Brazilian Doctor

[Hotpot]

We arrived this afternoon, second time this year. Taking a short walk down towards the Romantic Hotel (sorry not very good with street names) we were asked by a "gentleman " if we would take his photo outside a beautiful house. We did this and then he asked us where we from and said he was a doctor and had been here for 5 days, he took out his wallet and showed us a Brazilian note and talk about the prime minister of his country. Now comes the mystery he asked for us to show him what Euros looked like. We made a quick get away but should he be going to snatch our money he was certainly not built for speed and we could have easily caught him or was the scam, if there was one to exchange his currency most likely fake for euros. Has this happened to anyone else, is it a scam or was i incredibility rude to another lover of PP.

 

[Timberman]

This was a scam, definitely.

We had one a couple if years ago when we were walking from the car park at Alcudia old town.
Quote "I am a tourist do you know where the bank of Albania! is?." He then proceeded to take a note from his wallet and wanted to see if we had euros as colourful as his note.

Ha!. I offered to take him to the Albanian bank which I told him was next to the police station. He then became not so friendly,neither did I.

Oh and he also asked where we were from and of course he had family living there.

Definite scum. Don't feel sorry that you may have upset a PP lover, he's not.

 

[lollipop]

Hot pot, this is a helpful warning for others and in no way unfriendly to what was obviously a con man.

 

[Sparky]

Thanks for the warning Hotpot and i think you did the right thing. It's obviously some sort of scam, if he had been here for 5 days what had he been using for cash?????? .

 

[redshirt]

good report--thanks

mike

 

[Bluebolt]

Hi all, the wife & I were sat having a quiet afternoon siesta at Es Reco in Carrer de la Tramuntana. When this middle eastern man asked us if the town had a bank of Algeria, I think and the showed us a note of that currency, I let him know there no such bank in PP and suggested he'd best travel down to Palma as he was needing to convert his currency ? To be honest he was good natured and seemed no trouble, he asked us for no more ... I was intrgued by what he asked and thought it had to be some sort of scam, but he took things no further, and who in there right mind would consider a small townn like PP would host a bank of this international origin ? ... as stated by Hotpot in no way did he seem threatening, unless he was 'packing a piece' if not I would have clipped his ear or two ... It would be very interesting to see exactly what they are up to ? Our incident happen at the end of June this year.

 

[Nick]

I don't give a monkey's whether he's a friendly or unfriendly conman. As far as I'm concerned he's trying to steal from you and Timberman is dead right, he's scum.

Not all of us are switched on, young or fit. Many targets of these scum are the elderly, disabled or infirm so would be conned quite easily. The police need to do their best and get rid of them.

Oh, and I won't dare ask their nationality this time!!

 

[Belladonna]

It maybe the same scam as we encountered in Egypt a couple of times. They said they had been given pound coins as a tip but couldn't get them changed and would we change them to the euro equivalent. The pound coins were fake! It would only have been £5 worth, but we were approached twice and saw a couple who actually did do the exchange. They did this to people about to leave so there was no chance of seeing them again!
Perhaps this guy was trying it on for an exchange with a fake note? Doesn't really make sense with a foreign note though, so maybe not!

 

[Timberman]

It maybe the same scam as we encountered in Egypt a couple of times. They said they had been given pound coins as a tip but couldn't get them changed and would we change them to the euro equivalent. The pound coins were fake! It would only have been £5 worth, but we were approached twice and saw a couple who actually did do the exchange. They did this to people about to leave so there was no chance of seeing them again!
Perhaps this guy was trying it on for an exchange with a fake note? Doesn't really make sense with a foreign note though, so maybe not!

Bella
In Egypt this is quite common in my experience, where they receive tips in pound coins they are indeed unable to exchange them in their bank. I have on several occasions exchanged pound coins for UK notes and it has always been genuine but this guy in PP/Alcudia hasn't tried to exchange the notes just to try and get you to take out your wallet and "examine" euro notes, as he said
"I have never seen a Euro note" with the obvious slight of hand he has had his way. Never seen one whats he using to live on!
He also started off in a very friendly manner like a long lost friend. But not for long.

 

[Belladonna]

Oops! All I know is that the ones we were asked to exchange were definitely forgeries, so obviously someone had tipped him in forged coins! Rotters!

 

[Gommar Goffer]

Take a photo of the rascal using the linea verde app and send it to the council!

 

[Bluebolt]

I don't give a monkey's whether he's a friendly or unfriendly conman. As far as I'm concerned he's trying to steal from you and Timberman is dead right, he's scum.

Not all of us are switched on, young or fit. Many targets of these scum are the elderly, disabled or infirm so would be conned quite easily. The police need to do their best and get rid of them.

Oh, and I won't dare ask their nationality this time!!

Nick
Your reply has made it very clear how you feel on this issue ... Before you run off and form a vigilante outfit to counter act your perceived criminal activities of the individuals, I would suggest we all evaluate what exactly these 'Scum' (your word) are trying to do ? As of yet and as reported there has been no criminality occurring; I very much hope I'm correct on this.
I simply described what happened to us simply to give all, a clear & realistic account of what happened to us, to heighten peoples awareness to this potential scam is initiated !!
I feel exactly the same way you do in regards to any cons criminal or not. Puerto De Pollensa to me is wonderful place to be in I'm sure the local Garda should be doing all they can to ensure we all continue to live or enjoy visiting this location ... Perhaps one of you residents could question this potential scam of the Garda / Police ?

 

[Nick]

Indeed. Someone stealing from another deliberately by any means to me deems them "scum". I'm at a loss to put it another way???

The incidents reported as above suggest to me that someone was going to commit a criminal act, "reasonable suspicion" et al. The vast majority of people who visit PP are decent and as such perhaps, only perhaps, rather forgiving. That doesn't turn a wrong into a right.

As for forming a vigilante group I rather think PP is nowhere near that way and I shall stick to looking after myself and own thank you!

Oh, and by the way, a theft doesn't actually have to occur. It falls under the "criminal attempts" act, or at least it does in the UK.

 

[Hotpot]

Brazilian doctor????

Thank everybody for the interest on my report. Sorry for being unable to join the discussion but my rented apartment has no wifi so I wait and go to Bony's much to my husbands delight. I hope nobody has fallen for this scam. Thanks again

 

[Nick]

Thank everybody for the interest on my report. Sorry for being unable to join the discussion but my rented apartment has no wifi so I wait and go to Bony's much to my husbands delight. I hope nobody has fallen for this scam. Thanks again

Thank you for making us all aware of this "behaviour".

 

[Canbalache]

We arrived this afternoon, second time this year. Taking a short walk down towards the Romantic Hotel (sorry not very good with street names) we were asked by a "gentleman " if we would take his photo outside a beautiful house. We did this and then he asked us where we from and said he was a doctor and had been here for 5 days, he took out his wallet and showed us a Brazilian note and talk about the prime minister of his country. Now comes the mystery he asked for us to show him what Euros looked like. We made a quick get away but should he be going to snatch our money he was certainly not built for speed and we could have easily caught him or was the scam, if there was one to exchange his currency most likely fake for euros. Has this happened to anyone else, is it a scam or was i incredibility rude to another lover of PP.

This has just been posted on a Tenerife residents & visitors facebook page...

Just had a very lucky escape. My wife and I are in Los Gigantes and went out for a walk today. Whilst walking along a very nice gentleman approached us and asked me to take a photo of him with the sea background. This I duly did with his mobile phone. He then went on to tell us that he was a paediatric doctor from Brazil and was heading off to London, Whitechapel tomorrow for a conference. He then showed us some money from Brazil. He seemed a very nice man. Just then there was a shout from across the road from a couple he had robbed yesterday and presumably was just going to do to us. He then ran off to a nearby white get away car.
The moral of the story is trust no one. We consider ourselves worldly wise but we were taken in by him.

 

[El Gordo]

Hmmm.... I've heard of an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor....but a Brazilian!?

 

[Nick]

Hmmm.... I've heard of an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor....but a Brazilian!?

Didn't take long did it?!

 

[scouse mark]

Hmmm.... I've heard of an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor....but a Brazilian!?

Think they have had a close shave

 

[pollensafan]

Been away all week, or the last 3 comments wouldn't have got a look in
However, on a more serious note, I have never been approached by anyone trying a scam because I am always accompanied by Mrs P. More of a deterrent than a Guard dog.
She is available to rent for very reasonable rates.