Con man on A26

[JoannaLesley]

A warning to all going to France in the next few weeks. We were accosted at a service station on the A26 by a fat scotsman who had a sob story about not being able to afford enough fuel to get home. This is despite being on the southbound carriageway! He asked for 20Euros. When we hadn't got any (we'd only stopped to see if there was an ATM machine), he said the ss would take English (I should coco). We fobbed him off with a fiver and left feeling we had been conned, but not absolutely certain and inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

HOWEVER, we passed him in the same area coming north ten days later & he was going into a service station so it's definitly a con.

He drives an elderly siver Nissan Micra, registration G146 TMY and we have seen him on the A26 north of Riems.

We thought of reporting him at the next payage (j3 of the A26), but our French is a bit basic and we had no proof that he was up to anything.

 

[OldBean]

This is a difficult one - because as you say, you don't actually know whether it was a scam or not.

Years ago I took my boys on my own to France, driving an elderly bright green Lada. I had to borrow some money in a petrol station on the N road after St Dizier on the way home because I recognised that I wouldn't have enough (petrol or money) to get home, after having had 330 francs stolen earlier. Fortunately there was an Englishman in the petrol station, who gave me

 

[MONKEY1]

This is a difficult one - because as you say, you don't actually know whether it was a scam or not.

Years ago I took my boys on my own to France, driving an elderly bright green Lada. I had to borrow some money in a petrol station on the N road after St Dizier on the way home because I recognised that I wouldn't have enough (petrol or money) to get home, after having had 330 francs stolen earlier. Fortunately there was an Englishman in the petrol station, who gave me

 

[MONKEY1]

This sounds to me like a modern take on an old trick. Guy comes up to you and says "Ive lost my wallet and I need

 

[emmitdb]

Saw the same con on the Motorway down from Calais in June. Some bloke was stopping every British car on the northbound and in the time we were there having lunch plenty of 'something' passed hands.

As we were sauntering home that day because of a night ferry we were taking our time. About five hours later I saw the same bloke being given a puch start by several burly locals in the Auchan Supermarket in Calais.

If the bloke was genuinely in need of getting home he wouldn't have diverted to the shop but gone straight for the ferry terminal.

Strange to say but he was driving an elderly Micra as well!

He got lots of people to stop as it was immediately after the Le Mans weekend.

 

[JoannaLesley]

Sounds like the same chap, Del. He's making a good living. He asked us for 20 euros. Most people wouldn't hesitate - it doesn't sound much. It's only around

 

[BrianStAlbans]

The con happens over here too. I was given the story two weeks in a row by the same guy in a garage in Hemel Hempstead Herts and by a woman one morning asking for a couple of quid also in Hemel.

 

[Jaydug]

We were 'caught' in the dockside park at Calais. We had a two hour wait for the ferry. After a while, there was a knock on the caravan door. Bloke standing outside asked if I could 'lend' him

 

[TonyAsh]

Went to France on Saturday on the Seacat Dover / Calais, whilst waiting in the car park in Calais, prior to checking in, a really knackered silver Micra with blowing exhaust was travelling around the car park, GB sticker, but I didn't notice the number plate. the driver, an elderly man was stopping at British cars and speaking to the drivers, I saw several shake their heads but at the time didn't think about it - my guess is that it's the same person who has now moved up to the Hoverport.