The Pea-Men
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64361)
United Kingdom
December 13, 2015 10:54am CST
Wherever you go in the world there is always somebody trying to part you from your cash, and the Costa Blanca in Spain is no different.
On our walks along the promenade we often encounter 'pea-men'. They use a variation on the old 'Find the Lady' trick, only they use a pea and 3 down-turned cups, placed on a small collapsible table.
They are sleight of hand artists, and they place a pea beneath one of the cups, then move them around quickly and you have to guess which cup they are under.
I've observed them over the weeks we've been here, and have sussed out their 'modus operandi'. To the unwary (gullible) person it appears to be just a one man operation, but in fact there is a small gang of them.
One man acts as a lookout, as of course what they are doing is illegal. When this man spies a police vehicle he shouts a warning, and you should see the speed with which they dismantle the table (sometimes throwing it onto the beach), then they all melt into the crowd.
The others in the 'gang' are plants or stooges. They aren't all men, there are also women of varying ages, obviously there to allay the suspicions of the potential prey.
Anyway, when people see the stooges 'winning', greed triumphs over common sense and they bet because it seems so easy. Sometimes the operator even allows them to win, and then cons them into a 'double or nothing' scenario.
Were people born yesterday? I've even tried warning some of them - the first time I did it, the fellow didn't want to know. The laugh was on me, as the next day I saw him again and he was part of the gang! Oops.
So now I've decided that if people are silly enough to fall for this, they deserve to lose their money!
58 people like this
52 responses
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Dec 15
You should see the amount of people doing this in site of The houses of Parliament. They are thieves and of course there have plants in the audience who fake winning. People are stupid enough to then play. Well you know what they say. A fool and his money is soon parted. It beggars belief that there are so many gullible tourists in London.
11 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
13 Dec 15
@garymarsh6 Is it illegal in England? If so, how do they get away with it in such a prominent position?
4 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
13 Dec 15
@garymarsh6 Sheesh, they are blatant, aren't they?
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Dec 15
@jaboUK As you say the police move them on then five minutes later they are back again as soon as the police are out of sight.
2 people like this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Dec 15
I am laughing so hard right now because my little son is playing that this morning. He is using 6 paper cups and trying to hide a game piece - we have to try to pick which cup it is under 
. We have a childrens book about a little girl living in a poor city in Asia - she gets conned with a lady selling "wish" birds. 
. We have a childrens book about a little girl living in a poor city in Asia - she gets conned with a lady selling "wish" birds. 9 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
13 Dec 15
No matter where you go there will be con artist.
9 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
13 Dec 15
You can't change human nature and many people think money is easy to make. Otherwise the casinos wouldn't be so packed all the time.
4 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
13 Dec 15
@jaboUK Because they want to make more money, it is always greed in the end.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
13 Dec 15
@BelleStarr But at least people know what they are getting into in a casino. Here they are thinking they can actually outwit the conman - why don't they realise he's something of a magician and they have no chance?
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
13 Dec 15
I often wonder, how these people that fall for this trick, don't know that itsa con.... or do they reallly think ...they can beat the tricksters ...??
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
14 Dec 15
@sueznewz2 Thinking they can beat the tricksters at their own game is so stupid. I don't suppose you get much of this sort of thing in your town, even though it's just a few miles away?
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
14 Dec 15
@sueznewz2 I've seen a lot of guys with bracelets etc - they pester you when you are in the cafes.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
14 Dec 15
@jaboUK that's true.... i've not seen them.... but we have a lot of those sellers, that carry trays or bags full of rubbishy goods like sunglasses,hats, lighters, fans, and balloons..., and other very cheap tatty stuff, that no one wants...
1 person likes this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
13 Dec 15
When it comes to this scam it is not a game of chance, they always win because it is a cheat they are doing. You've hit what they are doing right on the head Janet. Though I would expect nothing less from you two, they would have to be up real early to fool either of you :D
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79961)
• United States
13 Dec 15
It must be quite a sight seeing them dismantle their table and such when the police come by. People are easily duped when it comes to betting and always think it's an easy way to make money and never think of how much they will lose.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
13 Dec 15
@Marilynda1225 There's a saying - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
14 Dec 15
I haven't tried this yet and now that i know there is a bunch of them doing it I will enjoy watching just to see how they do it. My money is safe....
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
14 Dec 15
@PainsOnSlate Lol - forewarned is forearmed!!
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
14 Dec 15
@JudyEv I'm glad you saw the light Judy
. These people seem to be prevalent wherever there are a lot of tourists. @garymarsh6 says that there are lots of them outside the Houses Of Parliament in London too.
. These people seem to be prevalent wherever there are a lot of tourists. @garymarsh6 says that there are lots of them outside the Houses Of Parliament in London too.1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
14 Dec 15
and I thought only Filipinos are these cunning human beings.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
14 Dec 15
@ridingbet Oh no - these sort of people are everywhere, especially where there are a lot of tourists.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
13 Dec 15
I am always amazed anyone falls for such a challenge and even takes the bet - it's obvious the operators know what they are doing
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
16 Dec 15
@jaboUK the best response is to decline to do it at all and walk away
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
13 Dec 15
@arthurchappel How people think they can outwit these professionals is beyond me.
1 person likes this
@Cofee_Brewin (28)
• United States
14 Dec 15
There is a saying that goes there is a sucker born everyday. The get rich quick idea just doesn't work. But at least you tried to tell the guy not knowing that he was part of the pack of hustlers.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
14 Dec 15
@Cofee_Brewin Yes I did try, and felt a bit of a fool. Not to worry, and as Paints says, it's lovely to see you though I knew you'd joined us here.
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
14 Dec 15
Good to see you here, I was missing you, (campinsanity on that other place.)
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Dec 15
Some people are hugely naive.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
15 Dec 15
@ElizabethWallace That is so true, I couldn't believe the amount of people that were falling for it.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
16 Dec 15
@ElizabethWallace There's been enough publicity on TV about this sort of thing - they must have been living under a stone.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
16 Dec 15
@jaboUK They must not watch movies ot TV shows. That is where I learned about con men, when I was a child.
1 person likes this
@Vivenda (583)
• Portsmouth, England
15 Dec 15
@jaboUK and @boingboing - Now I'm definitely pead off - I was sure I'd be first with that comment!
1 person likes this
