Distressed Stranger Scam

[Lorizael]

Pretty sure I was almost the victim of a scam today, and probably did something pretty dangerous.

I'm driving out of the Chipotle parking lot when a bedraggled man approaches my car and tries to get my attention. I roll down the window. He says he needs a ride to a 7-11 a couple blocks down the road. It's 30-something out, and windy, and rainy, so I decide what the heck, I'll give him a ride. (That was the dangerous part, probably.)

Anywho, after a few seconds in the car, he asks me if I'm a man of god. I say, "Ah..." and he says, "Okay, we won't go into that." I shrug and say, "I'm giving you a ride." He then tells me that he absolutely must explain his situation to me. Car stuck on the highway. Needs new alternator. He's not a poor man. He's got a bunch of cash on him, and he's got a shiny ring on his finger. He's a working man. He just doesn't have enough money on him to pay for a new alternator. He checks his smartphone for something. He'll pay me back double in a few days if I lend him the money for the alternator now.

I tell him I'm short on cash right now and can't help him. We get to the 7-11 and I let him out.

Anyone experienced something similar? How do you usually respond? Should I feel confident that a working man with a smartphone should have better options than approaching random strangers on the street for help and that this really was a scam?

[loinburger]

Pretty much anybody asking a stranger for money is a scammer, unless they've got one of those cardboard "I only want the money for drugs" signs

Actually, the people with the "I only want drugs" signs might actually be donating the money to an orphanage or something, though I don't know if that qualifies as a scam

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Weird story, my take is that you are lucky he did not attempt to rob you.

He has some serious "detachment with reality" issues.

[rah]

I'd bet scam. A working man with plenty of cash not having enough money is just way too convenient.
I think of some of the panhandlers in Chicago on Michigan Ave. that commute into the city from a wealthy suburb and beg on the street to the tune of about 75K a year. The bring a change of poor clothes to wear on the street so they don't look like a bum commuting.
OR since I work near the train station the old "i'm short a few dollars to afford a train ticket to get home" Out of about 100 tries I've only donated once because the guy looked really well off and sounded truthful. (i have no doubt that he scammed me but it was a good show and worth the buck)

[Lorizael]

I'm confident that there are some legitimate beggars out there. There's a guy I see regularly on the way home from work whose face is badly disfigured. His cardboard sign says he's a vet who needs money. My guess is he's not committed enough to his art to have rearranged his face for it. I'm willing to concede that might not be a vet, and that he may have blown half his face off during a drunken 4th of July celebration, but I'm pretty sure he really needs the money.

[loinburger]

In this specific case, the "I'll pay you back double in a few days" is indicative of a scam or of somebody who is delusional. Fixing an alternator will run you around $500 - you're to believe that this person's credit cards are maxed out or has such awful credit that he doesn't have a credit card, and is earning enough that when they get paid in a few days they'll be able to pay you back $1,000 for the alternator and yet isn't smart enough with their money to keep at least $500 in savings for situations like this? Nope. Either they're scamming you, or they're **** with money and that next paycheck is going to pay for something stupid rather than paying you back.

[rah]

I'm sure there are. But if I gave a buck to everyone that comes up to me, I'd end up being the one begging.

I take a walk around the building a couple of times a day to refocus my eyes after staring at a terminal for hours, and I get targeted at least a couple of times on each pass.

I tend to reward those that at least are hustling, like the guy helping tourists with their luggage or the guy that play his music on the corner even in the rain and cold. He's the most dependable person that I've ever seen and if demonstrated any reasonable job skills he'd be at the top of my hiring list.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

There are legitimate beggars most places, but the story from this guy is very poor. I highly doubt that he would be able to scam average people with it.

[Colonâ„¢]

I almost instinctively say no to anyone asking for anything other than directions.

I do often give some change to a beggar at a nearby supermarket. He most likely gets an allowance of some kind, but he's nice and I don't begrudge him an extra beer or 2.

[loinburger]

There are legitimate beggars most places, but the story from this guy is very poor. I highly doubt that he would be able to scam average people with it.

Usually the story is for something more reasonably priced, like a tank of gas.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Over here, now that we have them - it is usually for a meal, or a bus ticket, so they are not asking for much (~$2 or so). At least they try to present it like genuine distress.

[Lorizael]

In this specific case, the "I'll pay you back double in a few days" is indicative of a scam or of somebody who is delusional. Fixing an alternator will run you around $500 - you're to believe that this person's credit cards are maxed out or has such awful credit that he doesn't have a credit card, and is earning enough that when they get paid in a few days they'll be able to pay you back $1,000 for the alternator and yet isn't smart enough with their money to keep at least $500 in savings for situations like this? Nope. Either they're scamming you, or they're **** with money and that next paycheck is going to pay for something stupid rather than paying you back.

I'm pretty sure his story was that he was just short of having enough for the alternator. He only wanted like $40 from me.

[rah]

It's like it's performance art. Can them make me believe. 99% can't and sometime I reward the 1%

[Ben Kenobi]

Either they're scamming you, or they're **** with money and that next paycheck is going to pay for something stupid rather than paying you back.

Worked as a delivery driver, seen it all. It's a scam, and exactly this.

I offer to buy them a sandwich. Never get a yes.

I have given folks a lift which is dangerous in it's own right. But, I've never had any troubles with anyone I've picked up both in the States and in PG.

[Lorizael]

I was with a friend once and got approached by a woman with a (real) baby who needed money to buy formula. My friend wouldn't give her any cash, but took her in to the nearby CVS and bought her formula, diapers, and some other baby stuff. She resisted the whole time, saying my friend didn't need to come shopping with her, and that all she wanted was some cash to pay for formula. But my friend was very insistent, so she kept up the act and shopped for her baby. Probably returned it all later, but shrug.