’T write with, the reason being that your writing hand shoots straight up into the air when someone mugs/pickpockets you as this is a natural unconscious response.
When things get a bit rough for Derren in the future, he will be sorted. He can just go on the rob.
I had my phone stolen in Madrid by a bunch of four ladyboys. They came across the street, exposed themselves to me and touched me up. After my escape I checked and my phone had gone. True story. I’m over it now. I think.
Don’t forget the holiday scam where you complete a short survey, get a scratch card, “win a holiday” then get driven to a remote villa to be pressured into buying a time-share.
Watch out for a dude squirting feces from a water bottle at you and other people stopping to help (recent toronto case)
What if you yourself steals your wallet and goes out shopping with it?! Not good either.
Apart from myself, no-one ever dared to touch my clothes (or me) for wallet searches. Not that they would have found it if they would have tried. (No, that is not my wallet)
Violence is more common nowadays I think .. pushing over older ladies .. and taking their bag .. no scam in there ..
horror stories indeed. i have a prepaid cellphone & i’m always broke anyway–they’d be outta luck to target me.
We had a scam going here where someone would watch you draw money out of a cash machine, somehow mark you (literally), and then as you walked away, they’d be on their mobile to an accomplice someplace else who’d then fleece you at a different time when you least expected it.
You do wonder, how can people be so gullible? But I can imagine just how easy it is to do it to someone who is on their own (and sometimes whilst shopping etc, in a world of their own too).
LC x
Had something like that on a holiday in Rome once and it all happened in less than 10 seconds. An old lady in a black shawl came from nowhere and started rolling her valium tablets down a sheet of corrugated cardboard at me above my pocket. A second later I felt a tug on my pocket and concealed under the sheet of cardboard her six year old grandson [?] was attempting to grab my wallet. It was a bit of an amateur effort and it didn’t take that long to figure out what was going on, so I lurched back and roared at them at the top of my lungs (means the same in any language) and went on my way.
She probably cursed me.
And getting all those pills through customs on the way home was a bit of an issue!
Chris Cardell – Almost fooled by clever junk mail?
SCAM. I think so!!!- I received what appeared to be a hand written envelope in the post addressed to my business containing a page, supposedly, ripped from a reputable national paper Business and Marketing section with a post- it note attached. The post-it note appeared handwritten and said ‘Robert, I saw this and thought of you. this guy is brilliant. Have a look at his website. J
The newspaper article features a cd course for improving business and marketing techniques which is free – after (that old favourite) registering. Which includes the possibility of you leaving your credit card details etc.
DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!
The newspaper page has a mechanically ‘torn’ edge
Underhand, dishonest marketing or pure scam -STEP AWAY!!!
@Rob Scotton
And what makes this slightly ironic is that Derren turned up to Chris’ birthday party.
http://www.cardellmedia.co.uk/pics/Birthday2.jpg
I had 458.24 debited from my account without my consent by Chris Cardell. I am still trying to recover it. I’d say BEWARE!!!!