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Hi, I was wondering if anyone has experienced the same situation as myself. I have visited Essaouira and was conned into lending 3600 MAD to help a local guy with an apparent kite surfing instructors course (he didnt do it) only to be told he would not be paying back the money and instead his mother needs it to build a house!?!? I spoke to her and she apologised profusely begging me not to go to the police and in turn promised the money would be returned at the end of last month however she is no longer prepared to return it either. I know there is a process of retrieval through the police/embassey. Can others please advise of any similar experiences.
Sorry to here you have been conned Big time. If you want to help somebody with something, do it through a charity, but never give money to anybody who you don't know. Never give that amount of money to somebody who is doing a Kite surfing instructors course anywhere that is a big con. As for retreiving your money, your might as well right it off you won't get it back and use this as a huge learning curve for yourself, never give money to anybody in foreign country. Hope this does not put you off from travelling. many people get conned at somepoint or another.
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I'm sorry but you have only 1 solution which is to go to the police. The money you paid equated to €360. In a country where the salary for a cafe worker is about €1/hour that is a lot of money. Now convert how much that would relate to in a European country where lets say they earn €7/hr - that makes it equivalent to having leant the over €2000. You need to see it in relation to what it is worth to them, not to us. This is a big rip off. Now do you not think it is worth going to the police for?
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P.S. Just to list a few of the other known rip offs: - I have an ill relative and we can't afford the mnedication - My mother/sister needs an operation we can't afford - I need to pay a fine or I'll end up in jail - Lend me some money for petrol and I'll come back to do the trip (never does) - Can you buy me dinner I don't have time to go home - Being asked to pay after having been invited for dinner at someone's house - Any kind of "give me money upfront" Always pay once the service has been delivered. Or only pay a small holding deposit. It makes me quite angry when I see poeple falling for Moroccan non-logic or feeling helpless to retaliate. "His mother needs to build a house" Tsss... Now is that your problem? No! It might be an explanaition for being a thief but it is not an explanation that makes it right.
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Sory, Alifelessordinary, but as you now know - you´ve been had. I suppose you could try the police but well I doubt they will be sympathetic. Give it a try if you like but do you have a receipt or a local witness who´s willing to speak up on your behalf? That´s what I thought. Not to add insult to injury but if you´d have ask us first (before lending the money) you know what our advice would have been. Yes?
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Somebody tried to sell me a bridge in Brooklyn last year, but I was too clever for him; I bought the tunnel instead.
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"Somebody tried to sell me a bridge in Brooklyn last year, but I was too clever for him; I bought the tunnel instead." There´s no putting one past you, eh Footstool? You must have seen him coming from a mile off! :)
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Yes, and I gave him a down payment on the "A" train as well.
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I thought "the Duke" took it with him.
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Well.... what happened? Did you get your money back?
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