[retiree2011]

Originally Posted by jackshaw

I was a dutiful son this weekend, driving to New Jersey to help my mother with taxes and then driving back this afternoon. My wife (being an even more dutiful daughter-in-law) and I stopped to buy gas, take a bio break and grab a little food at the East Milford rest stop on I-95. As we started pumping a guy was clearly trying to get some kind of help from a young woman who was buying gas at the next lane. When she politely declined, he started to tell me his story that his car was broken down three miles down the road and needed a hose and he went to purchase it but it wouldn't take his debit card and he needed $18. He was on his way to visit his sister, something about New Hampshire, ... . I was a little suspicious and want to be charitable to someone in need, but parked the car and went to get food. As I walked into the entrance, another guy approached me and pulled out his card that was supposed to verify that he was a Vietnam Vet of 8 years. He needed $38 to catch the Peter Pan bus to Boston (or someplace?) Now my alarms were on high and I just walked inside.

My wife watched from a window in the dining area while I was picking up the food and saw the first guy approach several others and then get some money. She said a third guy was also making the rounds. At one point, however, the first guy got into a car and drove away. So he probably didn't need the hose. The second guy got into a different car and drove away. So, odds are good he didn't need the Peter Pan bus. She didn't see the third guy leave, but all were gone.

I don't think I've been in a place with that much coverage. Is the rest area noted for scams? Is there a reason it is frequented to fully by scamsters? I guess people really do give money to these guys, which is why they are there.

A couple of young women used to hang at the Branford rest stop. I don't often go there (bio break as the OP stated) so was approached by a woman who told me her car broke down and it would cost $88 to repair. It was late on a Sunday afternoon; I said "you have a terrific mechanic who can diagnose your car over the phone and even give such a specific estimate of the repair cost" (she had just been on a pay phone before approaching me). I told her I had no spare cash and later learned from a friend who drove for a utility for a living, and was at that rest stop often, that these women were always there with similar stories and that they collected quite a bit of cash from sympathetic strangers. The rest stop was torn down and rebuilt so not there for a period of time, so I don't know if they are back there now or not. Never a good idea to take out your wallet when approached like this.

[westender]

In all of these potential scam cases, offer to phone the police. Explain that their problems are exactly the kinds of problems that the local police are eager to help with -- broken-down cars, travelers aid, etc. Offer to stay with the person until the police arrive.

[Marc Wallace]

Any time I get approached by this kind of person, be it asking for milk money for his children, bus fare back home, etc. I ask them for some ID. Without fail, they turn around & leave. Works like a charm!

[bobtn]

I got approached this week in NJ, and gave nothing, thinking of the appropriate song this guy needed:

sha na na get a job - Bing Videos

[7express]

I've told this story before but don't think I've done so on here:

I was at Hofstra in 2005-06 and I was taking the train back to Hempstead at like 5 in the morning. When I got to Penn Station I had like 15 minutes before my LIRR train left, so I stopped at that Dunkin Donuts on the main level to grab a coffee and a donut. Right at the entrance some guy asked me for some money for whatever reason, which I declined saying I needed it, and went on my way. So, I'm getting my change and food at the counter, and see the same homeless guy I declined money a few seconds earlier standing next to me asking the same question. So now I'm stuck; now I REALLY don't want to give him anything since he followed me up to the counter, but he saw me get like $7.30 in change back so I have to give him something. So I give him a dollar along with the 30 cents in change. After that I'm done giving money. At least in New York, half these beggars have better shoes and better clothes then I do!

[7express]

I heard this from my uncle a while back but the details might be a little fuzzy.

When he worked in NYC, he would take the same path home everyday, and everyday on the same corner he would see the same guy asking for money, but with a different excuse everyday (I just got out of prison, my wallet got stolen, my wife threw me out of the house today, I got robbed, my metrocard got taken in a pickpocket attempt and I need money to get home, etc.) One day he's going by and the guy pulls out "I'm a veteran, can you spare some change" drivel, so my uncle stops, says something like "I see you every day at this same corner, and you haven't pulled this off yet. Can I see some ID??" So I think the guy hands my uncle some form ID, he takes it, throws it down a drain and leaves. The next time he went by that corner?? Guy was gone.

The NYC forum has some really funny scammer stories which I cant remember off the top of my head.

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by 7express

The NYC forum has some really funny scammer stories which I cant remember off the top of my head.

One of my favorite NYC subway panhandlers when I was growing up in the city was the the extra terrestrial space alien guy who happened to be stuck on earth because his space ship crash landed and he needed money from all of us so that he could buy the parts he needed to fix his craft so he and his cat could return home to their planet (they really hated it here on earth and wanted to leave as soon as possible). He wore a silver jump suit with a guitar strapped across his chest with his cat pinned under the guitar strap (yes, a real cat). He also had those antenna on his head that were popular in the 1980s (I don't know how old you are, but in the early 80s their was a brief fad when girls (young girls/teens) would wear antennas on their head -- they were hearts or stars on a spring attached to a headband). He would play his guitar and sing to us on the train and then collect his space ship repair money from the passengers. People usually gave him money at least once because he was creative and did make us laugh. But just one time -- by the 3rd 4th 5th time you saw him, you were more focused on watching other peoples reaction, because that was usually entertaining too. This was late 1980s/1990s. I still think about him every now and then. LOL!

[JayCT]

Since we are talking about people in New York City begging for money, I remember there use to be a very good looking guy in just his underwear briefs, cowboy boots and cowboy hat who walk around Times Square singing for money. I think he did well because the women and some men were attracted to him.

There sometimes is a person begging for money at the intersection of Glastonbury Boulevard and the Route 3 off/on ramps/Somerset Square driveway in Glastonbury. I have given them some but then there was an article in the newspaper with the police saying not to, so I stopped. I now just ignore them. Last week a kid approached me at the Stop & Shop gas station on Main Street asking for money to get home. I gave him a buck because I figured that at least he was not robbing a store or someone. Jay

[GlaiveGuy]

There was a guy who stood outside the Bridgeport train station who was perpetually begging for some money to buy his daughter a birthday/Christmas present.

[hittheroadjack]

In some areas in North Carolina 1-95, they come out of the woods to harass travelers.....beware.