This month, I made my first trip to London and fell head over heels for the city. Yet I was left feeling deeply unsettled after realising I had come within seconds of being conned. I would like to think I am fairly savvy when it comes to this sort of thing. But I had not the faintest idea there was a scam involving bird droppings.
The bird poo scam is common and typically involves someone spraying a tourist with a liquid, pretending it is bird poo, before using the chaos to pinch their valuables. The appearance of fake droppings differs between scammers — it can be white, black, brown or even green — and can even replicate the smell and texture of the real thing.
What Happened in London?
Strolling past Downing Street and making my way towards Trafalgar Square, I felt a tap on my shoulder. A smartly dressed young woman, accompanied by an equally well-dressed young man, told me I had bird poo in my hair and warned me not to touch it. I had not felt a thing and was understandably disgusted. My boyfriend looked at my hair and said it was barely noticeable and nothing to fuss over. But it looked black and white, just like genuine bird droppings.
The pair appeared to move on. But just seconds later, they had positioned themselves further along the street, rummaging through their bag. They called me over, offering me a wet wipe to remove the bird poo from my hair. How convenient, right? At the time, I was so repulsed that I wanted it out of my hair immediately, and I was two seconds away from saying yes. Fortunately, my boyfriend had a bad feeling, said "no" and steered me away.
I Did Not Know This Scam Existed
Grabbing a wet wipe from a nearby shop, I eventually headed back to the hotel for a freshen up and a thorough hair wash. But after a closer look and a swift Google search, it appears this is a widespread scam I had no idea about. I had no bird poo on my cap or my jacket, and it was on such a tiny section of my hair. I have dark brown hair, so it was quite remarkable she spotted it, if it was genuine.
Everything seemed to tick the boxes of other people's experiences. I started to realise I had been targeted. The common theme seems to be:
- Two well-dressed people tell you that you have bird poo on you (hair, jacket, cap, etc).
- You feel disgusted and want it off straight away.
- They offer you wet wipes.
- You take the help.
- Before you know it, they have swiped something and you do not know it until they have gone.
It works because it exploits several factors. Disgust and urgency, as you want it cleaned immediately. It diverts your attention so you are focused on the bird poo, not your belongings. And finally, someone "helping" lowers your guard — as it did mine — and the scammers (working in a pair) will clean while the other steals.
What Do They Steal During the Bird Poo Scam?
I had a bag with me, along with my camera and phone. I kept my phone close, my camera on a strap around my neck, and my bag firmly shut. Fortunately, they did not take anything, but according to those who have fallen victim to the scam, people have lost their credit cards, purses, necklaces and more. I was wearing gold jewellery at the time — nothing too pricey — but for all I know, they could have clocked my necklaces and wanted to snatch them, hoping they were worth something. All they would have needed to do was be slightly rough with my hair, and I would not have noticed them undoing the chain until it was too late.
My Rules When Travelling
The moral of the story is, if a bird poos on you, try to get out of there and do not accept help from anyone. My rules in any major city are:
- Keep your bag sealed and close to you.
- Take pictures with both hands and do not have your phone out for longer than you need.
- Never have your phone in your back pocket.
- If anyone talks to you that you do not know, always be aware of your surroundings and walk away as soon as possible if you are unsure — do not try to be polite, get out of there.
