# Possible Scam



## Guest (Jun 2, 2011)

Hiya,

Not sure that is the right place to post this, but hey ho.

I live in Niguëlas, nr Granada (wee village) and there are a bunch of guys going around claiming to be from the gas suppliers (bottled variety) saying that they need to "update" your regulator. Bizarrley, they want to "charge" €130 for doing this. Given a regulator can be bought for under €30, we gave them short shrift and threw them out. There were two of them, one stayed in the lounge and the other went ot the kitchen. Seemed a tad strange and reminiscent of distraction crime.

Phoned the local gas people in Durcal and they confirmed that this has nothing to do with them.

Apparantly, they´ve managed to convince about 10 households (mainly old dears, sadly) to part with a wadge of cash in return for a more or less identical gas regulator.

Anyone else come across something like or am I just a paranoid expat?

Yossa


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## Beachcomber (May 10, 2009)

This has been going on for years. Lots of information on the internet:

Gas scams


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## Guest (Jun 2, 2011)

Guess my instincts where right. 

We´ve phoned the local plod to advise them of this and apparantly one savvy neighbour took a picture of their car number plate, so hopefully it may have a positive outcome for many and negative for these devious little con men.

Soz for not searching the site first - the LMGTFY link made me laugh and feel admonished at the same time (in a nice way, mind)


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## Beachcomber (May 10, 2009)

Thanks for taking my link to LMGTFY in the right spirit. There are some that wouldn't! 

It does seem that these people are probably not actually breaking the letter of the law, they are just grossly overcharging for what is a very simple service. The law breaking bit comes in when they surreptitiously make a slight nick with a Stanley knife in an otherwise perfectly good tube well inside its period of validity.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

We got conned too. They had all the official-looking paperwork and we even rang their office in Cadiz to check they were bona fide (but of course the office number was a scam too!) Unfortunately my trusting OH paid them up front to come back the following week and replace the flue, which is one of the old fabric ones and they said we needed a metal one. Needless to say we never saw them again.

The local consumer protection office (can't remember what it is called) did try and track them but to no avail. Worth reporting it it though, so they can keep track of the level of fraud.


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## Beachcomber (May 10, 2009)

The consumer protection organisation is Spain is called Oficina Municipal de Informacion al Consumidor (OMIC) and the local office will be found in your Town Hall.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> We got conned too. They had all the official-looking paperwork and we even rang their office in Cadiz to check they were bona fide (but of course the office number was a scam too!) Unfortunately my trusting OH paid them up front to come back the following week and replace the flue, which is one of the old fabric ones and they said we needed a metal one. Needless to say we never saw them again.
> 
> The local consumer protection office (can't remember what it is called) did try and track them but to no avail. Worth reporting it it though, so they can keep track of the level of fraud.


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I can't believe the fountain of all knowledge fell for that one??¿¿??¿¿ Want to buy the Tower of London? Special deal this week only...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

thrax said:


> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH
> 
> I can't believe the fountain of all knowledge fell for that one??¿¿??¿¿ Want to buy the Tower of London? Special deal this week only...


Ho ho very funny. 

We hadn't heard of the scam, abut we knew there were strict rules about maintenance of gas equipment and they were very convincing!

But I still haven´t quite forgiven the OH for paying in advance ....


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Don't be put off by my strange ways .. I actually have 6 Towers of London for sale and so far the only takers have been from Texas. But they are all buying the same one so I still have five left...
And only 3000 euros


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## Spanky McSpank (Aug 27, 2009)

Just to point out that they try it on with Spaniards too- Unluckily for them I knew one of their brothers, long story....


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Spanky McSpank said:


> Just to point out that they try it on with Spaniards too- Unluckily for them I knew one of their brothers, long story....


The ones who conned us were apparently based in El Puerto - maybe the same ones? Mantenamiento y Revisión del Gas SL. if you can procure me a testicle, I will reward you handsomely.


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## Joulesw (Jun 5, 2011)

*gas scam*

As others have said it has been going on for years, for older people it is a pain, they scare them as to the danger of not replacing it, so they just hand over the money.
Joulesw


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

How I hate, thieves, con artists and anyone who thinks it is their right to get something for nothing out of hard working folk. 
If I had my way I would deal with them the way they are dealt with in places like Saudi Arabia, right hand in a pickle jar.


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

They tried it in our village....
A few of our locals had an intense discussion with them on the for's and against's of trying to rip one of their mothers off. Seems the 'discussion' may have been effective as they haven't been heard of since in our area!
Theres justice and then there is real justice....


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

Happyexpat said:


> They tried it in our village....
> A few of our locals had an intense discussion with them on the for's and against's of trying to rip one of their mothers off. Seems the 'discussion' may have been effective as they haven't been heard of since in our area!
> Theres justice and then there is real justice....


In a village not far from where I live 2 gypsies were spotted breaking into a house. Now the locals had been on the look out for the culprits to several burglaries etc and their M.O fit the bill. Rounding up the whole village one of them was caught, the other slipped away by the skin of his teeth.

The next day the Guardia found the gypsy hanging from a tree, a note around his neck, 'I am a thief.' Of course an inquiry was set up and it was found that no one persons DNA was on the rope, rather every single person in the village had at some point handled it. Even the children. 

The Police concluded he commited suicide. 

Well they couldn't prove who had hung him could they and neither could they arrest a whole village. 
For years the village had no problems what so ever with burglaries.

Now that is what you call the people taking matters into their own hands.


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## Spanky McSpank (Aug 27, 2009)

JoCatalunya said:


> In a village not far from where I live 2 gypsies were spotted breaking into a house. Now the locals had been on the look out for the culprits to several burglaries etc and their M.O fit the bill. Rounding up the whole village one of them was caught, the other slipped away by the skin of his teeth.
> 
> The next day the Guardia found the gypsy hanging from a tree, a note around his neck, 'I am a thief.' Of course an inquiry was set up and it was found that no one persons DNA was on the rope, rather every single person in the village had at some point handled it. Even the children.
> 
> ...


Disgusting, if it's true.


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

Spanky McSpank said:


> Disgusting, if it's true.


I was told by one of the old guys in our village who has always been straight with me and mine so I have no reason to doubt the story. 
Just recently in our local paper a message was sent out to any and all thieves who think they have the right to steal from fincas in the campo. 
"The owners will protect their property with complete prejudice", the police explained that someone is likely to get the you know what kicked out of them if they are caught and so issued a warning to the thieves, "stop or get medical insurance".

Honestly it is becoming so bad around here folk won't leave their property for any reason. I know we don't.


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

Pity most of gypsy's don't read or write as the article in the newspaper might have been usefull LOL


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

Happyexpat said:


> Pity most of gypsy's don't read or write as the article in the newspaper might have been usefull LOL


I guess a slight demonstration will have more impact, don't you think.


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

Theres nothing better than a visual, practical example. By the way sympathy lies between sh*t and syphalus in the dictionary.......


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## snerper (Aug 26, 2010)

thrax said:


> Don't be put off by my strange ways .. I actually have 6 Towers of London for sale and so far the only takers have been from Texas. But they are all buying the same one so I still have five left...
> And only 3000 euros


Wow, sounds good to me, I've actually got a lot of cash coming my way from a Nigerian General who contacted me via email some months ago! I sent my £500.00 registration fee off to him but it's been a while now, still I expect he'll get around to sending my wedge sometime soon! I'd be interested in one of those towers of yours, do you also deliver them?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

snerper said:


> Wow, sounds good to me, I've actually got a lot of cash coming my way from a Nigerian General who contacted me via email some months ago! I sent my £500.00 registration fee off to him but it's been a while now, still I expect he'll get around to sending my wedge sometime soon! I'd be interested in one of those towers of yours, do you also deliver them?


He's been held up I'm afraid. He's decided to buy my house (without ever seeing it), as a present for his daughter who wants to live in Spain. His lawyer, who is flying in specially from New York, is coming round on Wednesday with a blank cheque. Because it has all been such a rush, he won't have had time to get any cash so would I mind advancing him some (he'll add it onto the cheque).


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

Wow Alcalaina I wish you had told me earlier but I am prepared to offer twice the current offer with of course the same arrangment for the cash bit as all my loose money is tied up in a Kenyian Mercury mine development at the moment. The blank cheque by the way will be coming from them with their unlimited funds in Chinese Yen.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

JoCatalunya said:


> In a village not far from where I live 2 gypsies were spotted breaking into a house. Now the locals had been on the look out for the culprits to several burglaries etc and their M.O fit the bill. Rounding up the whole village one of them was caught, the other slipped away by the skin of his teeth.
> 
> The next day the Guardia found the gypsy hanging from a tree, a note around his neck, 'I am a thief.' Of course an inquiry was set up and it was found that no one persons DNA was on the rope, rather every single person in the village had at some point handled it. Even the children.
> 
> ...


That's what I call lynch law.
Disgusting and primitive.
I wonder if (assuming the story is true) the fact he was a gypsy gave added spice to the loathesome proceedings.
I wonder what these courageous villagers (all against one) think of Jews, homosexuals, black people....
Would they string them up too if they offended their backward notions of justice and proper conduct,I wonder?
These are not upholders of the law, they are themselves law-breakers...Murderers.


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

Hmmm.....firstly despite the 'confirmations' from villagers I doubt if its true, but certainly worth telling to everybody by the villagers just as confirmation that it isn't a good place to steal from.
As for 'notions of justice and proper conduct'. We discussed common law earlier which was simple and the current system which has got convaluted, corrupt, over sympathetic to the poor criminal and all about a legal profession making 'oodles of dosh'.
Getting a hand cut off for stealing would definitely make me think twice about doing it. Getting a caution or a few days community service or counselling wouldn't (if I was that way inclined which I am not). 
Now stringing somebody up on a long drop with a short rope without a trial is probably a bit extreme (tongue in cheek) but our present system is too far the other way. 
Justice and proper conduct probably needs reviewing back to the original concepts with, of course, due regard to health and safety, amnesty international, human rights, upbringing, not having been breast fed and we mustn't forget gender and disabled issues.....remember I did say earlier that I am cynical so you were warned!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Happyexpat said:


> Hmmm.....firstly despite the 'confirmations' from villagers I doubt if its true, but certainly worth telling to everybody by the villagers just as confirmation that it isn't a good place to steal from.
> As for 'notions of justice and proper conduct'. We discussed common law earlier which was simple and the current system which has got convaluted, corrupt, over sympathetic to the poor criminal and all about a legal profession making 'oodles of dosh'.
> Getting a hand cut off for stealing would definitely make me think twice about doing it. Getting a caution or a few days community service or counselling wouldn't (if I was that way inclined which I am not).
> Now stringing somebody up on a long drop with a short rope without a trial is probably a bit extreme (tongue in cheek) but our present system is too far the other way.
> Justice and proper conduct probably needs reviewing back to the original concepts with, of course, due regard to health and safety, amnesty international, human rights, upbringing, not having been breast fed and we mustn't forget gender and disabled issues.....remember I did say earlier that I am cynical so you were warned!


'Civilisation' requires rules. Although it's imperfect we have a justice system. No-one should take the law into his/her own hands.
All human -run systems will have their flaws but if we allow vigilatism, summary justice etc. we are on a slippery slope.
Quite apart from the question of whether being strung up is the right punishment for stealing a tv ...they could have been wrong..


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

True or not, it's a story that keeps on emerging from time to time.


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

It will keep emerging and so it should if it puts people off! Of course we unfortunatelyneed rules and laws because there will always be those that choose to flout human decency or prey on others, such is life.
The question is do they need to be so complicated, I think the answer is no. The problem is that like government laws tend to be self replicating and eventually we lose all track of what they were meant for in the first place. I have to admit to not being religous in the modern sense but supposedly originally there were ten commandments, they were simple. Common Law was based on these commandments, it was simple. The Governments over the years added various acts and statutes, ammended them and then added more. Europe got into the act and so it goes on. Theft is theft, murder is murder, robbery and burglary are robbery and burglary (actually theft if you think about it). Why does it have to be broken down into sections. The 'kiss' principle seems to me to be the best way not this messy self perpetuating system. Governments, their rules and interference in life are very much of the same! Pity they don't interfere where its needed with banking system.....which brings me back to theft but somehow legalised!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Happyexpat said:


> It will keep emerging and so it should if it puts people off! Of course we unfortunatelyneed rules and laws because there will always be those that choose to flout human decency or prey on others, such is life.
> The question is do they need to be so complicated, I think the answer is no. The problem is that like government laws tend to be self replicating and eventually we lose all track of what they were meant for in the first place. I have to admit to not being religous in the modern sense but supposedly originally there were ten commandments, they were simple. Common Law was based on these commandments, it was simple. The Governments over the years added various acts and statutes, ammended them and then added more. Europe got into the act and so it goes on. Theft is theft, murder is murder ...


But even the ten commandments have conditions. 

Thou shalt not kill - unless thou art in the army. 

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods - thou shalt max out thy credit card and buy thine own. 

Thou shalt not steal - unless thou art a banker!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> But even the ten commandments have conditions.
> 
> Thou shalt not kill - unless thou art in the army.
> 
> ...


Well said!!

Someone wrote that ideas of justice change faster than fashions in women's hats.
There are no hard and fast rules in democratic societies. Fifty years ago it was thought 'justice' that male homosexual acts should be illegal.
Not all acts of theft are the same. Stealing a loaf to feed a hungry person is not the same as robbing a bank to increase your wealth.
Not all murders are the same. Some are premeditated. Others are 'crimes of passion'.
Our 'western' values are essentially Christian values, not Mosaic values.
The Old Testament demands an eye for an eye. The New Testament exhorts us to turn the other cheek.
The more technologically complex and numerous societies are, the more difficult it is -and rightly so - to lay down simple 'hard and fast' rules.
And, finally, as Brecht said 'What is robbing a bank compared to owning one?'


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

Ah the slippery slope of degenerative standards (tongue in cheek). Of course I agree you cannot apply blanket standards across the board BUT does it have to be so complex. I still think it needs to be simplified and turned around so that justice is on the side of victim rather than the criminal. In many increasing instances this is clearly not the case.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Happyexpat said:


> Ah the slippery slope of degenerative standards (tongue in cheek). Of course I agree you cannot apply blanket standards across the board BUT does it have to be so complex. I still think it needs to be simplified and turned around so that justice is on the side of victim rather than the criminal. In many increasing instances this is clearly not the case.


I think you are talking about sentencing policy in which case I agree.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Happyexpat said:


> Ah the slippery slope of degenerative standards (tongue in cheek). Of course I agree you cannot apply blanket standards across the board BUT does it have to be so complex. I still think it needs to be simplified and turned around so that justice is on the side of victim rather than the criminal. In many increasing instances this is clearly not the case.


But it isn't always that simple to declare who is the victim and who is the criminal.

If justice were applied throughout society and not just in the courts, there would I'm sure be fewer criminals.

Not a popular view I know, but to me the greatest injustice is the obscenely unequal distribution of wealth. These days nobody makes a fortune by hard work and thrift - they make it by exploiting others.


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

If I work 10 hours to buy myself something I want, then I am beggared if some little oik can come in and spend 10 minutes thieving it and so depriving me of that something. 

By the way, the definition of theft in the UK statute is, 'taking something which does not belong to you, with the intention of depriving its rightful owner of it permanently'.


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

I did actually mean sentencing policy rather than simply justice, so thank you for that. As for permanently depriving the owner etc totally correct which is why some smart alec lawyer lawyer came up with splitting it up for yobs taking your car for joy rides but leaving it somewhere for you to find, maybe smashed up. TDA versus a straight up theft as 'no intention to permanently deprive'. How stupid is that!
Somehow I cannot support the idea that because I have earnt enough money to buy a stereo its ok for somebody who is broke to come along and nick it. Of course wealth is distibuted unevenly, it always has been and always will be, its still no excuse in my opinion. Statistically over 70% of petty theft is drug related, what am I, a funder for drug taking, I think not!
Anyway actually the real problem lies not with the thief but the 'fence' and the buyer of stolen goods, no market for stolen property equals greduced rates of theft!


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