Parking lot grifters?

[Ed W]

A woman approached my daughter outside the Walmart on 96st Street in Owasso earlier this afternoon.  The woman claimed she needed gas money to get back to Tulsa and she had only a dollar.  Lyndsay said she was very convincing, with tears streaming down her cheeks.  But Lyndsay has met scammers before - more on that in a moment - and she was wary of handing over any cash.  Daughter is kind-hearted, not dumb.

She was in a gas station well after dark sometime last fall when a man and a woman approached, saying they needed a ride back to their home.  They gave an address that's pretty much just pasture land out north west of town - not that Lyndsay knew it at the time.  She declined to drive them, so they asked for money.  Again, she declined.  But they gave her the creeps.  She called me.  I called Owasso PD.  The dispatcher said they'd already had some calls and an officer was dispatched.  Before he arrived, however, Lyndsay watched as they crossed the street to the bank parking lot where they got into a car and left.

Now, I'm sure there are people out there who genuinely need help, but there are also so many scammers I'm going to turn down people who really need the help.  There's no easy way to separate the two groups.   

[patric]

A woman approached my daughter outside the Walmart on 96st Street in Owasso earlier this afternoon.  The woman claimed she needed gas money to get back to Tulsa and she had only a dollar.  Lyndsay said she was very convincing, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Had a woman come to my door with that story, that she ran out of gas on 244 (about 3 miles away).
The lack of familiarity with the geography was apparent, but what stuck in my mind the most was that she began the conversation with "First, are you over 18?"
It was a few years ago, and I called around the neighbors to compare notes.

[ZYX]

We had a man one time in Incredible Pizza's parking lot ask us for money. It was in a poorly lit part of the lot. His story was that he and his family were on their way back to Arkansas from here after a funeral, and they did not have money to buy gas. My first question in my head is that why did he not ask family for money. Second, he came out of nowhere, there was no family in a car nearby. We declined to offer him help and drove away. The pieces of his puzzle did not fit together.

[Breadburner]

Ask them for a dollar first....Shuts them down every time.....

[custosnox]

I've been approached many times on things like this.  The one that stand out the most in my head was in front of Barnes & Noble on 41st where a guy was asking me to buy him and his family some food.  Of course, no family around.  I've also had them show me business cards and many assortments of "proof" that they are telling the truth.

[Gaspar]

Feed the strays and they stick around.  Stop, and they move on.

[custosnox]

Feed the strays and they stick around.  Stop, and they move on.

Apparantly you have not had the pleasure of meeting "Pee Wee"

[BKDotCom]

I've gotten this "I need a dollar to get somewhere" story many times before.
The best was when I got it from a guy down town.   His expression was great after I gave him the you tried this on me 6-months ago look..

[joiei]

I had the same story about Arkansas on Friday in the Whole Foods parking lot from a little old lady.   I said sorry, she moved on to the next car. 

[Aa5drvr]

Had a variation of this happen to me in Dallas recently at a hotel parking lot while I was checking in.  
Nicely dressed couple said they were stranded and needed a place to stay for the night but because they got a special "discount" from another hotel chain they could only use cash.  
They used a lot of "religiosity" in their speil.  
Mentioned it to the desk clerk and she said they work a number of the hotels in the area.

[DolfanBob]

I had the same type story played on me at the QT truck stop in Catoosa.
I was coming out after paying for my gas and a scraggly looking guy asked me if I could help him and his girlfriend with some gas money because they coasted into the parking lot out of gas.
He stated they were just a few blocks away from home and pointed to this old beater of a car next to a pump with a scraggly looking girlfriend who was turning around looking at us.
I'm not real sure if I was played or not, but I gave him a five and left. Whats your thought on this routine of parking next to the pump ?
Did he get me or was I a good samaritan ?

[Red Arrow]

He stated they were just a few blocks away from home and pointed to this old beater of a car next to a pump with a scraggly looking girlfriend who was turning around looking at us.

Just a few blocks from home sounds like a short walk to me.

[godboko71]

Never given any of them money, but have offered to get them there gas (go in pay/go get a gas can and pay) or buy food, only two people have ever taken the offer.

My theory is they need food or gas not money and I am more then willing to help someone in need, but I don't give up cash directly. Maybe I was "scammed" those two times, however two times out of hundreds of times isn't bad odds.

[Red Arrow]

I was asked for some gas money at a car wash several years ago.  I declined.  A couple weeks later at the same car wash, the same person started to approach me again but must have recognized me or my car.  No second request as I remember.

[Townsend]

They are all this:

Dearest In Christ.

Greetings,

I am Mrs thoya emanuelle an aging widow suffering from long time illness. i am currently admitted in a hospital here in Abidjan Ivory coast, I have some funds I inherited from my late loving husband Mr.Toya Jacob's The amount of US$5.500, 000.00 which he deposited in one of the Security Company Here and I need a honest and God fearing person who have the feelings of human that can use this funds for God's work and 15% out of the total funds will be for your compasation for doing this work of God. Please if you would be able to use these funds for the Lord's work kindly reply to me.

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and your family's Amen.

Your Sister In The Lord.
Mrs thoya emanuelle.

Was in my junk folder just now and thought of this thread.