There's an area where I live where we've had panhandlers since the 1980s, it's got a lot of traffic and long lights.

Today there was a group of 4 people holding signs that said "FUNERAL FUND" and it had a picture of a baby girl, maybe a year or two old. They were fairly aggressively walking up/down rows of cars, making a lot of eye contact and holding the sign with the little baby on it with some details about the death - that I couldn't bring myself to read?

If it's a scam it's a good one.

If it's not then it's the most depressing thing I've seen all month.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

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"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

https://www.sbsun.com/fake-baby-fake-funeral-grand-terrace-panhandlers-accused-of-ripping-off-donors

https://abc7.com/baby-burial-scam-fake-arrests/2558373/

https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/10/fontana-baby-funeral-scam-case.html

So it was 99% sure a scam, but they were cleaning up for sure. Lots of folks were handing them money.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

but my charity is for friends and co-workers in need. now if I see someone hungry I'll buy them food but I don't carry cash anyway.



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https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PYzh4v9cSf4FDnq3yMQyqNqh79o=/800x0/filters:no_upscale%28%29/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4079674/jlio.0.gif

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TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

heartstrings version of the gas can prop

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TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

First thought was "Sad" followed nearly immediately by "SCAM."

(Also I rarely have small cash any more, just $20s and above and not a lot in total.)

They weren't out there the next time I drove by - I think they kept it moving.

Again, they were getting more rolled down windows than I've seen from any other panhandler group - they did well.

I've checked local news/blogs and no one has any news about a bust.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

I never give to the funeral ones.

Same with gas.

Once in a blue moon, and when I'm feeling just right, and it looks plausible enough, I'll hook them up.

The last time, I had just gone shopping, because we were leaving the next day to an out of state resort for my daughter's 10th birthday, so I had just purchased a ton of snacks, bottled water, juice boxes, fruit, etc.

I go to gas up, and there was this dude begging for gas and anything else, saying they were going to his dad's funeral. He fucked up his story IMO, because he said he was from Indiana to someone else, and told me Missouri.

Thing is, I looked into that car, and it was a fucking train wreck in there. It looked like they were living out of that thing. His wife was passed out in the back seat and two small kids were crawling around.

Fortunately, I wasn't just buying for the trip. I usually go hard to stock up the kids snacks about once a month, and then shopping for them is just the fresh fruit and other perishables during the week.

I think I put 20 in the tank, but gave them a fair amount of what I had bought. Apple sauce, Ritz, nilla wafers, I think some chips, apples, oranges, bananas, water, some gatorades, and apple juice.

The story itself had a few holes but they clearly needed it. I don't do shit like that often, but when I do, it's usually a situation that sort of screams out in some way.