What would you have done

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conniecat

Guest
I think I had repressed this, and as I was getting ready for bed it acme back to me. I gad to get up to boil some water for vapo steam, and it is preying on my mind so I thought I would pose this question.

I was leaving the dr's office this afternoon. his office is in a large mall. But, it was lunchtime, so there were not many people on the sidewalks. Now keep in mind I am running a fever, not breathing and with a head full of sore throat and earaches. I even had to sit in the waiting room to rest after I got out of the exam room. I finally got up and tired to make it to my car, and remember I don't walk very well. As I went out the door, a short man came up to me and said that he and his wife had a flat tire. No spare, and no one home to call. They needed to take a cab and were $12 short of the fare. Could I give him some money and he would mail it back to me?

I knew I was not thinking clearly, but I looked in my wallet. I knew I had money in the bill compartment, but in the change compartment I had $7. I told him I would give him 2, and I needed the rest for my lunch. He said Ok and walked off. By the time I got to my van and made sure he didn't follow me, I collapsed and didn't think any more about it. Until the middle of the night when I realized he could just as well have had a gun.

I realize now I should have gone back inside and reported this, but like I said I was out of oxygen and feeling very ill. I am not sure why I only gave him the $2. It just seemed like the thing to do at the time.

So, would you have given him the money, trusted him for all $12, or tried to got back inside the dr's office. The mall is not in a bad section of town, but far from one. You never know.
 
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reggae

Guest
oh connie, this smells of scam. When we go to Detroit (occasionally) we get approached all the time. They have so many reasons why they need a few bucks.

I think you should make a call to the doctor's office and tell them what happened. Or maybe the local police...they need to know. Sounds like they are preying on distracted people.

I wish we lived in times where we could trust people, but we can't. It's sad.

(Once we were down at the casino in Detroit. When we came out a man approached us asking for some money for some food, he "lost his wallet"......My brother had a comp for a meal and offered it to him. He waved his hand and walked away, angry. Said he needed money, not a meal. Now I wonder what he needed that money for????)
 
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BostonsJ

Guest
Connie thank God you didn't get hurt. It sounds very fishy and had you been feeling well it would have hit you sooner. These people prey on people that are less abled. They hit up people that are not able to defend themselves. I am sure glad you didn't get taken for more than 2.00. But never ever give your address out to a stranger. Never, he could have come to your home knowing you are disabled and wiped you out or worse! A person in true need would call for assistance of the police department and not ask for personal addresses of people to mail a check to later. OMG thank God you didn't give him your address. I would call the doctor's office and report this today. Let them know that there is a possibility of someone preying on their patients.
 
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Donna - dsw

Guest
I could be missing somethere here - - but you had already left the Dr. Office an were on the sidewalk in a mall area - - Don't give anyone anything! And why are you all suggesting to call the Dr. - - she was already gone from there.

You got scammed and you are lucky he didn't take you for more than that.

He could have gone in a number of places at a mall and gotten help! ATM machines, banks, police, etc.
 
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rooy

Guest
i agree with donna ----> he could have gone to an ATM. the good samaritan in me always tries to help others, but these days, i worry more about my safety.
 
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BostonsJ

Guest
Donna the doctor's office is in a mall. She said as she went out the door after resting. Maybe I misunderstood what door. I assumed that meant the door of the doctor's office.

At any rate I would certainly report it to the doctor's office so they can watch for their patients in the future, and the mall office.
 
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tango55

Guest
Sounds like a scam, thank goodness it was only for $2!!

We were camping at an Oregon State Park campground a week or so ago, on our way back to Vancouver. It was a lovely park with nice amenities. We were sitting outside by our campfire, when a lady with a large dog on a leash came up to us, and said she was trying to get change together for the laundry, could we help her out.

I went inside and gathered $3 in quarters and went out and gave them to her, expecting her to give me bills to change. She just said thank you and started to walk away! My husband said, didn't you want to change some bills? She said no, just needed some money for laundry! What nerve!

I was so shocked I didn't say anything, but we both realized later that she probably did this all the time, so we went to the camp hosts. They said by the description it sounded like "Jane" and she was around quite a bit.

Now this was a state park, not exactly in the middle of civilization. But quite a nice trick if you can keep going up to strangers and getting money from them!

Terry
 
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GloBug

Guest
You know those guys that stand at intersections and hold signs, asking for money?

One time I was with friends, having lunch, We were eating outside, and were watching one of those sign guys at an intersection. One sign he was holding didn't work, so he went to the bushes, ditched that sign and picked up another one. A few minutes later it must have been shift change time, because a truck drove up with several guys in the back. One jumped out, the other guy jumped back in, and the 2nd guy took his place, holding up a sign asking for money.

If you take a look at these guys, they usually have clean clothes, nice shoes, warm jackets... I think it was 20/20 that did an expose on these practices years ago. Some of these people were bringing home over $100K year, tax free!

I give to reputable charities, I do volunteer work (doing some now for March of Dimes) but I don't hand it out like this.
 
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ShipMaven

Guest
Connie - I think you were very foolish...and very lucky. Hope it doesn't happen again. The fact that the mall is not in a bad area doesn't mean anything. I, too, feel that you should alert the doctor's office as to what happened.
 
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nieciez

Guest
Happened to me once at the Target parking lot...this is an old scam. Glad you are OK and chalk it up to lesson learned!
 
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conniecat

Guest
Yeah, I am a pushover. I should be more suspicious, butI learned my lesson. If he really did need the money, then he got $2 farther. If he didin't, then I am not out much. The dr. office is right on the mall, with losts of windows, I fiugred we were in plain sight of both receptionists, and a room full of patients, in the middle of the day, so I felt safer, at least. Yes, I was distracted and not very well. I will call the office just in case the guy comes back. Thanks!
 
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reggae

Guest
connie, you are an exceptionally kind and caring person. Even though you were in distress, you took time to help a stranger. Although it was a con job by that guy, you will be blessed for your kindness.
 
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conniecat

Guest
Thanks you Reggae. My first thought was what if I were in that situation. If I had been feeling better, I might have just blown him off, so I am not that nice, lol. I did call the office and report it, they said that was the first they had heard of it, but they had had some ladies asking for rides in the past.
 
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frito

Guest
As Gomer Pyle would say ---SCAM__SCAM__SCAM. Variations of this is all over. Recently a lady approcahed me in a mall parking lot one night about 9 p.m and said she need cab fare to get home. I told her I would be more than happy to call the police who would be happy to see she got home. She said no thanks and scurried off. Be very careful when approached by people, especially if you are a woman alone. :wave :wave
 
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BostonsJ

Guest
Connie I know you wanted to help. And isn't it a damn shame that today we can't trust anyone? Thirty years ago we would never be having this conversation. A good deed was just that, a good deed and no one asked for help unless they really were in distress. I hate it that we can't help our fellow man because we are afraid of being hurt. Sadly it is the way of the world today.
 
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SueC

Guest
I've been approached by these people a few times. One was with the same flat tire, need cab money to get home story. The last time, we were on the turnpike coming home from my sisters, and they approached my husband with the "We lost our home, we're headed for relatives in PA. (this was on the OH turnpike) we just spent the very last of our cash getting the car repaired, and have no $ for food to feed my pregnant wife and our small son yadda yadda yadda." Now..first off..I'm pretty sure you didn't get your car repaired anywhere on the turnpike, and if you have absolutely NO CASH, why would you get on the turnpike where you have to pay a toll to get off? If the relatives are expecting you, call them collect and ask them to wire you money or come get you. And like several said...there's ATM's inside the rest area. No, we didn't make a donation.
I don't think these people are dangerous, just very bold. Just be glad it was only the $2.00 you handed over. I'm betting these people make pretty good $ in a week's time with their sob stories. And it's tax free too.
 
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