Scam artist or legitimate man in need?
 

Last week I was getting into my car at Wal-Mart and some dude approached me as I started the ignition. He said he had driven down here all the way from Orange, Texas (about 300 miles away) so he could take his wife in for surgery. He said he needed $200 to have enough to pay for the operation, and could I give him any money, any at all?

Whether it was true or not didn't matter to me. I wasn't taking any chances and told him no and drove off. Maybe a dick thing to do but you never know. I was a little scared he was going to pull a gun on me right there since he was right in my face at the window. I shouldn't have rolled it down.

Anyone heard of any scams that start this way?

Probably a scam. Either way, I'd have done the same...

Scam. No way I would roll down my window if some stranger was approaching my car either, but I'm a chick.

Surgery for $200? Was he getting her fixed at the vet?

What struck me was that he didn't approach until after I had started the car. Made me think it may have been an attempt to get me out of the driver's seat so he could punch me in the balls and drive off.

He made it sound like he had most of the money already, he just needed a little extra to pay for it.

Those things are scams about 99% of the time. They'll take your money and invest in nose candy.

Scam, but you could have laid a 5 spot on the guy.

There's no way he was armed, or he wouldn't have bothered with that set up. If he wanted to take you for everything you had or could get, he'd have talked the "sick" wife into your car for a ride, then he'd have pulled his piece, taken what you had on hand and suggested a drive to your local ATM for an additional taste.

Relax. You drove away from a situation that wasn't threatening at all. You're almost a hero.

I wouldn't even have rolled down my window, much less given him any kind of money. And I live in the buckle of the Bible Belt.

dumbest ****ing scam I've ever heard. In fact, you asking if it was a scam is kind of dumb too. $200 cash for his wifes operation? He's not going to pay for her operation at the hospital cash register, come on.

Crackhead

Jeez.Some random person asks you to give them 200 dollars and you have to wonder?

If the guy had said the money was for a cod piece
to complete his vintage Stormtrooper costume...you,my friend,would be 200 dollars poorer today.

If the dude was worth giving money to, he wouldn't be in a Wal-Mart parking lot asking for it.

About two year ago, this guy approaches me with a sob story about how his family was in town so a relative could have surgery at the hospital. They didn't have any money on them, but his brother was wiring him money in the morning. His son (at the hospital, not with the man) was hungry and the man was looking for a hand out to buy his son some food. I figured it was a scam, but not a very compelling one. But rather than just say that I can't help today I came up with this gem:

"It's not like he's going to die if he doesn't get something to eat before morning."

The guy got kind of pissed and told me I better get out of there before he lost his temper.

Yeah, probably a scam, Though i have seen people need money for real reasons that do that, but more likely then not, its a scam.

People mostly do it outside of stores n what not. I was approached outside resutrant, i just bought the dude a meal. lol Said have fun. lol