A Brazilian couple was left shaken after an agressive foreign beggar harassed them near the shops outside the Che Gong Miao metro station around 2pm in Shenzhen today. Reports of the man, identified as either Miguel or Eric, have been circulating for more than a year.

"He looked like he was on drugs. First, he just approached me and started to talk into my ear very close. I tried to get away from him and see who it was,” said Ricardo, a 2-year resident of Shenzhen and pilot for a shipping company. Ricardo asked that his last name not be used for this article.

“He pushed me with his body, I’m 180cm and he was about 190cm. He’s a tall guy. He was hanging over me and pushing me on the side," Ricardo said.

The couple said they recognized the man from a previousThat’s report.

The man claimed that a 'Chinese guy' had stolen his wallet, according to Ricardo. That matches Facebook reports of the man claiming to be a theft victim before asking for RMB20.

"We didn’t see him approaching us, when we realized he was there he was already over my shoulder talking to me. I couldn’t even see his face. I’m glad my wife was there," said Ricardo.

"I thought it was my husband's friend from Iceland, then I recognized his face from your post. I told him to ‘walk away, walk away,’ it’s that guy!" said Larissa.



An October 2015 WeChat post by Guide in China alleges the man is an American and had sexually assaulted a woman on the subway in Shenzhen, though That’s couldn't find a victim.

“It’s a big mistake that we didn’t go to the police station, but if we go, we need someone to translate for us,” said Ricardo.

“We were so, so afraid. Something like that has never happened to us in China. We come from Brazil and we known what is like living with thieves,” said Larissa. “We don’t want to live like that here.”

[Images via Winston Sterzel]