Sharjah Police have released a video warning residents that beggars are exploiting people’s emotions to collect money, turning begging into a profession.
The police conducted a real-life experiment in which a person was assigned the role of a beggar and sent to the streets to see how much money he could collect in an hour.
The video shows the individual begging on the street, while passersby offer him money out of sympathy. Surprisingly, within just one hour, he managed to collect 367 dirhams (approximately 28,000 Pakistani rupees).
This demonstrated how beggars can earn large sums by taking advantage of people’s empathy, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, without having any genuine need.
The police have urged citizens not to give money to such individuals but instead donate through legitimate charitable organizations.
According to Khaleej Times, the police stated that donating is a responsibility, while begging is a crime. Dubai Police arrested 33 beggars in the first 10 days of Ramadan.
These individuals belonged to various countries and were apprehended under an ongoing campaign titled A Conscious Society, Free from Beggars.
In the United Arab Emirates, begging is a criminal offense, punishable by a fine of 5,000 dirhams and up to three months in jail.
Those operating begging networks or recruiting foreigners for this purpose can face up to six months in prison and fines of up to 100,000 dirhams. Similarly, unauthorized fundraising can lead to fines of up to 500,000 dirhams.
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