Beggars resort to innovative ways of duping ATM users

Dubai, Oct 6 (UNI) Beggars in the emirate have devised an innovative style to con people by targetting potential victims near ATMs.

Un suspecting people are often tricked into believing their tale of woes and asked for money, The Evening Post reported.

Dubai police had shown its commitment to cleanse the country from beggars. Strict measures were taken to crack down beggary and several street vendors and beggars were arrested in the recent past.

The new environment made it difficult for beggars to operate.

Thus, they resorted to a new trick of extracting money from people withdrawing cash from ATMs.

Mogesh Ashraf, an Ethiopian national, said he had twice fallen victim to this innovative method of tricking people.

Recollecting the encounter, Mr Ashraf said a woman neatly dressed stopped him as he was leaving the ATM machine after withdrawing cash. She started narrating a story of her late husband and asked for some cash to feed her children, he said, adding, ''It is difficult to refuse such a person.'' Another resident Kakooza Twaha narrated his incident that once an old man convinced him into believing that he had a chronic disease and needed money to buy some medicines.

The absence of security guards near ATM machines raises security concerns and results in such incidences, he said.

However, the Dubai Police refused coming across any such cases but have promised to make a thorough investigation into the matter.

UNI