So Many Gullible People

[Guilbert53]

Seems this story of the homeless man giving this lady some money for petrol when she ran out was just a total scam, by the homeless man and the woman and her partner who have now been arrested.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46221766

But thousands of gullible people came forward and pledged over £300,000.

So note these "Just Giving" type web sites are totally unregulated and there is no proof that the money is EVER going to be given to the "deserving" person (or if the deserving person even exists or has the illness or problem that the Just Giving page describes).

So think carefully before being another victim of this type of scam.

Note that scams come in many forms and the internet has given people the ability to run scams on a large scale.

So think TWICE, or even THREE TIMES, before giving ANYONE your money.

[Spicerack]

But what about compassion, guilbert?

[spathiphyllum]

Charity begins at home. I'd be off my rocker to donate to a homeless man in america who is already being donated to, Help the homeless man at ur local corner shop.

[Old_Geezer]

If the car owner was grateful she should've given any reward. The idea of fundraising on the Net for that screams, "Scam", to anyone with two or more digits in their IQ rating.

[Old_Geezer]

That said, not all charities are bogus; can't tar them all with the same brush.

[MallyJ]

The sad part of all this is that once you have been taken advantage in this way you are very unlikely to part with your money in the future ..and that is a shame because I think that most people are essentially kind but do not like being fooled. It will also mean that fewer people in need will be on the receiving end of peoples good will.

[jackthehat]

Many people gave small amounts. I assume they'll be disappointed but don't imagine it'll put too great a dent in their philanthropy.

Hopefully, the impending Court-case and bad publicity will make any other would-be scammers think twice.

[ummmm]

I was only give to someone I know on justgiving.

[Mamyalynne]

Always wise to be as sure as you can be before donating , I donated via Just Giving twice yesterday - both times to receive a quiz from registered charities.

[tamborine]

Smkt shopping a man asked to unload my shopping into car & return my trolley to trolley bay. He kept the trolley £1. Entrepreneur ;)

[Peter Pedant]

// But what about compassion, guilbert?//
and the suffering of small furry animals ?

Give to charity by Gift Aid and make sure they are reputable. I draw the line at Romanians but that is only because I was pickpocketed there. A lot of beggars in Manchester of various credibility. Look at their teeth - if they have teef like someone off Jerry kyle then they probably are beggars

[alavahalf]

'teef like someone off Jerry kyle' .. priceless!

[hereIam]

I would never ever give to such a website, so not a problem for me.

[alavahalf]

Strangely enough I used to spend my days being asked to attend an incident with normal enough people, who had just been scammed with a distraction burglary .. always in their own home !
They nearly all said the same thing .. "I never thought it would happen to me"..