Community Chat

[Financialgrl]

I know some of the ppl are scammers.  Once I was coming out of Lowe's and 3 guys (about 30ish) all got out of a truck with buckets and walked across the highway to different corners to work them. 

The one I found funny - the same two ppl trade off on a corner outside Walmart each day but a few feet away from them is a Burger King advertising "Help Wanted". 

[Plaid Pants2]

One day, over a year ago, my dad and I were at Rite-Aid, and when I came out of the store, a young 20-something girl approached me, and asked if she could use my phone to call a friend to come pick her up.

The sob story that she tried to lay on me, to get me to feel sorry for her was that she went to a party the night before, was raped and lost her phone.

Sensing a scam, I offered to call the police for her. 

She said no, that she had been to the police, and that they were useless, and walked away.

Besides, stores will often let you use their phone to call someone if you are in need.

I did when I worked in retail, and I have used store phones when I was in need, before I got a cell phone.

If all else fails, find a pay phone, and yes, they still do exist, and call collect.

[Q4u]

Back in San Diego there are several street corners with people with signs....  all have the same look and carrying signs that look similar.  Well, I made it a point of looking at them and their signs closely and found that different people were carrying the same signs. 

These people would show up in North County and then if you went south 30 or 40 miles you'd see the SAME people you saw a few days prior in a new location.  Then the signs, which are all on brown cardboard, folded certain ways and done with black markers with specific printing, not hard seeing the similarities in them and not hard noticing the same sign 40 miles away that has printing similarities and the same spelling mistakes. 

My job took me all over the city, so I was in my car a lot and I think that there is a lrge group of some sort, of panhandlers.  Maybe I'm thinking large, but it may even be National. I think they pool their money at one source and pay these people a salary.

Of course I'm speculating, but in no way do I think these people are down on their luck panhandlers.  I think what they are doing (and there seems to be a lot of them) is a paid full time job.....  

Once in awhile the police would shoo them away but they always came back.

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[Susan in California]

Sometimes I do give.  But recently on a trip to Berkeley, I was trying to turn left on a fairly busy street.  A panhandler was in the median, very aggressivly approaching every stopped car in an almost menacing manner.  He tried to make eye contact with everyone, and I couldn't get out of there fast enough.  I thought his manner could easily have caused a traffic accident. I know I found myself a little hasty in my  eagerness to turn left and get away.  This was in the middle of the day and very creepy.

[Spurt]

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@Vickiv wrote:

A few years back there was a man holding a sign up WILL WORK FOR FOOD I felt so bad for him my husband and I went to Mc Donald's and bought him all kinds of things for him this will even last him for a day. Stopped at a supermarket and bought non perishable items for him. Pulled up to him got out and gave him all the food. He got furious and said I don't want your da** food I want money. I was shocked. I was fooled didn't realize that it's all a scam. I would never do it again. I did help a homeless man and he was so nice . I use to see him in front of a supermarket . He never asked  no one for anything . So for close to a year I would give him food and bring clothing for him when the season changed and some money. He always smiled and said thank you. Just a man down on his luck. One day he was not there I kept going back to find him. I found out he passed away. So sad.

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@Vickiv

A co-worker and her mom did what you did....it was a very cold day and they had seen this man beg near a busy intersection....so they went to the grocery store nearby, bagged up some non perishabe groceries and went to give it to him and he also shouted a them and said he didnt want the dang food he wanted cash....they felt so foolish that they had fallen for his scam.  We told her not to feel bad, that good follows those that do good........and the evil/bad will get their "reward" too.....

That was nice that you helped that polite man that needed and appreciated your help.

[Spurt]

Our city has outlawed panhandling since this occurred during busy intersections and caused accidents or near accidents, however, it doesn't seem to deter them, although once in a while you will see a police car approach them and telll them to move along....

My friend works downtown not far from one shelter and they were told not to give the panhandlers money.....the shelter gives them a place to shower, clean clothes and a meal, some are alcoholics/drug addicts and don't want to get help or work, some suffer from PTSD or have other forms mental illness......The ones that are interested in getting back on their feet and getting a job are in programs that help with training and employment.  Some that don't want to obey shelter rules live under freeway bridges and church groups bring them food and try to help them....some take the help, some don't.....

The one that disturbed me was a young guy with a baby that "worked" the grocery store parking lot begging for money supposedly for milk and diapers for the baby  (I always worried whether the baby got proper care--the grocery store Manager knew about this guy too and reported the panhandler with a child to the police). .....one of cashiers told us the police finallly apprehended him and the baby was taken to Child Protective Services.  And yes the ones with dogs always break my heart...... I give to the charity organizations that get them real help and they know who the scammers are too...

[RedTop]

I live in southern WV, and hardly ever make a trip to the bank, grocery store, post office, or drug store without being hit up for money by a panhandler.   My husband and I generously support our local Salvation Army, Union Mission, and a food bank.   The needy people in this town know exactly where to go for assistance, and they are not the ones out there asking for money.   The ones asking for money are too lazy to work a real job, or are alcoholics and drug users.   I NEVER, ever give any of them money.  

The same woman has approached me in town several times already, always with different stories.  Last time she ran up to me and stated her story for the day, she got a good look at my face while I relayed the previous stories she told me.   I feel sure she will remember me now, as I said I got her picture when she hit up another woman in the parking lot, and intended to turn her in to local police.  She couldn't get away from me fast enough!  

The last person who worked the intersection at our local WalMart was observed by several witnesses being dropped off and picked up by the same late model car.  Someone actually recognized the man and went to the State Police with his name.  The man was not from this area, but had outstanding warrants, so the police followed him home after his "shift" at the intersection, which led to an arrest.   He had made several hundred dollars that day, and told police he could make more begging than working.   

[Pook]

@Tinkrbl44, At one time there were not that many places to go for help but in this day and age it's nearly impossible that anyone would not know of at least one agency, church or place that could provide help if reallly needed!!!  If someone really didn't they would be very thankful if someone gave them pamphlets and advice on where help is available!  Just about any church (and they are everywhere) will provide urgent needed help to anyone and also provide places for anyone to go for needed help.  I worked in social services and know there is much help available for those who really want it. There are also help wanted signs everywhere but many want to start off with lots of money and they do not want to really have to work hard and minimum wage won't get them as much as panhandling!!   I have known people who work 2 or 3 minimum wage jobs to try to provide for their families and with the help of different agencies they can survive - maybe not as well as those panhandling but at least they have work ethic and pride!!!  Those are the ones who deserve help! There is no contempt in my post - just reality.  Where I worked often workers would chip in to help a person get by until different benefits could be authorized and other agencies could be contacted for help with housing, job, etc. Real help is not just giving money to panhandlers and patting yourself on the back for being so "caring"!   

[Ms X]

I agree that it's better to give to the Salvation Army or another good charity than to fork over your money to panhandlers.  I used to see them working a busy city intersection.  One limped, but I wondered whether it was real.  It was one block down from four major hospitals, so I think many doctors who drove by him knew whether he was faking.  I was never sure, but I figured if he could walk up and down the street, even with a slight limp, he could work.  People work all kinds of demanding jobs with far worse disabilities. 

These beggars disappeared a couple of years ago.  Maybe the cops made them leave because there have been some bad accidents at that intersection.  It's dangerous, and they clearly were making it more so by walking all over the street and approaching cars.

There is so much help available these days for people who really need it.  If I knew enough about someone to know they really needed it and that it would not discourage them from improving their life in the long run, I'd give a small donation.  One rarely has that info, though.

[silkyk]

@SeaMaiden

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

Just  like anything... there are always people who are users, abusers and just down right crummy people. You can not say all homeless or destitute are using the system just because of those few who are.

When I give to someone like who you saw, I just say a blessing and move on.... I do not try to figure out who is scamming me or whatever.  My act of giving is just that. It is something I do and I do not try to figure everything out about that person I give to.

 Where that dollar goes is  not my concern. It was just an act of giving and love. I think puting out that energy overrides all the bad energy out there.

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Well said! This is how I feel too. You never REALLY know who is truly needy and I'm not going to try and figure it out. If that's being a "sap" or "chump" that's ok. If they have a pup with them I'll always give a few bucks (and thank God that I CAN!) and tell them to feed their dog. Then I go home and count my blessings.