Homeless, Please Help?

[Dave44]

Went into town today,, hate that.

A woman was standing at a busy intersection looking at her phone with a sign on her backpack that read "homeless, please help". I glanced at it and then at her, I noticed the smart phone she was studying and I was thinking how much my service cost me.

I looked back at the sign and the second line said... "donations by Visa, Mastercard and American Express accepted"!!!!

She had a card reader! You are supposed to have a bank account, to start with. And an address.

How many people are saying,, "yeah take my card, you look trustworthy, put me down for 10"!
And then you gotta wonder how much tip is acceptable when you get fleeced?

 

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[fistfulladirt]

Was she hot?

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Was she hot?

LOL!

 

[CoilyGirl]

I would get the same vibe as you Dave. Sometimes you have to trust your gut and not be taken.

 

[Dave44]

Was she hot?

Surprising enough, she was decidedly unhot, you would think that would be a prerequisite for that job.

 

[pong12211]

The world just keeps getting worse and worse.. I actually read that some homeless people make decent money panhandling.. Some even have investments and very large bank accounts.. Makes some of us wonder why we bother working so hard..

 

[TheRingFinder]

It's sad, our local TV station did a report and followed a few of these "panhandlers" and they begged for money all day and then went home to some nice houses. Of-course the people slammed the door in the news crew face and wouldn't talk to them. I know that there are people who need help - but how do you figure out which ones are liars and which ones actually need the help?

 

[thrillathahunt]

She probably makes more in a day than I do. I'm jealous.

 

[aa battery]

She probably makes more in a day than I do. I'm jealous.

yep

 

[TheCoinKid]

I recently had a fairly attractive, 30ish, nicely dressed woman, driving a late model chevy, approach me in a Walmart parking lot. She was crying, saying she and her son were about to be kicked out of the Motel 6 down the road, if she didn't come up with $35 in the next 20 minutes. She said she had a job at a local IHop and had just taken a second fast food job to try to make ends meat. She didn't directly say it, but she acted like a woman recently on the run from an abusive relationship. She came across very sincere and appeared to be truly upset. Her neat appearance, clothes and car also suggested that the wasn't roll-playing, but, I just wished her luck and sent her away. Guess I've been approached by too many scammers in my life. I would have been glad to help her if I knew she was really in trouble, but how do you know for sure? Offering to follow her to the motel didn't seem like a good idea. Bottom line, my desire to not be taken in was greater than my desire to help her. Sad state of affairs, isn't it?

 

[Peyton Manning]

yeah I suspect them all anymore. If I was retired I would like to stand 30 feet in front of them with a sign that said " don't give bums money!!"

 

[jerseyben]

I REALLY hate when these types of threads pop up.

The judgmental nature of some folks really comes out in all its ugly glory...

Truly sad.

 

[cherrypicked]

Very strange that she had a card reader, that's one I have never seen. Everyone always tells me that I give too much to panhandlers. I live close to Chicago and even though it's a wealthier area, being so close to the city we get a fair share of homeless. I always give them something. My thoughts are if 9 out of 10 of the people I give to don't actually need it, at least I helped the one by not being overly cynical. Although, I try to give food more than anything else. Last week I was shipping stuff at the FedEx store and there was a woman panhandling outside. They don't have much as far as food goes so I got her chips and a soda, I felt pretty bad that I couldn't do more. When I handed them to her, she actually cried. She said she hadn't had a coke in years and it was her favorite.

I also work with a charity and ten percent of everything I make from my finds goes to help house homeless vets. Homelessness has always been a cause that's very dear to my heart so I try to help out even if it means I get duped every once in a while.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Panhandlers can make a lot more money than most people think...

I have offered panhandlers jobs and everyone turned them down..

We will NOT go quietly into the night!

 

[cherrypicked]

There's a guy that hangs out by the Walmart that holds a sign asking for a job. I wish I had one to give him. I've offered him money and food but he always turns them down, he will however take my coffee.

 

[Dave44]

There's a guy that hangs out by the Walmart that holds a sign asking for a job. I wish I had one to give him. I've offered him money and food but he always turns them down, he will however take my coffee.

That is a new one! I have offered work to a few for a day,, even a few hours,, every time, without fail, they told me to get lost.

By the way,, it was a woman with a smart phone and card reader. I think a charitable phone should only make calls at the most,, not link to a bank account.

 

[Dave44]

I REALLY hate when these types of threads pop up.

The judgmental nature of some folks really comes out in all its ugly glory...

Truly sad.

I hate when people try to perpetuate a myth like "all panhandlers are needy". It is shameful, it is close minded, and it is deceitful. Some panhandlers are.... Scam Artists.

But I have given to a few,, they may have been great actors,, but I believed they were down on their luck! The one that stands out the most was in Canada though,, All I had in cash was 30$,, and I gave it to him.

Use your best judgement,, but don't be too gullible.

 

[CoilyGirl]

I don't consider it judgemental to have a little bit of common sense because like you said Dave,yes there are scam artists that take advantage of the inherent nature of people to have compassion for their fellow man but to give to every Tom,Dick and Harry because they're standing there with their hand out is just plain ignorant.

 

[Dave44]

I don't consider it judgemental to have a little bit of common sense because like you said Dave,yes there are scam artists that take advantage of the inherent nature of people to have compassion for their fellow man but to give to every Tom,Dick and Harry because they're standing there with their hand out is just plain ignorant.

Well Put Coily!

 

[cherrypicked]

I don't consider it judgemental to have a little bit of common sense because like you said Dave,yes there are scam artists that take advantage of the inherent nature of people to have compassion for their fellow man but to give to every Tom,Dick and Harry because they're standing there with their hand out is just plain ignorant.

I don't think it hurts to give food to most people that are begging but that's just my opinion. I'd still rather waste a little bit of money on food for someone who doesn't need it then pass up someone who does on the off chance they are trying to con me out of a sandwich.