Cyprus-Forum.com

[Spetz]

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

[Sophia1]

Tell her to get a job like every one else!! Please dont tell me u gave her money.. have you ever visited London?? If u have then you know it aint a true story!!

[CBBB]

The majority doing this at the moment are not Cypriots, but our good old friends, the Gypsies.

They only have a few words of Greek.

Apparently there is a major colony of them near Paralimni.

Lucky heather anyone?

[tessintrnc]

I am a real sucker when it comes to these people, I have several miniature arabic verses from the Koran and countless key rings, I could open up a shop.........................

[Oracle]

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

What difference does it make whether she really has a child with an illness or not?

What you should ask yourself is, do you have money to spare (if you eat more than once a day, waste energy on computers etc. then you do!) and does she appear to be a Human in need?

In which case you know what would be the right thing to do ..... but are you generous enough to help her?

[Bananiot]

People do not like to be taken for a ride. Appealing to sentiment is the worse ... ride.

[Oracle]

You do not have to give if you think your money is so precious it should only be used to buy you the "truth". If you cannot respect this woman's Human Right, to not have to lay bare her reasons for asking for money, then walk away.

Maybe she feels shame in asking for herself.

What gives us the right to judge her "worthy" before we feel justified to part with our money. After all, we buy a new product (breakfast cereal etc) on mere "say so" of advertising or "word of mouth", and maybe even knowing we may be taken for a ride by the hype ... yet we do not value a few pounds / euros enough (we Occidentals) to think too hard about trying it out ...

So why does it matter so much if some poor unfortunate may have invented a story to justify her asking you for money?

I feel really outraged now ....

[Oracle]

I feel so outraged, that I am not going to turn a blind eye to this faecal "logic"...

I am a real sucker when it comes to these people, I have several miniature arabic verses from the Koran and countless key rings, I could open up a shop.........................

Maybe you are just a "real sucker" for junk gadgets, because your "moral" compass lets you down severely in other quarters. How about a making a value judgement on living in a militarily established, racially segregated stolen part of someone else's country ....

[cyprusgrump]

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

Her BMW is parked around the corner... kick sand in her face and walk away with a smug grin on yours...

[limassol2007]

You do not have to give if you think your money is so precious it should only be used to buy you the "truth". If you cannot respect this woman's Human Right, to not have to lay bare her reasons for asking for money, then walk away.

Maybe she feels shame in asking for herself.



I feel really outraged now ....

I try hard not write an aggressive answer to your naive approach. It is because of people like you that this breed of beggars exist. They exploit the sheer stupidity of people that react to their stories.

The stories are false, they act as a chain and they are trained in this "job". At the end of the day, they will give their "income", which doesn't even belong to them, to their boss. So you practically support a very rich (and you should see their houses), unscrupulous, uneducated person that exploits the ones on the street.

In Eastern-European countries, where they come from and where I come from, it is a known fact and police arrests them and the heads of these "begging factories". But because is not a great offense to the law, they are soon back on the streets.

AND THEIR BUSINESS FLOURISHES BECAUSE OF YOU, ORACLE. And the ones alike, in our detriment, the rest of the community.


The only viable solution is integration in the working community, but not giving them money and creating a proper environment for begging!