Has someone witnessed this sequence ?

A gaunt, thin girl with a facial injury ( clever make up ) comes sobbing to you around the Herne Hill station
Claims she needs to go home as she has been thrashed/thumped etc by her boyfriend
Is quite well spoken and keeps reminding you she is not a beggar
Decamps with your money
Some unsuspecting ( mostly blokes ) have gladly accompanied her to the nearest cash point where they have given here money

This is a sad case of a junkie fuelling her habit

The story changes each time

Beware and dont pay her. I was out with my friend and we almost fell for it when I noticed that her lines were coming out with practised ease

Yes, myself and several of my friends have witnessed this sequence more than once and when we tried to challenge her on the last ocassion, after she demanded more money from a lovely lady that had just given her £5, we received a hurl of abuse and threats.

Don't be fooled - this girl is doing nothing more than feeding her dirty habit.

I have been approached by her too, outside the station. I was with a friend who told her to ask the police for help if she had been beaten up and needed to get home. Our refusal to give her money was met with verbal abuse.

And I felt guilty by walking on after the pleas of "you're the only person to talk to me". An item on the community board might not be a good idea but hopefully the store manager has been be advised.

She came up to me the other day (Tuesday 29, about 830pm) at the 68 bus stop outside Sainsbury's. Gave me the same "I've been beaten up" spiel as 'hafluna'. I've lived in Herne Hill for more than 20 years and have come across most street scams but somehow I was taken in. I gave her £5. Maybe it was the fact that she's well-spoken, she gave me her postcode in Uxbridge, pointed to her facial 'injury' (a bump on her forehead, left hand side) etc. As soon as I got on the bus I looked back and saw her begging from someone else. I was so angry that when I got home, I got in the car and drove around trying to find her, but she'd gone. Another local resident says she has a scary looking minder shadowing her. No idea what I can do except warn others about her.

A friend of mine was conned last night outside the station around 8pm by the same girl. Apparently when asked if she had notified the police she said she had and flashed a piece of paper that she claimed was the police report. She is obviously very convincing, but I am surprised that she does not get recognised by past victims more often, this is in front of the Cab office and Pullens. My wife was nearly a victim a couple of months ago, but has not seen her since.

I was suckered by this sometime in late August outside Ollie's and gave her a tenner. From the above posts, it looks like she has a script for the entire scam.

About a month later she came up to me outside the cab office. I said "Remember me from last time?" and started laughing. She stormed off without giving any abuse.

I got caught 6.15pm yesterday evening at half moon lane junction with stradella. I was about to give her a couple of quid but then a car pulled up and she jumped in. I didn't realise about the scam until my wife told me when I got home.

I too walked past her outside Mimosa and she tried to get 30p off my partner. I stopped her just as she reached for her purse and told the girl to go away to which she wasn't too happy with. Is there no way we can sort this out? Surely she could be arrested for something? and then put into rehab to sort her out?

i also came across her on the corner of ruskin walk and half moon.. luckily i had read this and just walked away.. she is very convincing and not surprised so many others helped her