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Old 12-20-2017, 08:14 AM
 
3,167 posts, read 4,005,698 times
Reputation: 8796

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If you are approached by a young woman who says she needs help buying food for her family this Christmas, don't be fooled. Just direct her to a local food pantry, like Food for Others, where there is plenty of food available. If you agree to pay for groceries, she will trick you into buying a cart full of high-priced items that comes to much more than you could have imagined, and she will tell you all about her unpaid electric bill, her relative with cancer, her children without warm winter clothes, and so on. She will then try to talk you into taking her to an ATM and taking out money for her, or letting her come and clean your house (where she'll rob you blind). She is very convincing. This happened in Fairfax, and I heard another story about it happening in Chantilly.
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Old 12-20-2017, 08:22 AM
 
2,262 posts, read 2,404,445 times
Reputation: 2741
This isn't directly related to your post but I've noticed a significant uptick in panhandling on busy streets in Fairfax County and Prince William County. Not that this is a problem but it seems kind of sudden and out of left field.

Regarding your post above, that's odd.
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Old 12-20-2017, 09:11 AM
 
Location: Sarasota, FL
2,682 posts, read 2,183,175 times
Reputation: 5170
I've come across a similar scam in tourist areas in Mexico and Colombia, in the vicinity of supermarkets or other shopping areas. Best thing to do is to just keep moving when approached like this by a local. People who are truly needy will be happy to receive what you offer without demanding a lot more.
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Old 12-20-2017, 09:35 AM
 
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
26,700 posts, read 41,771,805 times
Reputation: 41381
Quote:
Originally Posted by NOVA_guy View Post
This isn't directly related to your post but I've noticed a significant uptick in panhandling on busy streets in Fairfax County and Prince William County. Not that this is a problem but it seems kind of sudden and out of left field.

Regarding your post above, that's odd.
I work in Fairfax and the panhandling frequency is starting to resemble the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. That isn't good.
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Old 12-20-2017, 09:37 AM
 
16,426 posts, read 12,533,205 times
Reputation: 59677
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mnseca View Post
If you are approached by a young woman who says she needs help buying food for her family this Christmas, don't be fooled. Just direct her to a local food pantry, like Food for Others, where there is plenty of food available. If you agree to pay for groceries, she will trick you into buying a cart full of high-priced items that comes to much more than you could have imagined, and she will tell you all about her unpaid electric bill, her relative with cancer, her children without warm winter clothes, and so on. She will then try to talk you into taking her to an ATM and taking out money for her, or letting her come and clean your house (where she'll rob you blind). She is very convincing. This happened in Fairfax, and I heard another story about it happening in Chantilly.
I can't help but feel bad for anyone who is so gullible to be taken over and over again in such a manner. Maybe I'm just a cynical a***ole, but wow. That's like multiple levels of gullible.
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Old 12-20-2017, 09:57 AM
 
Location: Falls Church, Fairfax County
5,162 posts, read 4,493,421 times
Reputation: 6336
If people did not pay them they would not do it.
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Old 12-20-2017, 01:30 PM
 
Location: Virginia-Shenandoah Valley
7,670 posts, read 14,253,619 times
Reputation: 7464
Always respond to anyone needing money for gas/groceries/tiny condoms or whatever that you are calling the police and telling them they have someone at such and such that needs help. Watch how fast they disappear.
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Old 12-20-2017, 03:29 PM
 
1,159 posts, read 1,291,109 times
Reputation: 1361
I Feel like there are options between giving someone all your money and calling the cops on them.
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Old 12-20-2017, 03:45 PM
 
1,304 posts, read 2,428,443 times
Reputation: 1215
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mnseca View Post
she will trick you into buying a cart full of high-priced items that comes to much more than you could have imagined
How do people get tricked? Leave the cart and walk away. Is she holding you at gunpoint to buy these groceries?

I can't believe people would really be this dumb, but they must be, because these panhandlers aren't going away.
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Old 12-20-2017, 03:59 PM
 
Location: Virginia-Shenandoah Valley
7,670 posts, read 14,253,619 times
Reputation: 7464
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ffxdata View Post
I Feel like there are options between giving someone all your money and calling the cops on them.
Really? If they are really in need they will have no problem waiting on the cops. Unless they are wanted or something similar. I've used this tactic numerous times in Manassas and I was amazed at how fast they left the area. One in a car that was supposedly holding his young grandson and out of gas. I did actually ask him to show me his car so we could check on his grandson he supposedly left alone. As we were walking I mentioned the police were going to be called to assist him with the gas. He made it to his nice car and was out of there in no time flat.
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