Unfortunately, income inequality and knowledge inequality go hand in hand when it comes to upward mobility.

What do you think is more likely - that the man you saw is ignorant of alternatives to bank accounts and has attempted to solve the issue in good faith, only to be unable to find any way to get a bank account or proxy... or that he was lying and hoping to play on the sympathies of passers by?

I spent quite some time talking with him, I think it's the former. Also, shame on you.

If he made a sign, hopefully someone told him that.