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I snarled at a scammer today...

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  • I snarled at a scammer today...

    but I was off the clock, so it's more of a sighting, I think!

    So, I got off work today, and I'm traversing to the bus stop. I'm tired and sore. It was a pretty busy day, and as such I'm not in a very good mood and I just want to go home.

    Now, we have our random, motley assortment of beggars in our parking lots. No big thing, really. We find them, we ask them to leave, and call the police.

    There's this one guy, who has this scam down pat. He'll approach a customer (or an employee, if we're not wearing a nametag) and say he's down on his luck. His truck ran out of gas, and if we could just spare a few bucks, it'd be helpful, and he'll gesture in a vague direction where his truck supposedly is. Occasionally, he'll switch it up and say it's his father's truck, or he's out with his brother and it's his brother's truck. Either way, he's in our parking lot fairly often.

    Now, he's approached me multiple times, on various occasions and doesn't really remember, apparently. The third or fourth time he asked me I said I didn't have cash, but since there was a gas station across the street, sure, I'd go in, grab a gas can and put a gallon or two in for him. He quickly backpedaled and said he didn't want to cause trouble, no big deal, etc, etc. I'm standing on the grassy median, waiting to cross the street today, and I hear someone hollering behind me.

    IS (Idiot Scammer)
    Me

    IS: Hey, Hey, EXCUSE ME!! HELLO>
    Me: <Turning around> Yes? (At this point I recognize him. Fuck...)
    IS: Hey, can I ask a favor?
    Me: I don't have any money. Go away.
    IS: <Has an offended look on his face> You don't even know what I was gonna say, bitch!
    Me: No, but I can guess. So, is it your truck? Your dad's? Your brother's? Your great uncle on your father's side's second cousin twice removed's truck?
    IS: <has a sudden "oh, shit!" look on his face, which I'm not ashamed to admit I took a small amount of glee in. But hes quick to go on the offensive> You're being a selfish cunt then, if you're not willing to help a guy in need out!
    Me: If you're going to scam, people, at least try and keep track of who you've asked! Or, and here's a novel idea, maybe STOP scamming people and try your luck at finding a REAL job!!
    IS: <Storms away and glares over his shoulder> FUCKING CUNT!!
    Me: Oh yeah. That's mature...



    Now, I'm of two minds here. At the time it felt good, and there's a small part of me that enjoyed being able to call him out on his scam. On the other hand, once I was on the bus, I gave myself a few mental kicks for getting immediately bitchy with someone like that, but I'd had enough! Seriously, this guy is ALWAYS in our parking lot, but everytime we call cops, they take forever to show up and then he's gone! So, it felt nice to call him out on it, on a public street where there were lots of witnesses. But at the same time I know it wasn't exactly smart of me.

    <Sigh> Bad Lupo, but I still can't help but feel a little thrill at the though of the look on his face when he realized I knew EXACTLY what he was doing. Maybe he'll stay away from that area of town for a while, what do you think?

  • #2
    No, good lupo, *Hands cookies*
    I am the nocturnal echo-locating flying mammal man.

    Comment


    • #3
      I love how they always, without fail, get offended if you mention money before they do. Always.

      Comment


      • #4
        Quoth RayvenQ View Post
        No, good lupo, *Hands cookies*
        COOKIES!!!! <CHOMP!!>




        Quoth RecoveringKinkoid View Post
        I love how they always, without fail, get offended if you mention money before they do. Always.
        Isn't it just? Like we're offending some sensibilities of theirs by assuming they're just there to try and bum a few bucks...which they are.... I don't get it...

        Comment


        • #5
          Gah, mind my fingers!

          Keep some monopoly money on you incase you ever see him again
          I am the nocturnal echo-locating flying mammal man.

          Comment


          • #6
            Quoth RayvenQ View Post
            Gah, mind my fingers!

            Keep some monopoly money on you incase you ever see him again
            Sorry, been a while since I had cookies. Got carried away. But I've got all my shots, promise!

            And monopoly money... Love it!!! or some of that toy money that kinda looks like the real thing when it's folded up...hmmm...

            Comment


            • #7
              I think it'd be hilarious if you did that, and he didn't notice that it wasn't real, and then got pulled up about it when he tried to spend it.
              I am the nocturnal echo-locating flying mammal man.

              Comment


              • #8
                Quoth RayvenQ View Post
                I think it'd be hilarious if you did that, and he didn't notice that it wasn't real, and then got pulled up about it when he tried to spend it.
                That might also been a good use for those stupid pamphlets that look like folded-up $20 bills.

                I had a similar situation with a scammer who apparently scammed so many people he didn't remember faces. He approached me and claimed he'd just been released from the hospital and hadn't eaten anything all day, and asked if I could spare a few bucks so he could get something to eat. So I helped him out.

                A few weeks later, I ran into the same guy with the same bullshit story. I just grumbled that I didn't have any cash on me, walked away, and felt what little faith I had left in humanity die.
                Sometimes life is altered.
                Break from the ropes your hands are tied.
                Uneasy with confrontation.
                Won't turn out right. Can't turn out right

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                • #9
                  Yeah you got to love the Houston beggars. You can never tell who the scammers are because most of them are really good at making you feel like shit if you don't give them money. I usually just ignore them, or tell them I don't have cash. Which isn't a lie, I don't carry cash, especially when anywhere near downtown.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Generally, I figure the ones who like to go on the defensive right off the bat when you tell them you don't have money are the ones who don't really need it (i.e. scammers).

                    A friend and I were walking through downtown looking at shops about two years ago when we passed these two women sitting on the steps of one store. One of them called out to us.

                    Her: Spare a few bucks?
                    Me: Sorry, I don't have any cash on me.
                    Her: *instantly yelling* That's bull****! You just don't want to help someone out!
                    Me: *rolling my eyes and ignoring her as Friend and I walked on* Lady, I don't carry cash on me, period. *muttered, as we'd left her behind ranting and screaming*

                    People truly down on their luck seem to understand how much they rely on others and don't fly off the handle nearly so quickly, let alone breaking out the cussing and name-calling at each and every person who happens to say "no." As has been mentioned here several times, they're usually the ones who'll gladly accept food or a small can of gas or something similar in place of the money if offered. It's the scammers who try to bully everyone they approach into giving them money if the sob story doesn't work first. ::sigh::

                    Lupo, I'd say maybe you went a bit overboard, if it weren't for the fact that you knew who the guy was, had been approached by him several times before (with a changing sob story, no less), and he got defensive and cussy so quickly at being called out on it.
                    "Enough expository banter. It's time we fight like men. And ladies. And ladies who dress like men. For Gilgamesh...IT'S MORPHING TIME!"
                    - Gilgamesh, Final Fantasy V

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                    • #11
                      My aunt who used to work for Centrelink (Australia's welfare agency) gives them the Centrelink general enquiries phone number.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I almost got arrested for this:
                        I carried around a PBJ. When a begger asked "Spare change so I can eat?" I handed him the sandwich.
                        The panhandler was irate and wound up like a baseball pitcher and let it fly.
                        I ducked and the flying missile hit a cop. The beggar was arrested b/c he took a swing at the officer. This was the last time I did that, but it was so worth it. I never saw that parasite again.

                        Lupo, you weren't out of line to call that scammer and have him removed from the premesis.
                        I'm trying to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my keister!

                        Who is John Galt?
                        -Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

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                        • #13
                          Quoth taxguykarl View Post
                          I almost got arrested for this:
                          Why would you almost get arrested?
                          Sometimes life is altered.
                          Break from the ropes your hands are tied.
                          Uneasy with confrontation.
                          Won't turn out right. Can't turn out right

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Quoth MadMike View Post
                            Why would you almost get arrested?
                            Cop's havin' a bad day patrollin'.

                            Flying sandwich hits cop.

                            Anyone in the direction the sandwich flew from will get "the book" thrown at 'em...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I had a similar but not as extreme case as Lupo. When I was driving to work, I often stopped on the way home at this one gas station that had a convenience store and a car wash. I'd fill my car, grave something to drink and drive through the car wash. It was right on a street I traveled every day. In other words, it should have been perfect. But we know that will never happen.

                              There were some regular scammer types hanging out there, to the point that I felt uncomfortable. This one guy came up and gave me the same sob story as Lupo's scammer: his car was broken down a few blocks away, his family was stuck, yada yada yada, money. I knew it was bull, but I gave him $5 to get rid of him.

                              A week later, same guy comes up to me with the same story. I just looked straight at him and said, "You already scored $5 off me last week with that same story." He just got pissed, but he did walk away. Luckily, we were right outside the store, so I figured he was afraid that if he acted like an ass or turned threatening the workers would call the cops or kick him off the property.
                              Labor boards have info on local laws for free
                              HR believes the first person in the door
                              Learn how to go over whackamole bosses' heads safely
                              Document everything
                              CS proves Dunning-Kruger effect

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