Begpackers around the world

I saw a young woman doing the exact same thing, on CNY Eve but in Xinyi, along the pedestrian walkway. But there were basically no pedestrians, because all the shops were already closed. Dunno why she bothered sitting on the concrete in the cold, but hey…

New scam (maybe) … last night my Taiwanese wife was accosted by a western teenage girl in Kaohsiung, Zuoying district claiming to be deaf using her hands to sign. She handed her a National Taiwan flag from a bunch of multi nation flags, and in the other hand had a written piece of paper multi-lingual “give me 100NT.” Obviously my wife refused and she snatched the flag back.
Is she a genuine deaf kid or another one of life’s beggars and scammers? Anyone else similar experiences?

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I encountered this one in Taipei. A sign asking you to buy a flag, and saying she is deaf and mute. I didn’t buy but she sold about 4 flags in 10 minutes , at 100$ a pop.

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I’ve seen that, too. In Taipei. Cheaply made flags mounted on McDonald’s straws, right?

Yup. It tugs at the sympathy and patriotic heart strings at the same time. I think it is a family business.

Exactly as you describe taking advantage of local Taiwanese peoples good nature. I don’t have heart, only a two word answer for them “”feck off”

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Scam. Been around for ages. Maybe picking up more in Taiwan. Maybe not even Taiwanese person. It’s a common scam in SE Asian countries.

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This family (I think was a family, mom, dad and daughter) were white.

Yes, it was a white woman who approached me. It was in the Taipei MRT. I just waved my hand “no” and went back to listening to my music.

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This crap bothers me intensely. As a legal ARC -holder, we were not (when I checked) even allowed to VOLUNTEER on or work permit. I have been warned of this in the past.

In my present position, as prof, I can volunteer to help remote schools, if I take appropriate “official leave.” I do so every week and love the opportunity. The kids appreciate our times together as well.

Transient scumbags, like the ones mentioned, should outed, fined, blacklisted, and deported. Just my 2c.

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We don’t know all the facts yet.
These people don’t look that “normal”. They are not like those bepackers who look young and very able. At least they are trying to sell something other than hugs :grimacing:
If they are totally faking it then yes, but what if they are truly handicapped. They might even have a permit like those chewing gum vendors.
I once knew a guy who was partially blind and sold postcards in Taipei… He was white and had Taiwan ID, as he was once on the Taiwan orchestra or something like that.

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Hug me free! If you want you can support my trip.

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Even got the begpacker trousers on. What a state.

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I don’t understand the people who give money to these parasites but will ignore a busker who is actually doing something :confused:

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White privilege.

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Supply and demand. :money_mouth_face: If buskers also offered hugs, they’d get more cash.

To me it has more to do with the “Cornelius effect.”

Define, please.

Works both ways, yeah?

It’s been posted on the Funny Pics thread:

What I meant is, for those credulous enough to pay, those “free” hugs from blindfolded people feel more like a transcending experience than a guy playing his saxophone or selling bracelets, therefore they have more value.

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