It appears the entry fee scam perpetrated on those
sitting in the lengthy queues in their cars at the border is back. I suppose
one has to ask, did it ever go away?
On Friday I received this email from Philip. He wrote:
“Today a scruffy man tried to
take 20 euros off my partner and I as we drove into the queue to get into
Gibraltar from Spain. He scribbled something in marker pen in the bottom
near side windscreen. He rubbed this out when it became apparent we would not
be paying as we failed to see how this could help. The man was still around
later in the day, we drove past and ignored him.”
Philip closed his email
by asking: “Is this a regular thing?”
My answer would be that I
thought it currently isn’t but it certainly was. I can’t remember seeing these
scammers in recent years in the queues but they certainly were a common sight
during the 1990s.
In those days the tactic
was to sell drivers in cars the scammers had identified as belonging to
tourists an actual ticket to get on to the Rock. This they were assured was
needed and they were asked to hand over pesetas in those days. And what did
they get in return? An ONCE lottery ticket torn in half. At least if it was an
actual valid ONCE ticket you might have ended up winning some cash instead of
being out of pocket.
Of course this ploy would
only work with tourists as a Spaniard would know an ONCE ticket when he or she
saw one and Gibraltarians and regular visitors would know only too well there
was no charge or indeed tickets.
As the drivers are being
targeted in La Línea’s lengthy queue, where they are sitting ducks for the
shysters, there is little on the face of it that Gibraltar or Gibraltarians can
do about it. However it should be of major concern to us as the victims will
feel they have been conned whilst visiting Gibraltar and hence our named is
blackened by the scammers.
Gibraltarians and those
who cross by car in to Gibraltar on a regular basis can help. If you see the
scammers at work then please warn the innocent tourists they should not pay. A
loud blast on your car horn will probably do the trick!
Clear signs on La Línea’s
lampposts along the route of the queues in English and Spanish warning drivers
that no ticket is required to enter Gibraltar would also be a great help. Cracking down on
the scammers is as much in our neighbour’s interest as it is ours.
Our Chief Minister and La
Línea’s mayor now work closely together on many fronts. A word from Mr Picardo
in Gemma Araujo’s shell-like should do the trick on the tricksters.
