Beggars cash in on generosity during holy month — Anti-Vagrancy Department

AMMAN — “Professional beggars” gain more during the holy month of Ramadan, as people tend to be more generous and sympathetic, said Director of the Anti-Vagrancy Department at the Ministry of Social Development Maher Kloub on Wednesday.

“With the advent of the holy month, increasing numbers of beggars have been seen outside mosques, commercial centres and complexes, hospitals, traffic lights and at highly populated places,” Kloub told The Jordan Times over the phone.

Kloub said that the ministry intensified its anti-vagrancy campaigns in Ramadan, which are conducted in cooperation with the Greater Amman Municipality and the Public Security Directorate.

The begging phenomenon is more acute in Amman and Irbid, which have the largest numbers of beggars, who consider it “pure business and a profitable profession”, said Kloub, pointing out that usually professional scammers do not start begging during the first days of Ramadan.

“During Ramadan, beggars follow a certain strategy. They have smart tactics that other people will not think of, they wait for the end of the month and eid,” Kloub stated.

The director has cautioned the public not to fall prey to street “sympathy scams and to be aware of street scammers who tug at people’s hearts, especially during spiritual times like Ramadan”, encouraging the public to go to the right places such as trusted charities and care centres that have a letter approved by the Social Development Ministry, and give pay-cheques after giving charity.

Kloub revealed that during the first quarter of 2022, a total of 2,660 vagrants have already been arrested, of which 1,190 were males and 789 were females. He added that the number of male juveniles caught reached 545, while female juveniles were 310. A total of 150 non-Jordanians were also arrested up until March 31, 2022.

Further, he urged the public to report vagrancy cases, through contacting 0780777660, 0790777660, 0770044033 via WhatsApp.

“The government should crack down on beggars, but at the same time people should stop giving them their money,” said Omar Saad, a Jordanian in his 20s, adding that the number of beggars hanging around the streets has significantly increased in the past five years.

Mira Muhannad, who is in her 40s, told The Jordan Times: “I always feel sorry for the children that are maybe forced to beg and not go to school, so I always give them some money,” noting vagrancy is a significant issue that needs more attention from the government.

In 2021, a total of 13,500 beggars were arrested in the Kingdom, and about 5,465 in 2019, of which a large number consisted of non-Jordanians, according to Kloub.