Do you give beggars money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A healthy looking white lady asked me to buy her groceries outside of Harris Teeter in Navy Yard this week. I think she had something legitimate going on with her mental health, so I was willing to buy her something. But then she added "vegetarian, please, and can I come in the store with you?" I said "no, nuh-uh" and walked off.

Never take them into the store with you. There is a tendency for them to really stock up. Instead ask if there is something they want from the store.

This happened to a well-meaning friend living & working here in the USA from Germany; a woman approached him in the supermarket parking lot and he accompanied her into the store.

Then she really started stocking up, arguing with him over quantity, tried to guilt trip him, etc.

He finally got so fed up with her that he walked out and left her there without buying a thing.

What's troubling is the realization that this wasn't the woman's first time doing that type of scam; she'd obviously pulled that hustle before.

yeah, when she asked that my "scam" radar pinged hard and I walked away. It was just such a clear boundary violation so I knew something was up. I did buy her some almonds but as I was walking out I saw her talking to the chump she had apparently convinced to buy her a giant bag of groceries ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends. [b]In Paris (we are French but live in DC) I give to the Syrian refugees, it is heartbreaking, especially if they have children. But not Roma. Roma beggars are in the DMV now too, and if you have a lot of experience with them you can recognized them a mile away. But usually they try to scam. They are now doing a similar scam here that they've been doing in the EU for a long time: pretending to be broken down on the side of the road, waving drivers to pull over to help, and asking for money to pay for a repair or gas or taxi or tow (or saying I don't have any cash but need it for a tow, if I sell you my watch here On the side of the road will you give me some cash). I think there was even a story about this in the post.

Anyway, I will always buy them something to eat, but often if the beggar has a mental issue they may not want anyone to buy them food because they are skeptical (I've been yelled at for trying to poison them, is it dirty, etc.). I won't give to the people who hold the signs on street corners usually, especially since they all have signs that look like they are written by the same person with the same handwriting.

Similar experience. We are French too, and I steel myself never to give to Roma, but those little kids are heartbreaking. They would never get a whiff of my money anyway, but I wish something could be done about their enslavement. Because this is really what it is.

Roma are taking over Sweden begging with their cups and making their kids ask for money. I never ever give to Romanians, you can see them a mile away. Stockholm is being ruined by these people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After I travelled to India and Nepal I stopping giving to beggars in the US. Give me a break! We don't know real poverty here. An old lady living in basically a cardboard box invited me into her 'home' and asked me to drink chai with her. These people have nothing and still want to give. Americans are so ungrateful and there's so many programs here for the poor. I will never give to beggars in the western world.

I just.

1) India isn't tourist poverty porn. It's not a land of tragedy that exists to make you feel good about yourself; in fact, it's quite wealthy and corrupt.
2) India is the industrial capital of fake beggars. I'm speaking as an Indian. This thread amuses me because all the panhandling described here has been an established thing in India for DECADES.

[b]

And you know this because? I lived there for 9 months and can tell the difference but thanks for coming out!

[Anonymous]

[b]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After I travelled to India and Nepal I stopping giving to beggars in the US. Give me a break! We don't know real poverty here. An old lady living in basically a cardboard box invited me into her 'home' and asked me to drink chai with her. These people have nothing and still want to give. Americans are so ungrateful and there's so many programs here for the poor. I will never give to beggars in the western world.

I just.

1) India isn't tourist poverty porn. It's not a land of tragedy that exists to make you feel good about yourself; in fact, it's quite wealthy and corrupt.
2) India is the industrial capital of fake beggars. I'm speaking as an Indian. This thread amuses me because all the panhandling described here has been an established thing in India for DECADES.

[b]

And you know this because? I lived there for 9 months and can tell the difference but thanks for coming out!

Forgot to add it's not like I was giving out money in Delhi, I was travelling through small villages where you can see the poverty. It's sad that as an Indian (who doesn't even live there) you think people are giving to make themselves look better. Clearly you are jaded and that's what you do. You should be grateful people travel and volunteer their time in your country helping people in need.

[Anonymous]

I just gave a guy standing in front of my office a $20 because he said he was cold and doesn't have an ID with an Arlington address so that the shelter would take him.

[Anonymous]

Beware of beggars running a scam at rest stops in the DMV.

[Anonymous]

That old guy near that intersection at Lee Heights annoys me. Please stop giving him money so he goes away.

[Anonymous]

There is a Roma looking woman with a sad looking baby who works the Metro cars during rush hour. She is not aggressive but wonder what the story is on her.

[Anonymous]

I don't usually give to panhandlers because many are addicted to drugs and alcohol and I don't want to enable their habit. I therefore give instead to shelters and foodbanks.

[Anonymous]

Gave one $10 outside mcdonalds asking for money for a meal, he walked in got in line and about 2 minutes later walked out. Since then no, but do give food or gift cards.