A new scam has been taking place in Spain, with British expats raising awareness of the sneaky crime.
In the Costa del Sol, scammers have been sneakily covering people with what appears to be bird poo and then playing the role of the kind passerby who offers to help them clean up… but while they’re helping, they pickpocket from unsuspecting victims.
Sue Oswick and her husband were enjoying a walk by the river in Fuengirola when they were unknowingly robbed of their credit cards, reports The Olive Press.
The couple did not realise they had been the victim of this scam until the thief tried to use their cards to do his shopping in Mercadona.
Sue explained in an online post: “We were both splattered with what we thought was bird c**p.
“This ‘nice’ man, who had just sat down on the next bench to us, jumped up and offered to help us clean ourselves up. He had water and tissues.
“He was helping to clean my husband’s shirt and shorts and then said we could keep the water to finish off. He then left.”
Sue then received a message from her bank saying someone had tried to use her card in Mercadona. After checking their cards, the couple realised some of them were missing.
She suspected the thief had an accomplice who was in on the plan, and suggested the thief was throwing their possessions to the accomplice as he was “helping” her and her husband to clean up.
Last month, a 56-year-old man was arrested for carrying out such scams in Benalmadena.
The thief, who had a variety of disguises, would carry biscuits in his fanny pack which he would chew up into a mush before throwing the mixture at his victims. He would then play the part of a helpful passerby while picking their pockets.
The Costa Del Sol is a popular destination for British tourists and this scam is one which many tourists may not see coming. While this type of crime is not new, many are unaware of this particular scam method.
While some perpetrators have been caught, others may still be in circulation, if you plan to holiday in the area, be aware of this scam.