A commuter has revealed how a man posing as a British Army corporal convinced him to hand over £20 at Canary Wharf DLR station, claiming he needed the money to return to barracks in Wiltshire. Transport for London (TfL) has responded by advising any passenger who feels uncomfortable in a station situation to contact a member of staff or the police.
The scam at Canary Wharf DLR
The social media user took to Reddit to share his experience. He wrote: "I was approached by a man who said he was a serving corporal in the British Army, in the DLR station." The man claimed he was trying to get back to the Bulford/Salisbury area with his pregnant wife and was short of money for their train journey. He told the commuter the one-way ticket was around £42 per person and that he needed about £15 more. He said his pregnant wife was sitting on a bench nearby, although the commuter never actually met her.
The user stated that what made the story 'convincing' was the man's ability to provide his alleged rank, regiment/unit, service number, and military address. The man also said he had tried to get help from an 'MOD office' in Canary Wharf. The user found the man genuine and eventually gave him £20.
Reddit users spot inconsistencies
Unfortunately, the backstory was part of an elaborate made-up history. There is no MOD office in Canary Wharf, and Reddit users were quick to comment with warnings. One user posted: "Yeah had the exact same encounter in Canary Wharf around about last year. I told him no. I have to say, though, it was more convincing than other scams I've come across; his military ID looked genuine."
Another wrote: "I fell for this exact same scam about ten years ago when I was a naive 22-year-old who had just moved to London. Same story but he was outside the Royal London hospital on Whitechapel Road and his 'pregnant wife' was inside somewhere. Gave him £15 and needless to say, the details were fake. Could even be the same bloke still grifting a decade on."
TfL advice and support
Most users expressed sympathy but said it was a classic 'need money for a ticket' scam. Others pointed out that armed forces personnel could talk to station staff to potentially get a free ride back to barracks. TfL works with official charity partners who fundraise across the network. They advise that anyone wishing to support people in need can donate through established charities and organisations.
There are customer alarm points at each DLR platform, allowing customers to speak directly with staff. TfL also stated that there is a member of staff on every DLR train and security staff patrolling the network, so if you have any concerns, seek them out.
One user put it simply: "If anyone in London, or any other major city or large town, ever approaches you with a long and complicated story that ends in them needing money, then it's always a scam." The commuter accepted his fate and signed off by saying, "It was a good scam, I've learnt my lesson."
A TfL spokesperson said: "Customers should be able to travel on the transport network without fear of intimidation, harassment or fraudulent activity. We encourage customers to report any behaviour that makes them feel uncomfortable to a member of staff or to the police."
