I was just in Paris 2 weeks ago with my 16 yo niece. The first day there we were encountered these crooks along the Seine. I realized the first couple minutes that it was a scam but the next thing I know I see my innocent, naive and sympathetic niece handing them 5 euros. When we walked away, I tried telling her that it was a scam and she kept telling me "but they're deaf--I felt sorry for them". It wasn't until we saw about 3 more groups of these jerks at other places that she believed me that 1) what are the chances of that many young people of the same ethnicity being deaf 2)why aren't they in school? 3) so what if they really are deaf-why do they need $$? I felt so bad for her that she had been ripped off in the worst way--by someone preying on her generous nature. Evey time we saw them after that I yelled "liar criminal" & other things at them. My niece was embarassed but it sure worked. I just kept yelling 'liar' & they somehow "miraculously' were cured of their hearing loss. I still don't get why the cops don't go after them--would be so easy to round them up. Makes my blood boil just thinking about it.