Laws in the UAE for years have tried to fight common scams that continue to fool the charitable and sometimes naive.
But this season's anti-begging campaign, launched before Ramadan, will make you cringe. These cartoons with examples of the ways beggars on the street try to cheat people out of money may be cynical, but it's also accurate — that may be the worst part of it.
People with experience in the Middle East cite common strategies to tug at pedestrians' heartstrings: holding a baby; providing elaborate, tragic life stories; even faking disabilities. We can only hope some of these claims are true.
Abu Dhabi police launched the "No to Begging" campaign Saturday, Khaleej Times reported, addressing an influx of beggars that hits the UAE every year before Ramadan. Muslims' increased obligation to give to the poor leaves unassuming pedestrians vulnerable to scams.
It may seem backward to crack down on those begging for money, but that's exactly what the Gulf country did. Abu Dhabi police arrested 231 people for begging during last year's holy month alone, according to The National.
It's hard to blame the Emirates when this beggar was discovered to own a Land Cruiser.
