[Rebelbase]

I had a haggard old lady in a grocery store parking lot one night give me a sob story about being from out of town stranded with a dead car and needed $20 more to make the cab fare to her town 40 miles away.

Gave her $20 and took her to a fast food place to be safe while she waited for a cab. After thinking twice about it I doubled back and watched for a few minutes. She left the fast food place and walked down the street towards a convenience store. I got there before her and pulled in next to a cop in the side parking lot and told him I think I just got took, and went over the story with him, telling him if he didn’t recognize the woman as a “regular” on his beat I’d just let it go.

The woman gets closer and the cop calls out, “Hey Flo!, come over here.” He knew her well. Got my $20 back and a profuse thank-you from the scam artist for not pressing charges.

[Kartographer]

One thing I've done before is I see some guy standing in line at a fast food joint ZI see him studying the menu and can tell he's trying to figure out what he can afford to get. I will make up an excuse to go up to the counter or when I pick up my order and walk by him I reach down at the floor like I am picking up something usually I have a five of someones and I say “Hey you dropped this”. It doesn't embarrass the guy and I know he's buying food with it.

[getitright]

press charges? what charges?

[Alberta's Child]

That's why I usually prefer to do an actual act of kindness rather than just giving someone money. I once came across someone in a bus station asking people for money and telling them she had no money but needed a ticket to get home that night. She had clearly lost her wallet or left it somewhere, since she was dressed like everyone else who was getting on the bus. Rather than give her money I simply offered her a ticket (as a regular commuter I was buying tickets in 30-trip books at the time).

She was very grateful, she took the ticket, and she got on the bus. That was easy! LOL.