SWARMS of fake Buddhist monks have overtaken the capital's tourist hotspots - forcing visitors to part with cash in exchange for tacky souvenirs and to raise "donations" for "peace".

The shaved headed monks, wearing different shades of brown and orange robes with trainers are harassing tourists and pressuring them to pay up for golden tokens - made from cheap plastic. 16 "Fake monks" are approaching people in London asking for money Credit: SWNS 16 They have been seen trying to force gold tokens and other trinkets on people Credit: SWNS 16 Part of their act is asking people to put their details on a form and how much they're going to donate Credit: SWNS On Monday afternoon four monks panhandled tourists for money between Tower Bridge and Southwark Bridge, thrusting the golden cards into hands before insisting they pay up. American Aaron Wagle, 18, is on holiday from Kansas and was sightseeing near City Hall when a monk approached. He was asked to fill in a form and write down the amount he would be donating - but the monk never explained what the money would go towards. Aaron said: "He didn't really say much. He said he wanted to talk about peace and said he would pray for me. "He told me to write down my name and 'London' on a clipboard he had. "He then asked me to write down how much money I was going to give him. 16 When asked what they were raising money for they didn't answer Credit: SWNS 16 In several cases they have been aggressive and asked for more when people didn't give "enough" Credit: SWNS 16 The "monks" demand money in exchange for gold tokens Credit: SWNS "I gave £1 but then he got annoyed and demanded more so I gave him a load of change.

"I don't think I gave him more than about £1.50.

"He said it was a donation for something, but he wouldn't say what."

Working in teams, the monks take shifts and panhandle for a short amount of time before disappearing until another takes over.

Suspiciously, one monk left Tower Bridge and met with another beneath London Bridge, where they spoke quietly.

Another family were queuing for dinner by Tower Bridge when they were approached by the same monk demanding £10.

Jan, a dad of four, holidaying in Britain said: "He asked me for £10 and I said no, but I still paid £5.

"We're here on holiday for two weeks, it seemed quite aggressive.

"I felt quite pressured but I still wanted to help him and I said 'good luck.'"

The monk, who was with two others approaching tourists targeted Dutch couple Janou, 24, and Suen, 27.

The holidaying couple were shocked to have the monk approach them and were disgusted when a golden token was thrust into Janou's hand.

She said: "He asked me for £10 and the even asked me to make a monthly donation to their cause.

"We said no and he had given us this thing and he wanted us to fill out this form with our names.

"Because we'd said no he just walked off disappointed.

"But he never said exactly what he was raising money for."

A spokesman for the Buddhist Society said people can tell the real from the fake - because "genuine Buddhist monks would never ask for money".

16 They are targeting busy tourist areas such as Tower Bridge and London Bridge Credit: Alamy

16 Many tourists have said they felt forced to hand over cash Credit: SWNS

He said the society had received calls in recent days from concerned members of the public about what's going on in London.

He told The Sun: "We had a call from a concerned member of the public about this just yesterday and we have heard of it before.

"People feel it is demeaning to the image of Buddhism.

"One of the things many people don’t know is that Buddhist monks can’t handle money.

"Traditionally though monks are beggars. In places like Thailand they beg and are given gifts of food such as rice which they are allowed to eat but not take money. They wouldn’t be able to touch it."

Shockingly this isn't the first time the "fake monks" have been spotted aggressively asking people to part with their cash.

Only two months ago Buddhist leaders in New York issued a warning to tourists telling them to beware the growing number of fraudulent "monks" on the city's streets.

16 Only as recently as June the same thing was happening in New York Credit: AP

16 Buddhist leaders there warned against engaging with the fraudsters or handing over cash Credit: AP

Men in orange robes claiming to be Buddhist monks have been approaching visitors at some of the city's most popular attractions - including the High Line elevated park.

According to CBS New York, back in June the con artists were handing tourists shiny medallions and offering greetings of people claiming the donations would help them build a temple in Thailand.

However the became aggressive when their demands were refused.

Rev. TK Nakagaki, president of the Buddhist Council of New York, told the broadcaster: "The problem seems to be increasing. They are very aggressive and hostile if you don't give them money.

Michelle Dunson of the Buddhist Council of New York added: "They’re not authentic. They’re not real. They’re playing on people’s heart strings.

"It’s basically a scam like any other."

As well as in New York, the "monks" have also been spotted in other countries, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong and China, and now they're roaming the streets of London.

16 In some cases they asked for donations "for peace" Credit: SWNS

16 They were seen sitting on a bench smoking and chatting to one another Credit: SWNS

Shaved men dressed in monk-style robes are patrolling the Tower of London approaching tourists, families and lone women asking for handouts and a gesture of "peace".

A small group of Asian men wearing orange and brown robes over a t-shirt, jeans and trainers, can be seen walking the mile-long footpath around the home of the Crown Jewels.

Unsuspecting tourists are targeted, approached, shown a tacky, plastic relic and braided wooden bracelet and asked to fill in four columns in a small pocked-sized notebook.

The first three columns are labelled, "name", "location" and "request have" - the vast majority of respondents had written "peace" in the latter.

In the final column, "money", respondents had written amounts ranging from 50p to £20, with those who gave little scorned by the monks and encouraged to give more.

When the men, all aged between 30 and 60, finished a lap of the Tower, they stopped for a cigarette or a spot of lunch, which consisted of nothing more than a dry, unfilled bread roll and one-pint bottle of

semi-skimmed milk.

16 But when they spotted a photographer they got out a mobile phone and made a call Credit: SWNS

16 Some people have been asked for as much as £10 or £20 Credit: SWNS

As they spotted a press photographer taking snaps of them in the park, they pulled out a mobile phone and made a call.

Two Dutch students on holiday in the UK, Ruben Sjoerd, 21, and Sasha Bos, 23, were cornered by one of the monk-like men as they approached Tower Bridge.

Ruben said: "They gave us a little card with Buddha on it and a little gold thing, not real gold, and a wooden bracelet-type thing.

"There were boxes on the card to fill in. He said he would write our donations in the temple.

"He wanted our name, address and how much we were going to give him. We asked him why he wanted us to donate but he couldn’t really speak English.

"Even if we had change we wouldn’t have given him some money. We are not fools.

"But we didn’t have any cash or change, so we told him we couldn’t. Then he just disappeared."

Sasha said: "It was so weird. We were like, ‘why would a monk being asking for money?’."

Jane Squire, a city worker in her 50s from Clapham, south London, said: "First of all he looked straight down at my bag, and I thought, ‘what is he doing?’

"But then he gave me this gold-coloured thing to hold. It was glittery. It looked like it had a star on it or something.

How to spot a REAL monk In general, monks associated with real temples do not go around soliciting money on the streets - and there aren't that many in the capital.

Real monks do not act aggressively, and would gladly offer a blessing without asking for money, and would certainly not demand a higher amount of money than the one offered.

Authentic monks typically would not acknowledge a donation, and would avoid eye contact. They would not sell beads, medallions, amulets, or rosaries.

Monks associated with real temples should be able to answer questions about which temple they belong to, and wouldn't walk away or refuse to answer questions.

A genuine monk should be able to answer questions about Buddhism.

"He told me that it was from his temple. Then he starts to bring out a book for me to sign and he said he would write what I wrote in his temple.

"There were a few columns, name and something else.

"But the last column was for money. He said, ‘now you pay’.

"I said, ‘now I don’t’ and just walked off. It was a bit scary at first because he looked straight at my bag. I didn’t know what he wanted."

Another woman, Elma Sanli from south-east London, was on the phone smoking a cigarette by Tower Bridge when she was approached by a robed "monk".

She said: "He just came up to me and went, ‘you’re smoking too much’.

"I just said ‘yeah, thanks’ and carried on. It was a bit bizarre.

"I’ve seen them walking up here a lot. A lot of people do give them money, especially the tourists."

16 The Buddhist Society is warning people to be aware of the con Credit: SWNS

16 A Met Police spokesman was unable to confirm whether the force had received any calls about them Credit: SWNS

In New York panhandling on the city streets isn't illegal - as long as the person isn't acting aggressively.

However the city's parks department says it is unlawful to solicit cash without a permit.

Cops claim that on the rare occasions they have been called the men have usually disappeared by the time they have arrived.

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