Geoff doesn't actually call him a 'traveller' in his post. I think other people have made that assumption. It's worth reading his post on Facebook for the details:
Perhaps Watchdog or similar programme would take it up? There is a programme about holidays from hell, and another about scammers too.
In the meantime, is anyone up for a whip round? How could we organise that for Geoff?
Nice idea minicamper, but maybe now is not the time - if the person concerned is alerted that the media are aware of what went on, and that word is being spread, they may 'disappear' off the radar. I doubt they read caravanning forums.
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Do you really think it's a sob story, Opensauce? There's a lot of detail in the post on Facebook, including a picture, which makes it a very plausible story.
I doubt that anyone would produce a picture, which is of a real person, and publish it if there wasn't substance to the allegations.
I have had the 'saving money to get a ticket home story' on my travels once by an obvious British vagrant in Amsterdam. He wanted to save so many euro to buy a Eurostar ticket. Some Dutch bloke tried to sell me a set of kitchen knives in a German rest area, story was he was on his way back from an exhibition and didn't want to take them back . Not sure what the scam is there unless they are just stolen goods? I didn't take either of them up. I don't trust anyone.
On my travels as a commissioning engineer a lorry driver delivering one of our furnaces had been robbed on a previous trip by anaesthetic gas. He said he had been sleeping in his cab, woke up with a banging headache and his TV, sat dish, DVD player, money etc had been taken. I don't think he was lying about it.
I have had first hand reports of fellow motorcyclists being approached by Roma or Albanians holding knives at service areas. 2 separate incidents one an old friend the other guy was filling with petrol as I was and told me of this incident that happened at his last fuel stop. Basically telling me to be vigilant. This was heading towards Monaco from the riviera coast in Italy. The old friend was approached in Spain.
Also seen some real dodgy characters hanging around service areas in Austria. My guess is Albanians by the 80s style cars and pinstripe trousers pointy shoes etc.
Always pays to be vigilant but I have travelled extensively all over the world and seem to have stayed safe so far....few close calls (in Klaipeda) but Like your mum told you, don't talk to strangers and I would never stay in a rest area or layby overnight.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
My default position has always been that everybody is out to con you, why should this not be so? If you get a phone call offering you something or somebody stops you in the street & offers you something ie "lend me 400€ & I will repay you 600€ in a few days" then they are doing that for their benefit not yours. It's much the same as falling for a 'boiler room' shares scheme over the phone.
If you look at it like that then there is no way you will ever get conned because as soon as the first words are spoken you get an idea of what they are on.
In my 40odd yrs of lorry driving, I was approached by these sort of people on a regular basis at services, sob stories, selling watches/jewelry. I just closed my window & turned my head away & they went off to annoy somebody else.
I will help anybody, I am the man with the tools who fixes your car or caravan, but I will at all times give my time but never my money.
There is no end to the cons that people dream up, wicked ones, like pretending their kid has cancer & the 'donations' flood in as random acts of kindness. It is possible that as suggested, this 'story' is actually a con in itself.
As Al Stewart sang... "I know your head is in the sky, you're easy to deceive, but how you fell for this I really don't believe".
Just so that people can make their own minds up, here is the story copied from Facebook, which Geoff who wrote it has invited people to 'Share':
I know this has little chance of any success but do you recognise the man in this photo? If not, please repost as I want to let you, and as many other people as possible, know about what happened to me a few days ago.
I'm in my mid-sixties, own a motorhome and enjoy travelling around Europe in it by myself. I left Calais last Sunday morning with the idea of travelling south to Northern Spain and after a few hours into my trip stopped at a services called Agip Aire du Ressons, north of Paris on the A1.
As I was filling up with diesel i was approached by a well dressed young man who tells me he was on his way back to Ireland and has had his wallet stolen and needs money to get back. This pleasant and very plausible Irishman allegedly called Martin McDonagh claims to be a dog breeder and gave me an obviously expensive laminated business card about "The Puppy Palace" in Navan. He then showed me his Passport and driving licence from which I took all of "his" details. I also took the picture of him on my phone which I've attached but just when you need the internet most there's never a signal so I couldn't check any of this out.
I then called from my mobile to an Irish number beginning 00353 that he gave me which he said was his wife, Winifred. I spoke with her and she said how she was beside herself with the worry of how Martin had been robbed, how was he ever going to get home and that she couldn't help because everywhere was closed on a Sunday. I heard a young child crying in the background.
Martin kept telling me how he believed in God and showing me the crucifix around his neck even after I'd declared my atheism. Anyway, €400 would help him to get home but he would transfer €600 by western union as soon as got back and we would meet again one day to enjoy a whiskey. I said I wasn't interested in profit, only of getting my money back.
Anyway, to cut a long story short I decided to part with €400 in cash. Martin said he would phone me again when he reached Dover and again when got to Holyhead. I never heard from him again although on Monday I did call his "wife" again and surprisingly she answered saying she was hoping he'd be home later that day. By the evening neither of their numbers could be reached or were receiving calls.
I went to the British Consulate in Bordeaux for advice and then went on and reported the matter to the police in Bordeaux. However, they have said that because he was Irish and I am British it would better for me to report it when I get back to the UK in two weeks time. My guess is when I report it in the UK they will say it was a crime committed in France and will need to dealt with by the French and so it will go and it will be all too easy for "Martin" to carry on his scamming.
In the meantime, I reckon that if "Martin" is only working an hour a day for five days a week but is successfully carrying out just one of these scams a day then he's earning well over €100k a year. I'm resolved to the fact I will never get that cash back but if I can help just one person not to fall for his charms then I'd like to do it.
And at the bottom of the story is a picture, taken with the phone, of the man who called himself Martin McDonagh.
I suppose I feel sorry for Geoff, the guy who was conned, because twenty-six years ago I was 'stranded' in a similar position in a filling station, when on my way home from a three week holiday in France, on my own, with my sons. Lack of planning, meant I was almost out of cash. I had a bank card, but was on the road on a Sunday and the filling station 'device' wouldn't take my card. In those days ATM's on filling stations were a rare thing, and the nearest ATM was apparently in St Dizier, a very long walk away!
A British car pulled in - a lovely man, in a rather nice Jaguar. He obviously recognised that I was upset and asked if I was OK - I told him what had happened, and he paid for the fill up in cash, and gave me some cash which would help until I got to a bank! We swapped addresses, and I repaid the money as soon as I got home - but thereafter I always have sympathy for those 'conned' in this way, because without my Samaritan I don't quite know what I would have done.
Yes, I know, it was my own fault............. but it's easy with the benefit of hindsight to make judgements.
I'm with Billy on this one. The world is full of people out to exploit others and you have to look after yourself. Good advice to be aware of this con and if you decide to help people don't have sour grapes afterwards. do this by not giving more than you can afford to loose.
------------- Ollie
2016
Monplaisir - Provence
Camping Les Gorges du Loup
If the Irish guy had been on the northbound side of the motorway, heading back to the ferry port without money, I would probably have put £25 of fuel in his car to help him on his way - and wouldn't have told anyone about it. But it sounds as though he was on the southbound side.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Poor man it does seem like he was scammed good and proper. ah the McDonaghs! what a happy band of cheating, lying, thieving, fighting, murdering criminals. And I do speak from experience. And how they do get around! Apologies to anyone with that surname who is not of the infamous McDonagh clan.
I'm afraid I'm like you Opensauce, I assume everyone is out to scam from me. Am becoming more distrusting with age and experience. Fortunately for as many cheating evil people in this world, there are the good and kind ppl and this poor man should be proud he's one of those and not dwell on it.
------------- Sometimes You're the windscreen; sometimes the fly
Here's the link from a 2008 story in the Daily Telegraph to more McDonagh's and I think one of them is the man in the photograph on Facebook (though not absolutely the correct name). But, I would have thought if part of your con involves showing those you intend to dupe, your passport and driving licence, then you can be sure it won't be in your correct name!
I need to learn how to do that link thing Bob.
There are so many of them Val, all called John or Martin. Fathers, sons, uncles, nephews, so it would be hard to pin one Martin McDonagh down from the others so I suppose they're happy to give their real name. Some of them have a huge dog stealing/breeding/fighting ring in central Ireland for which I will hate them and their type eternally - I've had run ins with a couple of them and hell ain't hot enough in my opinion. The largest prison in Northern Ireland held 4 Martin McDonaghs and 7 John Wards at one point. confusion helps them.
------------- Sometimes You're the windscreen; sometimes the fly
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: France
There's a lot of detail in the post on Facebook, including a picture, which makes it a very plausible story. 
