Aussie sounds the alarm over a ‘beggar’ in Europe

An Aussie has warned tourists travelling to Europe to be wary of beggars asking for money while appearing to fake their injuries. 

The woman filmed a local begging for money while hobbling on a walking crutch outside a restaurant on the Greek island of Paros.

She however spotted the woman the following morning appearing to walk perfectly fine along the island’s white streets with the crutch in hand.

Sharing the footage to social media, the Aussie revealed she had given the beggar some money, but felt scammed by the ordeal.

The post also caught the attention of other tourists who had encountered the beggar or others who used the same tactic.

‘Literally just saw her 15 minutes ago and felt so bad, thank you for this,’ one commented on TikTok. 

‘She did that to my boyfriend and I in Paros last year then hopped on the same ferry as us the next day,’ a second wrote.

A third said they saw a supposedly injured male beggar in Europe ‘climbing a hill three minutes later’.

‘Once I saw a lady sitting hiding her other leg next to a wall for money,’ another wrote.

‘The wall was glass and when you went inside the shop you could see her other leg.’

Others were sympathetic for the woman, claiming she may have a more complex injury or is forced into the scam to make money.

‘I have a spinal injury, when my back plays up I have to use a cane or sometimes a wheelchair,’ one wrote. 

‘But sometimes I don’t (have to use disability support), don’t judge too quick.’ 

‘The way I see it, their government not helping so why should you from another country when your place probably has its own problems,’ another said.

Tourists have warned of beggars using the same trick across Europe’s tourist hot spots for years.

‘Once I saw a beggar guy without legs, as soon as police came his legs come out of nowhere and [he] started running away,’ one Redditor said of his time in Prague.

Other scams across the continent tourists should be aware of include pickpocketing and taxi drivers purposefully taking longer routes or charging exorbitant amounts. 

Personal finance expert at Finder, Sarah Megginson, said the fake injury scam has ‘been around for decades’ but is also ‘relatively harmless’.

‘But some of these scams have the potential to ruin your holiday if they get away with a decent chunk of your cash,’ Ms Megginson told Yahoo.

‘If something feels off, it probably is – don’t be afraid to speak up, ask for time to make a decision if you feel pressured, and walk away from a situation if you feel uncomfortable.’

She added that tourists to be particularly weary of pickpockets, urging them to carry cash in a money belt or an anti-theft bag and to be mindful of belongings when travelling through crowds.

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