Beware of scams during Ramadan

A recurring problem during the fasting month, beggars look to prey on gullible residents

The month of Ramadan is about to begin and residents will once again witness a sudden surge in people begging for money — a happenstance that has been the focus of the authorities year after year as they attempt to stop this illegal practice. Last year, in Dubai for instance, CID patrols monitored public places, shopping centres, mosques and residential areas as part of the anti-begging campaign during Ramadan. Since 2015, Dubai Police has caught 6,848 beggars and in Abu Dhabi, more than 93 people were arrested for begging during Ramadan last year and deported.

The practice of begging is quite often a chicanery and gullible residents end up being taken advantage of. The authorities have repeatedly cautioned residents against falling for what can be false pleas of beggars and urged people to donate the sums they wish to charity instead.

Authorities usually check if a beggar really needs money or is just pretending to be poor before the punitive measures are carried out. If the begging is a result of genuine deprivation, the individual is referred to charities.

Over the years, many awareness initiatives have been launched to warn the public of the many ways in which beggars target their money — from resorting to being wheelchair-bound or posing as a special needs person, to using children to plead for money and even posting pleas on social media. As such, it is to one’s own advantage that we wisen up to the tactics of beggars. This will go a long way in strengthening the efforts of the authorities who are doing everything in their power to ensure that residents are not harassed or victimised by unscrupulous means.