Fake Homeless Guy near me

Toomuchstuff

Toomuchstuff

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Location
Wisconsin
I belong to a website called "Neighborhood" ..... it's like this forum but just for our local area. We swap news and discuss things . One day the talk turned to this guy we see all the time ,just sitting in random places on the grass in front of businesses with his Golden retriever . Alot of my neighbors have given him money , bought dog food if he sits by a grocery store , etc. Everyone that had contact with him added their experiences to the forum ... and low and behold ...he's not really a homeless guy !!!!

He told one lady ,he was a homeless vet. Another lady got the injured "vietnam vet" story. He mentioned living in a shelter ,too. Finally ,one lady said she saw him get picked up in a newer truck by a woman , and go to "Famous Dave's Ribs" and eat there. Someone that knew him personally , said he lives in the local trailer park with his wife and dog. Geeze ....

I'm glad I found this out ! I had money and dog food set aside for him the next time I see him . :mad: Does this stuff go on by you ?
 

There's a major intersection near my house that's very popular with the panhandlers. There's usually one on each corner and maybe one or two in the median. I've seen them getting picked up by a van after a day of panhandling. Apparently, it's quite the business these days.
 

We have a few professional panhandlers that work the intersections and highway ramps.

We also have some real destitute folks that prefer life on the streets to living in the shelters. Most of the genuine homeless people that I've encountered do not beg or ask for anything unless it is a real emergency. They all seem to have a routine of picking up cans for deposits, metal for sale to salvage yards, and some receive a pension or SS. I'm not saying that they won't accept help if offered they just seem to be more independent than the pros.

One thing that I always look at is the haircut and the clothes, the professionals seem to be much better groomed than the real homeless people.

I make a judgment call and if it feels right to me I don't mind helping someone.
 
We have a busy street corner near me that has a sign-holder every now and then but I never see anyone giving them anything. Usually the traffic is moving but and the light changes quickly but still...nobody stops.

I understand that no one wants to be an enabler of substance abuse but I'm just wondering why the panhandlers keep coming if no one gives them anything?
 
I had a latino woman with a baby come up to me in the parking lot of my grocery store. She couldn't speak English but knew how to say "must have rent in 2 days or can't stay". I gave her a $20 and then got to thinking later It would have been better of me to help her call social services for where she can have proper shelter.

Months later I saw the same woman with baby walking the parking lot asking for money but the grocery store manager was persuing her so I let him handle it.
 
I think my next career move will be to go into the sign business. You know, stand at a busy intersection with a crude looking sign (home made? part of the franchise package?) with a plea for help and, of course, the obligatory "God Bless".
 
Aunt Bea said:
We have a few professional panhandlers that work the intersections and highway ramps.

We also have some real destitute folks that prefer life on the streets to living in the shelters. Most of the genuine homeless people that I've encountered do not beg or ask for anything unless it is a real emergency. They all seem to have a routine of picking up cans for deposits, metal for sale to salvage yards, and some receive a pension or SS. I'm not saying that they won't accept help if offered they just seem to be more independent than the pros.

One thing that I always look at is the haircut and the clothes, the professionals seem to be much better groomed than the real homeless people.

I make a judgment call and if it feels right to me I don't mind helping someone.
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When we go into the city there are professional pan handlers at some of the intersections.
They are very good at what they do. They wear signs around their necks and lots of people stop to give them money but the ‘real ’ Homeless don’t usually beg for money. They pick up bottles, metal etc to earn their money and do not like people feeling sorry for them. In fact, these fake homeless people make real homeless people look bad when most aren’t. Many do prefer to live on the street other than the shelters.

My experience is similar to yours.
 
We have plenty of sign holders or just plain panhandlers on our street corners. They wait for cars to stop at red lights, and walk up and down, hoping someone will give them some cash. Some of them look genuinely in need, particularly the ones with artificial legs. (That would be a hard thing to fake.) I usually give them a dollar or two; I generally ignore the able-bodied looking ones.
 
Here in London we get the occasional story about
a beggar who is not poor or destitute, one I can
remember was about a man who sat outside one
of the busy railway stations, somebody followed
him one day when he was leaving. He went to a
new car, changed into nice clothes and drove away.

Some beggars have been interviewed, probably on
a bad news day and they all say that they are given
about £200 a day by people as they walk past.

University graduates don't earn that kind of money.

Mike.
 
Recently someone on Facebook posted one of our local sign holder coming out of the liquor store with a big bag.
Alcohol/drug problems are likely one cause of the plight for many.
I will stop if I know who the person is and their situation.
I see more and more young people. I think they figure, "why not?".
 
A gentleman who lives near my son (able bodied) says he makes $150 to $300 a day for 4 hours on a corner!! Tax free!!!
 

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