Liars!

[i_forget]

I was at the mall a couple of weeks ago and noticed some teenagers walking around in the parking lot approaching people at their cars.
No one approached me, but I did get a pretty good look at one of them.

Today when I was leaving Walmart, I was putting my purchases in the back of my SUV when a teenager approached me. He started talking about being stranded in town and he was from a different city, and then I recognized him as the kid I saw at the mall!

Before he could get out his second sentence, I told him, "no" and to "f*** off". He said "what?" and I said "f*** off". I then told him that he is going to go around being lazy and begging for change with some sob story that he better 1. Get a better story 2. Beg by the bus station so people are more likely to believe him 3. Learn to lie better because he has to be the worst liar I have ever encountered in my life! He knew he had been found out and turned and walked away....

It really bothers me when I see this sort of thing. These kids are not poor. They were nice clothes, they have expensive things and they are running around town begging for money when they should be in school.

All of the people in the world that truly do need help and these kids try to take advantage of the kindness of strangers.

[missxhillary]

i hate that, when the people ask me for money to buy food, i tell them lets walk to tim hortons ill buy you a coffee and a sandwich.. most then say some excuse of why they cant go, and want the money instead... i will always buy someone a meal who needs it, but i wont just give them money anymore.

[SassyAshley]

I live in a very small town and for some reason they know bus in people to stay in our shelter (I have nothing against shelters they are wonderful service that helps those who are down or in a rough patch, but we live in a small town with very few jobs full time jobs and part time jobs are next to impossible to get, you have to own a car to live here, so really how are we helping them). Sadly we now also have people going around asking for money. I have on way too many occasions seen someone give them money just for to walk into the local pub or bar to buy a beer instead of food. These people now also stand outside out our grocery stores to try to collect the quarters form the carts, again it is quarter, who cares but what I find wrong is the fact that they will fight an old person for their cart just to get the quarter. I have seen them almost knock down the elderly that need the cart to stay sable all to get quarter from the cart. The sad thing is if they wanted 30 seconds in most cases they would be given the cart and would get the quarter. They also like to bug young mothers with small children in hopes that they are distracted and will leave things in the cart, if they do distract this and they leave something in the cart they do not take the food they go back in the store and try to return it for the money to again go to the pub or bar. I am all for helping people but sadly when people take it too far it makes everyone put their guard up.

[coupongirl99]

Yup I do the same thing, in fact once when McDonalds had their free coffee with coupon deal I was walking in and was stopped by someone asking for change for coffee. I said "I can do you one better!" I whipped out my free coffee coupon and offered it to him. As soon as I did the guy's attitude changed. He was all "No, no I can't take that - you use it." I looked at him and said "So what? You want to take my money for a coffee but you won't take a coupon I'm offering you that will get you that coffee?"

The guy didn't really know what to say after that but needless to say he didn't take the coupon.

[RebeccaRYoung]

I just don't give out things to strangers. There are too many news stories about strangers kidnapping/killing/hurting people. I determine the amount I'm going to give out in donations per year and then which organizations I will donate to. I tend to stick to that. I would prefer to give food or money to a shelter than to give it to a person on the street.

[erin9mmm]

When I first read this I thought you were leading up to some scam to steal Christmas purchases. Although this scam is no better, I'm glad your safe - you had me worried.

[rngirl87]

We have a couple of middle-aged men in my town who pretend to be deaf and mute -I know a few people who know them personally and say that it is just a huge sham. They walk around selling keychains with a little sob story on an accompanying card. I've even had them approach me when I was in my car before and knock on the window. Very creepy! A couple weeks ago one of them was even going around inside of Winners.. I should have notified a manager. Did not make for a good shopping experience, hightailed it out of there!

[DianneS]

There is a younger guy whom I have seen in the parking lot of my Superstore asking people for the loonie from their cart so he can buy food. When he approached me on Saturday I was suspicious so I offered him a large Iogo drinkable yogurt. He did thank me and he wasn't more than 10 steps away before he had ripped it open and was chugging it down. I never give money, always food, and seeing him down the drink in seconds made me glad that I hadn't said 'not today'. There are definitely scammers out there but there are also people who are just plain hungry and need a hand. It's not always easy to tell..

[cath007]

You know what? Everytime I have to do my grocery I see people asking for something.And most of the people are so tired to argue and being harrassed that they will give something for having the peace...Not the good way...For me its a no clearly...You never know the sincerity of those persons and I have 0 fear in that.BF give some change...even I said clearly no.I am not agree with him.

[i_forget]

There is a younger guy whom I have seen in the parking lot of my Superstore asking people for the loonie from their cart so he can buy food. When he approached me on Saturday I was suspicious so I offered him a large Iogo drinkable yogurt. He did thank me and he wasn't more than 10 steps away before he had ripped it open and was chugging it down. I never give money, always food, and seeing him down the drink in seconds made me glad that I hadn't said 'not today'. There are definitely scammers out there but there are also people who are just plain hungry and need a hand. It's not always easy to tell..

See, now I have no problem giving a person food. There is a guy that hangs around the local grocery store. I know he is displaced with mental issues, and have on several occasions gone over to timmies and bought him lunch and a coffee. I would prefer to spend my money on food for someone hungry.
It is the people that do not need but put on a show that irritate me to no end.

It warms my heart that you gave that young man those drinks.

[gourmetsue]

I agree with those that have said they offer food. I had a kid approach me the other day while I was outside a health food store. I had overheard the cops talking to him while I was on my way in. I knew he was from our town. On the way out he asked for money to get a bus home to the next town, I just said no.

I am a big sucker and will do anything to help anyone but in this case I knew I was being straight up scammed.

My brother lived in Ottawa for a while and there was always a guy panhandling outside a convenience shop I guess my bro got the back story from the owner of the shop and found out that he was really in need. He'd buy him a meal every day and would always stop by with some socks, or coffee or whatever he thought he needed while he was passing. My brother is a good egg!

[DianneS]

The Starbucks in my office building has a few people they feed on a regular basis. I was also in a nice Italian resaurant on the Drive (Vancouver) a while ago and discovered there are a few homeless people whom the owner feeds at dinner time every day. Makes me feel good about humankind when I see that sort of thing.

[Allis154]

We have a couple of middle-aged men in my town who pretend to be deaf and mute -I know a few people who know them personally and say that it is just a huge sham. They walk around selling keychains with a little sob story on an accompanying card. I've even had them approach me when I was in my car before and knock on the window. Very creepy! A couple weeks ago one of them was even going around inside of Winners.. I should have notified a manager. Did not make for a good shopping experience, hightailed it out of there!

This has been going on for years. My sister was terrorized by one of these people, and she died 30 yeasr ago!!! Haven't seen them around for a while, but with coupons and my stockpile...I don't need to shop as much!

Everybody has bad luck from time to time and some need a hand up. If they are just looking for a hand-out, then I'm not interested.

[cheapNcheeky]

I see homeless folks at my local LCBO all the time buying beer with change. That's the main reason I don't give change on the street. And it's always the same people. I'll always offer to buy food, but I would never give them money.

[firstimer1969]

I don't give money to anyone any more! I make donations from my stock pile to either the food bank or other local organizations (the mission, sheppards of good hope). Just last night (3 am) while working, I was berated by a young women on the street asking for money, when I said no she told me to F-OFF! Then she said "I hope when your daughter grows up to be homeless and no one helps her"...It took a lot not to respond to that comment.