Weird woman at Hyde Park Corner

[NIK]

We were waiting at Hyde Park Corner to get on one of the tour buses, which for me was a bit of a waste of money as I've done it several times, but thought it would keep my mates entertained. It was now £30 for two days. Last time I went on one it was £16. I did negotiate a fiver off though. 

More interestingly as we were waiting this woman approached coming up Park Lane. Blonde hair, probably dyed, maybe in her forties. She was dressed very strikingly, but I thought tartily in a skimpy leopard skin dress, and little else.  My mates immediately lusted after her, but I didn't fancy her at all. As she approached us I could sense something weird was about to happen.

In very broken English she showed us her phone and asked for directions to what was on it, which turned out to be the Cumberland Hotel which was visible from where we were.
We tried to explain it was just over the road and pointed to it, but she didn't seem to understand and said, 'How I get across road? You show me.'
Being the one with the 'knowledge' I walked with her the few yards to the crossing. Obviously it was very busy. She kept repeating in poor English, 'How I cross road? You show me.' She appeared very distracted and even a little distressed. I asked her if it was her first time in London and after initially not appearing to understand replied, 'First time in this place.' She then wanted me to take her across the road, but at this point the tour bus arrived and my mates called me back, not that I was going to go across with her anyway.

It was only afterwards I thought maybe she was a prossy going to an appointment in the hotel, and maybe she was late hence her apparent distress. If she was staying in the hotel she had no luggage whatsoever, and very unusually, not even a handbag. However rather than dressed discreetly for a hotel appointment she was dressed like the most obvious of  streetwalkers.
If she was a prossy with her agitated, distracted state and poor English I wouldn't have liked to have been the punter who'd booked her.

Whatever the situation was there are some very weird people in London. 

[Stealthshagger]

Wasn't Abdul's fancy dress party there then?

[Cunnivorous Vagitarian]

WoW! Does that still happen????

That is a CLASSIC 1970's trick!

You'll have crossed with her.... then she'd have asked you to help her to the hotel...... then to translate to the receptionist... (who was probably EE now too!!)...... then up to the room, where BAM!!!! YOU are the punter!

If i knew you better i'd put MONEY that that's what would happen!

Usually would have had a nasty pimp hidden somewhere when you tried to back out once it was too late!

[kowalski]

Warning! I had one there outside the Hilton ask me to help her light her fag.As a mug I obliged only to feel her hand in my inside pocket trying to lift my wallet. I told her to fo and scarpered. Dodgy died blonde Romanian.

[vorian]

Sounds like some sort of short con,  well she picked the wrong mark this time.

[sarahjayneleeds]

As already said quite likely a pick pocket scam. 

She looked distracted as she was making sure the others were in place as you help her cross the busy road her accomplices jostle into you and steal your wallet and disappear.  Even if you notice it's gone she doesn't have it in her possession that's why she has a skimpy dress on and very little else there would be nowhere to put it so an easy scam.

[akauya]

So that's why she was late!   

[jcdmj12]

Yep, that's a classic distraction scam run by Romanian pickpocket gangs.  Derren Brown teaches one of the pensioners to do a version of it in the Great Art Robbery.

[Jerboa]

As has been said a classic gypsy scam, target being clueless tourists, skimpy dressed tart to distract while her gang relieves your valuables.

[Vivago]

The Police Chiefs in Romania must be pissing themselves laughing at us as they happily empty their prison cells.  All we seem to get from them are thieves, shoplifters, pickpockets, gypsy beggars, itinerant buskers and whores.  Don’t they have any plumbers?

[kowalski]

Just to clarify in my particular case the scam was this: Hooker has cigarette and matches ans askes you to light it for her.As ar gentleman you oblige and are drawn in by the skimpy clothing. Now she get up close and you have to use two hands to use the matches and your arms are high.At this point she's trying to dip your wallet. I was lucky because on that particular suit I had a zip on the inside pocket and I could feel her fingers tring to get in the pocket completly confused. It's possible this if it were a normal pocket I would have been dipped.So beware of strange girls in distress!

[akauya]

Just to clarify in my particular case the scam was this: Hooker has cigarette and matches ans askes you to light it for her.As ar gentleman you oblige and are drawn in by the skimpy clothing. Now she get up close and you have to use two hands to use the matches and your arms are high.At this point she's trying to dip your wallet. I was lucky because on that particular suit I had a zip on the inside pocket and I could feel her fingers tring to get in the pocket completly confused. It's possible this if it were a normal pocket I would have been dipped.So beware of strange girls in distress!

Moral of the story... give up smoking. Better for your health and your wallet 

[Stealthshagger]

To be fair, people on phones are also targeted. I don't suppose anyone is suggesting giving that up?

[akauya]

To be fair, people on phones are also targeted. I don't suppose anyone is suggesting giving that up?

Absolutely! 

[NIK]

Seems I had a lucky escape here. However even had I been alone I wouldn't have gone with her. I like to think I'm London wise enough now not to these days.
Remember a few years ago one evening as I was walking down a quiet back street in Paddington, actually heading towards a punt with Amy, a black guy crossed the road towards me and said, 'Excuse me but can you tell me the way to...'
Before he could continue I interrupted as aggressively as I could, 'You're not after money are you?'
He fucked straight off. I suppose it was fortunate that he didn't appear particularly threatening.
By this time I was acutely aware that such an approach was almost invariably a prelude to trying to tap me for something.

I fear for the innocents in the big city because these low life scum use any pretext for fleecing you. Even more recently at the railway station a guy started talking to me about the size of the fucking Xmas tree there before saying, ' You couldn't help me out could you?' Needless to say I told him in no uncertain terms I couldn't.   

[akauya]

This is going to be a big generalisation but... the rule, when in London, is if you get approached by someone asking or offering something run away. Bona fide Londoners are too fucking busy running from one place to another to stop and talk to other people

[kowalski]

If you read yesterdays Standard some poor bloke won 3k at the Palm Casino on Sunday. Now the place is split in two one part is a casino and the other half is a pick up joint. Been there a number of times late on Saturdays and even though its free entry and a late drink it is seedy. Any way poor bloke took 24 year old bird to Nobu just opposite Mayfar hotel for a meal.Fou d later bound and gagged and besten to death in his own flat.Four people charged yesterday. Looks like a honey trap.What rotten luck.