I bought scammed by two elderly pensioners on vacation. Photo / Getty Images
The greatest lesson I learnt from being scammed in Buenos Aires is that assumptions are way more harmful than criminals.
I’d say I’ve thwarted a good few journey scams in my time. The overly pleasant Italian chap who turned much less so after I sat on my bag; the lady on a Barcelona prepare, irate when her swift little fingers weren’t fairly swift sufficient to uncurl my tightly fisted purse.
Still, I’ve been had a couple of occasions too, and I’ve been significantly “well had” in Buenos Aires.
It’s referred to as the hen poo rip-off.
We all know con artists work their magic by distraction; asking unsuspecting travellers the time or requesting instructions. But I by no means suspected an elderly couple of their late 70s to swindle me out of $600. Which is strictly how they succeeded: my assumptions turned my downfall.
This is the way it performed out.
I’m walking down a large, well-lit road in Buenos Aires, the Obelisco is in full view. I’m set to hitch a tour later that day and have checked out of my resort, therefore a morning of sightseeing full with a bag filled with possessions, together with my pockets, telephone and passport that are all padlocked inside my daypack. My digital camera – a brand new DSLR which isn’t flash however one I’d saved exhausting for – is round my neck.
An elderly couple is in entrance of me, consulting a map. I’ve clocked them as a few vacationers, struggling – like I had – with the squiggle of metropolis streets.
My ideas are interrupted by a deluge of slimy gunk hitting my head and squelching down my face. It smells rancid.
As if on cue – as a result of it was – grandma turns round and exclaims in horror for me, shuffling in the direction of me with feigned concern. I’m considerably dazed as a result of sheer quantity of putrid liquid sliding down my mouth. It got here from above and my rationale is that it’s from a hen, however at this amount – does Argentina have pterodactyls?
Grandpa is right here now too, shouting in Spanish. Grandma is wiping my face aggressively with a tissue and gesticulating that I take away my backpack. I refuse to however after I realise it’s coated in poo – and I’d borrowed this bag from a good friend – I take it off to examine the harm.
My brand-new digital camera can also be dripping in gunk. I take away it and wrap each my digital camera strap and backpack round my ankle. I’m panicking that the goop is getting within the digital camera lens however I additionally have to get the slime out of my eyes and mouth.
Without warning, grandma begins viciously twisting me round like a very zealous dance companion. She’s wiping me with a tissue however reasonably than assist, she’s smearing its soggy remnants additional into my face.
One full circle and I rapidly spy my digital camera and backpack nonetheless on the bottom round my ft. My coronary heart’s racing as a result of I do know one thing’s amiss. Grandma spins me once more. The Spanish shouting continues.
Grandma is getting agitated when a young man comes alongside and asks what’s occurring. Grandma and grandpa level to the sky, imitating a hen and I (stupidly) comply with their collective gaze and lookup. When I look down once more, the digital camera has gone.
“THAT MAN TAKE YOUR CAMERA!” The young man yells and factors down the road at a person within the close to distance.
I’m not happy with this half however I seize my bag, fortunately nonetheless wrapped round my ankle and run after the perp. He will get pushed up in opposition to the wall and halfway by means of shouting at him, all of the pennies drop directly, and I look again at grandma and grandpa. Except they’ve gone, together with my brand-new digital camera.
I let go of the young lad harpooned in opposition to the wall, his eyes vast and mouth aghast, and apologise profusely. Mostly for the assault but in addition for the dangerous scent.
The subsequent few hours are spent traipsing again to the resort the place my tour group will later meet and asking reception for assist. I’m taken to the police station so I can report the theft. It’s a revolving door of victims crying about stolen purses, pickpockets, scams and muggings.
I deduce there have been not less than three crooks in on the act: granny, grandpa and the person on the road, doubtless additionally the person who threw “poo” from a balcony above. When I ran, they little doubt fled again inside.
The trio relied on me to make assumptions and that I did. Because old folks don’t do dangerous issues, proper?
