Scam Artist

[CanadianChief]

I was reading a story in our local paper today about a scam artist whos story goes like so...

He parades up and down the streets of the business district in a shirt and tie claming he's from a little town outside the city and his car run out of gas so he's looking for a few people to help him out with a few bucks to get him back home.

Weird thing is this guy approached me on two different occasions at Wendy's and McDonald's parking lots about two years ago with the same old sob story. The second time I said to him you told me you ran out of gas about a month ago and now you go and do it again....what are the chances of that? He took off pretty quick

I guess it must be working for him if he's been at it that long. Bastard probably makes more than I do in a year!!!

Anyone have anything similar to this going on in their neck of the woods?

I've seen it frequently. I always offer to help them above and beyond a couple bucks cash. That scares them off.

I also ask panhandlers for any money they can spare before they ask me.

[CanadianChief]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I've seen it frequently. I always offer to help them above and beyond a couple bucks cash. That scares them off.

You offering to shave them again?

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I also ask panhandlers for any money they can spare before they ask me.

that's too funny. I do the same thing. If I see a panhandler heading my way, right as he approaches I ask him if he has any change.



I heard a story from a guy at my work today about one of his buddies that lives in a pretty rough part of Charlotte. He goes down to the jewelry store with his pockets stuffed with fake jewelry. He walks out of the store and drops a piece or two on the ground hustles to pick it up and briskly walks out of the store. People follow him, tell him they saw what he did, and then ask to buy the stuff at a discounted price. That's just priceless.

[Rausch]

My Boss' daughter use to just humble the fuggers.

"$10? For gas? How about you just admit yer' gonna' use it to smoke crack and I give you $20. Just admit you're a crack head and I'll double it..."

Happened three times, each person admitted it and never came back...

[chagrin]

We had a dude in Natchitioches, La. who did this all over town. He asked me several times in 4 different parts of the city, to lend him money so he could take his pregnant wife to the hospital.

Funny thing, I moved down here to Orlando and in the first week of me being here (I was living in my car at the time, but it was a Honda, so I guess they figured I had money?) I was approached by several heads asking the same thing.

[ChiefFripp]

Originally Posted by chagrin

We had a dude in Natchitioches, La. who did this all over town. He asked me several times in 4 different parts of the city, to lend him money so he could take his pregnant wife to the hospital.

Funny thing, I moved down here to Orlando and in the first week of me being here (I was living in my car at the time, but it was a Honda, so I guess they figured I had money?) I was approached by several heads asking the same thing.

Orlando blows doesn't it!? I'm glad I'll be heading back to good ole' OP Kansas soon.

[Kerberos]

Originally Posted by CanadianChief

Anyone have anything similar to this going on in their neck of the woods?

Seems to me about 5-6 years ago or better 20/20 or 60Minutes had a segment on a PROFESSIONAL begger that they watched beg for 8-10 hours a day on three or four different street corners in NYCity.

The guy got people to give him enough money everyday 5-6 days a week that when the correspondents followed him at the end of the day he went to parking garage got in his BMW and drove home to a decent neiborhood and parked his car in the garage.

They then proceeded to go up to his house, knock on his door and exposded him for the fraud that he was. He slammed the door and declined interview. I would be willing to be he had to find a job after that. Enough people watch those programs that I bet they reconized him and his money probably dropped significantly?

But sounds like the same thing to me as your gas money freak.


.

[morphius]

Originally Posted by rxrider

Seems to me about 5-6 years ago or better 20/20 or 60Minutes had a segment on a PROFESSIONAL begger that they watched beg for 8-10 hours a day on three or four different street corners in NYCity.

The guy got people to give him enough money everyday 5-6 days a week that when the correspondents followed him at the end of the day he went to parking garage got in his BMW and drove home to a decent neiborhood and parked his car in the garage.

They then proceeded to go up to his house, knock on his door and exposded him for the fraud that he was. He slammed the door and declined interview. I would be willing to be he had to find a job after that. Enough people watch those programs that I bet they reconized him and his money probably dropped significantly?

But sounds like the same thing to me as your gas money freak.


.

I've heard one of the beggers on the Plaza has a pretty nice Mercedes, so this doesn't shock me much...

[Sydd]

Originally Posted by morphius

I've heard one of the beggers on the Plaza has a pretty nice Mercedes, so this doesn't shock me much...

I was going to post that one. Its the guy with the crutches who is always outside the McDonalds at the Seville. He was on the news a few years ago. He walked a few blocks with his crutches, then stood up straight, walked the last 30 feet to his Mercedes without them, and got in and drove off.

After that I started watching the guy whenever I was around there. If the local cops are around, they always smirk when people give him money.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by rxrider

Seems to me about 5-6 years ago or better 20/20 or 60Minutes had a segment on a PROFESSIONAL begger that they watched beg for 8-10 hours a day on three or four different street corners in NYCity.

The guy got people to give him enough money everyday 5-6 days a week that when the correspondents followed him at the end of the day he went to parking garage got in his BMW and drove home to a decent neiborhood and parked his car in the garage.

They then proceeded to go up to his house, knock on his door and exposded him for the fraud that he was. He slammed the door and declined interview. I would be willing to be he had to find a job after that. Enough people watch those programs that I bet they reconized him and his money probably dropped significantly?

But sounds like the same thing to me as your gas money freak.


.

Yep. My friend lived in Reno, NV in about the early to mid 90s. He told me about the professional beggars there. Sounds just like what you described.

[cdcox]

About a year ago this guy comes up to me and starts giving me a sob story about having a family member in the hospital and not having any cash to feed his children. Supposedly he had money coming, but wouldn't have it for a few hours and his kid was really hungry now. I figured there was an 80% chance that he was just a bum. I told him that his kid wouldn't starve to death by waiting a couple hours. At this point he gets really mad at me, telling me I better get in my truck and get out of there or he was going to ge violent. I was more than happy to do that, but his reaction half convinced me that he was telling the truth. Still the kid wouldn't starve to death.

[NJ Chief Fan]

Originally Posted by cdcox

About a year ago this guy comes up to me and starts giving me a sob story about having a family member in the hospital and not having any cash to feed his children. Supposedly he had money coming, but wouldn't have it for a few hours and his kid was really hungry now. I figured there was an 80% chance that he was just a bum. I told him that his kid wouldn't starve to death by waiting a couple hours. At this point he gets really mad at me, telling me I better get in my truck and get out of there or he was going to ge violent. I was more than happy to do that, but his reaction half convinced me that he was telling the truth. Still the kid wouldn't starve to death.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by cdcox

About a year ago this guy comes up to me and starts giving me a sob story about having a family member in the hospital and not having any cash to feed his children. Supposedly he had money coming, but wouldn't have it for a few hours and his kid was really hungry now. I figured there was an 80% chance that he was just a bum. I told him that his kid wouldn't starve to death by waiting a couple hours. At this point he gets really mad at me, telling me I better get in my truck and get out of there or he was going to ge violent. I was more than happy to do that, but his reaction half convinced me that he was telling the truth. Still the kid wouldn't starve to death.

Was he North Korean?

[Braincase]

"Funny thing. I sell these disposable drug tests for a living... tell ya what, if you can piss in this cup and pass the test, I'll give you ten bucks... oh, I'm also a deputy..."