"My car broke down. Can you help me with gas?"

[SandEagle]

There was a woman holding the gas can at a freeway entrance/exit near my home. A lot of people fell for it; they gave her cash as the gas station was about 200yrds away.
Rainy days were her good days..

One time I pulled over a parking lot near a decently new BMW 5s, a black guy in very nice clothes stepped out, went to his trunk to get some stuff, then got back in his car. As I was sitting in the car waiting for my friend, a few minutes later, the same guy came out in his homeless outfit with a sign "homeless, hungry, please help". I rarely give out money to homeless people ever since.

the guy's race is irrelevant to your story. why bring it up?