Cyprus-Forum.com

[limassol2007]

It looks like all of a sudden many kids are dying of incurable diseases and their mothers came in a large group in Cyprus, paying a highly priced plane ticket, living in this expensive country and still making thousands of Euros for the cure out of begging on traffic lights?


I linked to that article randomly. I don't base my case on it or on media in general.

I repeat. I come from Eastern-Europe where these gangs are well-known, daily seen, highly feared and hard to annihilate. Because my co nationals, who work hard on small salaries, avoid giving them money, they are subject many times to verbal and even physical abuse.

But I understand that people that lived in a safe country cannot react all of a sudden to a dangerous situation like this.

[JimB]

Hmmmmm interesting topic for a change.

I think you need to look at the facts of the case.

The person is asking for a charitable donation to benefit a sick child. This cause is one which many would feel motivated / duty bound to contribute to.

If the person was asking for money for organised crime or crack would you still support the cause?

If she was asking for cash as she was living on the street then you would make your own decision based on your own circumstances as to whether or not you'd want to give her the money and how much.

If there is no sick child and this is nothing more than a scam then that person is a cheat and a criminal. They have fabricated a story in order to obtain a benefit.

This person is EXERTING FORCE on others by utilising emotional blackmail in order to OBTAIN CASH under FALSE PRETENCES.

It's irrelevant as to whether or not she has a genuine need. By lying about her motives she has deprived 'us' of our right to make an informed decision. Her story is engineered to appeal to the widest audience and could possibly entice individuals to give far more than they would usually do in the belief that they were supporting a desperate and life-saving cause.

If Cyprus has laws regulating the collection of charity on the streets (ID cards, licence, official collection boxes etc.) then they should be enforced (I'd hazard a guess that such laws are in place but happy to be advised).

If not, enquire as to which hospital / hospice or whatever the kid is resident in and make a direct donation. Saving the person on the street the possibility of becoming a victim of crime and having her takings stolen

Personally I'd report her to the police and let them sort out whether or not she is telling the truth. May do her a favour in the long run.

Make direct donations to your favourite charities or only support official organised charity events.

IF you still feel guilty about whether or not she is 'in desperate need' herself and believe that she's only doing this as she's too proud / embarrassed then sleep tight in the warm fuzzy knowledge that there's charity's out there that CAN help her.

The POLICE SHOULD point her in the right direction (after giving her a few free nights food and lodging for being a lying so and so ....).

[Z4]

I've been approached a couple of times by people (generally older women) with photos of some child saying that she's trying to raise funds for some sort of illness that the child will die if left untreated (ie, heart disease). They sell some sort of religious items to raise these funds.

Anyway, my question is, is this a true story or are these old women walking around trying to scam people for money? ie, there really is no child with heart disease etc

Are you for real??

[Jan]

Reading your thread reminded me of an email I received yesterday, it reads.....


> > Please be careful. Yesterday, I was at the Carrefour
> > carpark after shopping and about to start the car engine.
> > Suddenly, one man appeared holding a name card and asking me
> > to wind down the window to give me the name card. I refused
> > (due to the below email) using the sign language but he kept
> > on pestering. I was terrified and quickly started the engine
> > and sped off. Fortunately, I locked the car doors
> > immediately I got in..
> >
> > Sad when this kind of thing goes on but all we can do is be aware........
> > Must Read and Please be careful out there !!
> >
> >
> > A man came over and offered his service as a painter to a
> > female putting gas in
> > her car and left his card. Sh said no, but accepted his card
> > out of kindness and got in the car. The man then got into a
> > car driven by another gentleman. As
> > the lady left the service station, she saw the men following
> > her out of the station at the same time.
> >
> >
> > Almost immediately, she started to feel dizzy and could not
> > catch her breath.
> > She tried to open the window and realized that the odor was
> > on her hand; the same hand which accepted the card from the
> > gentleman at the gas station.
> >
> >
> > She then noticed the men were immediately behind her and she
> > felt she needed to
> > do something at that moment. She drove into the first
> > driveway and began to honk her horn repeatedly to ask for
> > help.The men drove away but the lady still
> > felt badly for several minutes after she could finally catch
> > her breath. Apparently there was a substance on the card
> > that could have seriously injured
> > her.
> >
> >
> > This drug is called 'BURUNDANGA' and it is used by people
> > who wish to incapacitate a victim in order to steal from or
> > take advantage of them.
> >
> >
> > This drug is four times more dangerous than the date rape
> > drug and is transferable on simple cards.
> >
> >
> > So take heed and make sure you don't accept cards at any
> > given time alone or from someone on the streets.
> > This applies to those making house calls and slipping you a
> > card when they offer their services.
> >
> >
> > PLEASE SEND THIS E-MAIL ALERT TO
> > EVERY FEMALE, OR EVEN MALE THAT YOU KNOW

[Sotos]

Reading your thread reminded me of an email I received yesterday, it reads.....

Fabricated story. Some people believe whatever they get in their email

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/burundanga.asp
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/crime/a/burundanga.htm

[Floda]

Whilst on the subject of 'Charities' (or at least skirting the subject) I wonder if anyone can throw any light onto the origins of the old adage "Charities are good business" ?.

It would appear that the bulk of contributions made to those 'Recognized Charities' are invariably swallowed up in administration costs etc, perhaps the real reason for the leniency displayed by the forces of law when it comes to dealing with those that are not, stems from the fact that the alternative would create a little too much exposure to the way in which 'Charities' are used as 'Tax Avoidance Scams' by many (so called) 'Men of Integrity'.

Whilst on the subject of adages, ever heard the one "God save me from these men of integrity" ?, strangely enough they are quite predominant in the ranks of high flying business people, lawyers, politicians and others of their ilk.

Personally, I would rather be scammed by some disreputable (if that be the case) wretch on the street, than be burdened with those which emanate from the very people in the halls of power and justice who are placed there in order to protect us.

The recent and ongoing events in Iraq and elsewhere, do bolster what I have indicated here and I wonder if any can deny the validity of such comments.

As to the 'Wretch on the street', if they choose to beg whilst employing fanciful and dishonest stories in order to make ends meet, let that be a matter for their own conscience and to their own detriment.

At least they display a certain amount of intelligence and ingenuity in relieving us of our cash, others may be genuinely destitute and it is our duty to relieve suffering wherever possible.

"Of all the trades in England I think begging is the best, for when I'm feeling weary I can lay me down to rest, so a-begging I will go oh yes, a-begging I will go".....................(Lyrics to a famous song)