Fake homeless people?

a reply to: grainofsand


Ah, ok gotcha.

a reply to: breakingbs
Pity that was the best on-topic reply you had

Not afraid of going balls out about it

a reply to: grainofsand

Edited for brevity, just that i dont like troglodytes

a reply to: breakingbs I enjoy robust debate, nothing less...don't hold back fella!

a reply to: grainofsand

Ask what you want to then...

a reply to: breakingbs
I've no questions mate, I fully understand the topic from experience.

a reply to: grainofsand

Well then the only thing I can say is the logical one: ah alright. Its kinda just how i talk

originally posted by: HolgerTheDane2

originally posted by: Vroomfondel
There was a guy near where I live that was caught faking being homeless. Someone found him getting out of his suv about a block from where he does his begging. The suv was pretty new and in great condition. Not what you would think he would own if you saw him standing on the corner begging. She recognized him because she had actually given him money. After she realized what he was doing she told the police. He moved a few blocks away and last I heard was still there. He holds a sign that says "homeless and hungry".

You can own a car and still be homeless.
And hungry.

True. But there are absolutely people who are not homeless and hungry and still beg because it is a way to make free money.

There was a guy who was always walking around with duct tape on his shoes. He camped out in a small wooded area near a mall. During the day he would walk around in the mall, somebody would always buy him lunch or coffee. When he died a few years ago, the police searched his campsite and found his will. He left his estate to a local children's hospital, all $435,000 of it. He was a disabled veteran and had his disability checks direct deposited to a bank at the mall. People tried to get him to go to a shelter, but, his answer was always "No thank you, I'm living my life how I want to."

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: breakingbs

I think you have to establish perspective, when dealing with issues like this.

In every culture, in every scenario, there are those who will see a certain situation, and think that they have a way to monetise it. They see a genuinely hopeless person, a scion of the streets of long familiarity with the situation, and study them, find out what makes them able to absorb the generosity of others, find out how much risk is involved with the life they live and the position they are in, and make a judgement call.

To do this, to make money this way, one generally has to have, in my opinion, a hole in their soul. To make money from the destitution of others is a path without honour, without any moral validity what so ever, whether it takes the shape of running a slum dwelling, or living off the charity meant for those genuinely down at heel.

But we have to see this for what it is, and realise that just because there are those on the street who have no reason to be there, save a capitalistic motivation which has overwhelmed their humanity, there are also people out on the street who desperately require some sort of assistance, people who have no where to go, no place to call their own, people who for one reason or another, do not have any stability or safety in their lives.

You also must consider, that just a rare few of the fakers out there will be there on behalf of, or in the employ of law enforcement agencies. No one notices a homeless person in a big city, and thusly, no one pays attention to what they might be doing. You see a well dressed, well fed individual scavenging a dumpster, and you may feel rightly suspicious of their motivations. However, if that person appears for all the world as if they have not eaten in days, washed in weeks, or changed clothes in months, and ones assumptions are automatically changed, to the point where many would simply not notice.

I was out on the street for a time. Luckily, I had a genuine job, a bank account too. There was never enough money to rent somewhere to live, or to pay a bill, or secure my position in any way, but there was enough to eat, and clean myself and my clothes regularly, and get some grub for others who were out there at the time, living that life. I never had to beg, nor did I take alms which might have been offered me, since I knew there were others much more in need than I was.

What we must understand is that although there are fakers in every walk of life, from the boardroom, to the streets, we cannot allow the fact that these people exist to harden our hearts against the denizens of the street. People are out there living hard lives, many of them alone and scared, many others mentally ill, and others mourning the lives they were proud to be living once, consumed by sorrow, loss, and post traumatic stress, amongst other things. Though there are liars, we cannot consider everyone we see under cardboard as a potential grifter.

I myself hand a coin to any homeless person I pass in the street, not just because I was once living there myself, but because I know that if I have it spare, a few pence can change a persons fate when they live that close to the edge. How they use that coin is their own affair, how they manipulate their fate with that charity, their own business. But I know how lucky I was back then, and I know if I had been in the position that these folk are in, the genuine rough sleepers... I would have needed all the help I could have gotten, and so I give what help I can.

TrueBrit, great perspective and great post. Thank you

They exist. You just have to watch what they do at the end of their day. If they leave their panhandling spot after traffic dies down and head to a nice car that's obviously not being used as their main shelter, then they're probably not in the worst situation. Or maybe you'll follow them a bit, and see them walking to some nicer apartments rather than a slummy place after they get off the bus.

Basically part of this is that it's possible to make a lot more by begging than what you can by working a minimum wage job. (Get four people to hand you a fiver in an hour, and you've already beaten the system.) Most people that struggle to get by don't feel this is honest, but those that don't care will play up this angle if they've figured out where and how to work it.

They're still a minority (homelessness is still very much a real problem in most cities), but not necessarily when it comes to those that act more obnoxiously or aggressively when panhandling. Often they'll be working the same spot with the same B.S. story that hasn't changed. And when they go up to somebody to tell their story, they typically choose people that appear to be from out of town first. These are also the people that'll get mad when you offer to buy food, people really in need don't turn it down or are at least are polite about not needing it.

That reminds me of my worst hated commercial on TV. The one shown on Fox, The Blaze, CNN; Food boxes for needy Israelis. This pathetic commercial is most likely a scam, and whoever runs them is probably pocketing money like a thief, and should be prosecuted! I have family in Israel, and that commercial makes Israel sound like a third world country where everyone is lined up at a soup kitchen. What a crock! Israel is a developed country, and I have never in my visits there seen proof of this ridiculousness!

a reply to: pauljs75

Most of my sentiment, I mean come on. Pregnant for 5 years? I am..."society"?? Wth

a reply to: TheChrome

I admit I have no clue what goes on in Israel. Ive often wondered that about other countries too. Feed the needy swedes!!! ??? Actually, i dont wonder. Sorry btw if im myopic or my concerns are what they are.

originally posted by: TheChrome
That reminds me of my worst hated commercial on TV. The one shown on Fox, The Blaze, CNN; Food boxes for needy Israelis. This pathetic commercial is most likely a scam, and whoever runs them is probably pocketing money like a thief, and should be prosecuted! I have family in Israel, and that commercial makes Israel sound like a third world country where everyone is lined up at a soup kitchen. What a crock! Israel is a developed country, and I have never in my visits there seen proof of this ridiculousness!

The U.S. is a developed country, also. However, I've helped build homes (through Habitat for Humanity) for people in some underdeveloped areas of the U.S., such as the lower Appalachians and the Ozark areas. Many of those people are in need of aid.

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People

originally posted by: HolgerTheDane2

originally posted by: Vroomfondel
There was a guy near where I live that was caught faking being homeless. Someone found him getting out of his suv about a block from where he does his begging. The suv was pretty new and in great condition. Not what you would think he would own if you saw him standing on the corner begging. She recognized him because she had actually given him money. After she realized what he was doing she told the police. He moved a few blocks away and last I heard was still there. He holds a sign that says "homeless and hungry".

You can own a car and still be homeless.
And hungry.

True. But there are absolutely people who are not homeless and hungry and still beg because it is a way to make free money.

Yes. I'm sure there are.
But to be honest, I think conning people like that are as honerable as working in a call center conning people. Or selling Pain Relief Plasters that communicate with all your cells on a nanoscale level.
In other words. It's a way of making a living.

If you suspect someone being a fraud, don't give. If you are in doubt, you should probable play safe and give.

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People

originally posted by: TheChrome
That reminds me of my worst hated commercial on TV. The one shown on Fox, The Blaze, CNN; Food boxes for needy Israelis. This pathetic commercial is most likely a scam, and whoever runs them is probably pocketing money like a thief, and should be prosecuted! I have family in Israel, and that commercial makes Israel sound like a third world country where everyone is lined up at a soup kitchen. What a crock! Israel is a developed country, and I have never in my visits there seen proof of this ridiculousness!

The U.S. is a developed country, also. However, I've helped build homes (through Habitat for Humanity) for people in some underdeveloped areas of the U.S., such as the lower Appalachians and the Ozark areas. Many of those people are in need of aid.

That is very admirable, I am all for helping the needy. I am however against those who use the adversity of others to make a profit.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People


id gladly assist-

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People


You said you worked for
"habitat for humanity"
Are you doing anything right now? meaning just you.

Construction? Anything?

Was it something you did as a...student???

I wouldn't think so, necessarily, its just I wonder why you went "touring around" with them. Some people think of joining these organizations like greenpeace, or so on and so forth as some kinda like "first time exposure" type of deal. Just trying to find out where you're at. ...??