Gringo beggar outside Tropical, Puerto Plata

Lambada

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There is a well dressed German/Austrian outside Tropical Supermarket in Puerto Plata. He appears to approach foreigners only, not Dominicans, asking for money. Story is that his credit card is broken & he needs the fare to get back to Santiago. He starts by asking if you speak German; I replied in German telling him I had a little German, but did speak English & Spanish. He has poor English but reasonable Spanish.

He says he's a tourist but knows enough to know there isn't a German Consulate in Puerto Plata. If you suggest the Consulate he tells you he's Austrian. When asked which tour company he's with, he says he's an independent traveller. He gets uneasy when you suggest solutions which don't involve handing him money - like how to deal with 'broken' credit card. When reported to the floor manager of Tropical, they said he had been outside the store all day yesterday as well, but they didn't know he was begging because no-one had told them. Now they do. The German/Austrian is observant - watched me like a hawk when I drove away, probably because he guessed it was me who reported him. His story changes under questionning - the 'tourist' became a 5 month resident.

Don't get taken in - there are far better causes here to devote your money to.

He is aged late 30's/early 40's, 5 ft 9 ins approx, stockily built, white T shirt with mauve writing on the back, cream coloured shorts to the knee, cream slip on canvas shoes and a white cap. Some blond hair sticking out from underneath cap.
 

Rocky

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There is a well dressed German/Austrian outside Tropical Supermarket in Puerto Plata. He appears to approach foreigners only, not Dominicans, asking for money. Story is that his credit card is broken & he needs the fare to get back to Santiago. He starts by asking if you speak German; I replied in German telling him I had a little German, but did speak English & Spanish. He has poor English but reasonable Spanish.

He says he's a tourist but knows enough to know there isn't a German Consulate in Puerto Plata. If you suggest the Consulate he tells you he's Austrian. When asked which tour company he's with, he says he's an independent traveller. He gets uneasy when you suggest solutions which don't involve handing him money - like how to deal with 'broken' credit card. When reported to the floor manager of Tropical, they said he had been outside the store all day yesterday as well, but they didn't know he was begging because no-one had told them. Now they do. The German/Austrian is observant - watched me like a hawk when I drove away, probably because he guessed it was me who reported him. His story changes under questionning - the 'tourist' became a 5 month resident.

Don't get taken in - there are far better causes here to devote your money to.

He is aged late 30's/early 40's, 5 ft 9 ins approx, stockily built, white T shirt with mauve writing on the back, cream coloured shorts to the knee, cream slip on canvas shoes and a white cap. Some blond hair sticking out from underneath cap.
I saw the same guy at the POP airport, 4 or 5 weeks ago, same description, only I would say mid to lat 40's.
Same story about having to get to the consulate, only he said Santo Domingo.
I sicked Politur on him right away, but he spotted it and split quick.
 

Lambada

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I saw the same guy at the POP airport, 4 or 5 weeks ago, same description, only I would say mid to lat 40's.
Same story about having to get to the consulate, only he said Santo Domingo.
I sicked Politur on him right away, but he spotted it and split quick.

You could be right about the age - they all look younger to me now I'm getting a little older. ;)

I did ask him to produce identification - he has no cedula, says he has a passport but 'not with him'.

His observational ability sounds similar, as well as the description.
 

Funnyyale26

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Dec 15, 2006
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Hmmm a ese gringo lo que hay que haceer es ponerlo en medio del parque central bajarle los calzoncillos y darle un fuetazo bien dao por el c*** con una vara de esa' que cortan.
 

A.Hidalgo

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Apr 28, 2006
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This is about another German fella who has lost it all, money, home, passport stolen and living on the kindness of strangers. He has been pretty much living in a church located in Residencial Juan Lockward de Montellano, Puerto Plata. Link in Spanish.

sacandomelao: Ayudemos a este Alemán
 

Rocky

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This is about another German fella who has lost it all, money, home, passport stolen and living on the kindness of strangers. He has been pretty much living in a church located in Residencial Juan Lockward de Montellano, Puerto Plata. Link in Spanish.

sacandomelao: Ayudemos a este Alemán
This is not the German fellow I saw at the airport.
The one I saw is more portly.
 

Lambada

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This is about another German fella who has lost it all, money, home, passport stolen and living on the kindness of strangers. He has been pretty much living in a church located in Residencial Juan Lockward de Montellano, Puerto Plata. Link in Spanish.

sacandomelao: Ayudemos a este Alemán

That's not the guy I saw either. My one is younger, stockier & much better dressed. He gives off vibes where you know it's a scam. Looking at this guy I think if I encountered him I'd feel sorry for him.
 

A.Hidalgo

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What about the German indigent. Anybody in Puerto Plata willing to at least help contact the German Embassy to locate family back home. But again he could be hiding from German authorities. A few coins might help for the present.


Lambada hope you don't think I am highjacking your thread
 

Rocky

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What about the German indigent. Anybody in Puerto Plata willing to at least help contact the German Embassy to locate family back home. But again he could be hiding from German authorities. A few coins might help for the present.
Why does it have to be someone from Puerto Plata contacting the embassy?
For my part, I know nothing about the dude.
He may want to be a bum.
He may be a criminal back home.
Anything is possible.
If he was a normal human being, surely he could have contacted someone, friend or relative to help him out, assuming he wants help, and as we all know, one cannot help someone who does not want to be helped, nor to help himself.
 

TimH

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I don't know if I would pass over a few Pesos. It would depend on the situation and the general impression I would get.
Last time I gave a poor gringo some money was a dutch guy who said he was hungry. I slipped him a hundred because I had met him before. After a few days I heard he broke his ankle while trying to climb a building's wall in a drunk condition. The incident happened the same day I gave him the little regalo.
 

A.Hidalgo

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Why does it have to be someone from Puerto Plata contacting the embassy?
Does not...could be from anywhere.
For my part, I know nothing about the dude.
Never given to strangers before?
He may want to be a bum.
Very possible but again we don't know.
He may be a criminal back home.
Indicated that on my thread.
Anything is possible.
very much in agreement.
If he was a normal human being,
Maybe he is not. If he is an alcoholic for example he definitely could not be thinking straight.

I must say I had fun doing this brakedown.:cheeky:
 

Lambada

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Lambada hope you don't think I am highjacking your thread

No problem Alfredo. The guy in your link is in Montellano according to sacandomelao, not Puerto Plata town, so unless he actively goes looking for help, not too many gringos may bump into him. If any do, I see there's a very nice offer from Manuel67 on that blog. Manuel lives in Austria & says that if anyone sees the man in the photo, please ask for the telephone number of his family in 'Koenl' Germany & Manuel will phone them to let them know of this man's problem. 'Koenl' is probably Cologne, or Koln in German, I believe. The man in the pic definitely needs to get to German Embassy in SD (there is no longer a Consulate in PP) because his passport was stolen along with his belongings, according to the blog. If he got to Embassy I'm sure they'd contact his family as well as organising replacement passport.

Now getting back to my guy..............question for Rocky: I was very aware of 'shifty eyes'. He spent more time scanning the view over my shoulder than looking me straight in the eye. But when I drove away, after reporting him to Tropical people & finishing my shopping, he definitely was clocking me all the way (I watched in rear view & wing mirror). Ring any bells Rocky?
 

The Virginian

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Mar 16, 2007
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I was approached by the well dressed German/Austrian in front of Jose Luis here in Puerto Plata yesterday. As I walked passed him he asked if I spoke German, I ignored him and kept walking. He followed me to my car. He starting asking if I could help me as he had lost his papers etc, and before he could say any more I offered that he also did not have his passport with him. I suggest he stop scamming folks as he had made the online news. He quickly turned and walked away. Not sure how much English he understood, but he understood our conversation was over.
 

Rocky

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I was approached by the well dressed German/Austrian in front of Jose Luis here in Puerto Plata yesterday. As I walked passed him he asked if I spoke German, I ignored him and kept walking. He followed me to my car. He starting asking if I could help me as he had lost his papers etc, and before he could say any more I offered that he also did not have his passport with him. I suggest he stop scamming folks as he had made the online news. He quickly turned and walked away. Not sure how much English he understood, but he understood our conversation was over.
Has to be the same guy, and he does speak & understand enough English to beg for money and to know when he's just been told to FO.
 

Lambada

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, and before he could say any more I offered that he also did not have his passport with him. I suggest he stop scamming folks as he had made the online news. He quickly turned and walked away. Not sure how much English he understood, but he understood our conversation was over.

Hehehehe! The wonders of the DR1 message board. Yes it does have to be the same guy, he just moved location from one supermarket where foreign residents &/or tourists are known to be customers, to another. Next week, watch out those of you who shop at Supermercado Silverio Messon............;)
 

shadInToronto

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No need to humiliate the poor guy ... he's obviously down on his luck or has mental issues. If you can's spare a few pesos, ignore him. Do you feel good sneering at other people's misfortune? :ermm:
 

Rocky

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No need to humiliate the poor guy ... he's obviously down on his luck or has mental issues. If you can's spare a few pesos, ignore him. Do you feel good sneering at other people's misfortune? :ermm:
Not that your post makes sense, but here's option 3.
This dude is simply a scammer
 

Lambada

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Met him, have you Shad? Because I have. He is neither down on his luck nor does he have mental issues (and I do have some background in treating people with the latter). It is a straight scam to get money by someone who is certainly capable of earning a living.

The other man in Montellano (A.Hidalgo's post) is different. He is certainly down on his luck and could have mental issues but I wouldn't dream of diagnosing at a distance.

P.S. I'm not known for being mean when there is genuine need. And I don't sneer at misfortune either. The man I encountered is nothing but a criminal & a fairly shifty one at that.