Pakistan: Begging for alms via SMS
Posted by Dusan on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at 8:31 am under General
Pakistani beggars and/or thieves are using SMS to fool people into giving them hefty alms in the name of religion. I guess not all people do this for fraud — certainly a number of them have real reasons for begging via SMS.
One message reads, "I am a poor man and my daughter is admitted to hospital. If you have faith in one God, please send me a credit of at least Rs 10. God may reward you and take you out of all troubles."
Apparently, these mobile beggars send messages to many people asking for a credit of Rs 10-100 ($0.25-2,50), offering in return a place in paradise.
Muhammad Usman, a Pakistani businessman, told Daily Times that he received almost 10 messages a day in which a beggar used to ask him for mobile credit. After first few donations, I doubt people keep sending any credits to mobile beggars…
[Via: textually.org]
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May 8th, 2008 at 3:22 am
Well this is just not in Pakistan. I have been to Europe. People there too send such messages to ask for help. Common sense is that literacy rate is very low in Pakistan. Beggars don't have fundamental rights and education. How they can mange to type SMS in English or any language on their cell phones? Its simply out of logic
May 8th, 2008 at 3:49 am
Way to go My Man FR!