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This is how I know you're scamming me...

Bignate603

Bignate603

Lifer
I was filling up my car today at a gas station and somebody walked up to me carrying a brand new gas can (there was still a tag hanging off it) to try and pan handle. Here's the conversation that happened:

Him: "Hi, I was wondering if you could spare some change for gas. I just need a little to get home"
Me: "Where's your car?"
Him: "It's parked over there" (points over to in front of the store)
Me: "Why do you need the gas can?"
Him: "It ran out and I just coasted in to the spot"
Me: "So you went inside and bought a gas can?"
Him: "Yeah, so I could get the gas to my car. It took all the money I had"
Me: "I've got an idea. Why don't you go inside and return the gas can. I'll help you push your car over and you can use the money from the can to get at least a gallon or two"
Him: "..." 😱
Me: "I think it's time for you to leave now"
Him: <Walks away, gets in car and drives off>

I guess he figured his cover was blown and it was time to head to the next gas station to try again.

Here's some thoughts for people trying to do the "I need a little gas" scam
1. Don't walk up to a guy carrying a gas can that you just purchased to fill up a car that you admit is in the same parking lot. At least say that it is around the corner.
2. If you're holding a gas can and you go up to somebody who is actively pumping gas why would you ask for money to buy gas? Wouldn't you just ask for him to put some gas in the can?

What's the world coming to if scammers can't even put a decent scam together? Doesn't anyone take pride in their work anymore?
 
Was he driving a real expensive car? Someone tried that trick on me said his Ford Expedition ran out of gas, i advised him to trade it in.
 
ActiveX said:
Was he driving a real expensive car? Someone tried that trick on me said his Ford Expedition ran out of gas, i advised him to trade it in.
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Nah, he and his car at least looked the part. It was some older white domestic sedan with a scratched up bumper. I didn't pay attention enough to catch what it was.
 
Some gas stations in SF are notorious for random (homeless?) folks approaching your car and just start wiping the windows and pouring the water-soap mix on it. Usually happens when you stepped aside for a moment to grab something in the gas station store. Once you get back and go WTF, they start asking for a dollar. Some try to do it even while you're filling up. 🙂
 
I would just say I can't swing it - same thing I tell people on the phone who ask me to donate to breast cancer research, etc. No need to get into details.
 
rh71 said:
I would just say I can't swing it - same thing I tell people on the phone who ask me to donate to breast cancer research, etc. No need to get into details.
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I tell most pan handlers that I only carry cards, very few can accept Visa. 😀

That wouldn't work people on the phone though, I haven't gotten those yet though.
 
I had a lady come up to me in a strip mall parking lot, she got out of the passenger side of a beat up pickup. She asked for a few bucks to get her mom to the hospital "right away", as the pickup sat there idling.

I looked at the pickup, then to her, then I pointed across the street where a hospital was. I said, "take her there, but if that's your mother sitting in the driver's seat of the pickup, she looks fine. Not to mention you are wasting gas sitting there idling. But since you insist it's an emergency, i'll call for the police and an ambulance right away so you don't need to waste gas sitting here in a lot across from a hospital. Now go try your scam somewhere else." I then grabbed my phone and put it to my ear and she literally RAN to the pickup and they peeled away promptly. I'm guessing they have been busted before for panhandling.
 
Hmm...that must be the latest pan handling method going around [along with people standing at intersections with cardboard signs].

A couple was walking around home depot parking lot asking people for a $1.00 so they could buy gas to get home.

The "I only have credit cards and no cash" excuse works [well..it's not an excuse- it's true - I rarely ever carry any cash anymore].
 
coloumb said:
Hmm...that must be the latest pan handling method going around [along with people standing at intersections with cardboard signs].

A couple was walking around home depot parking lot asking people for a $1.00 so they could buy gas to get home.

The "I only have credit cards and no cash" excuse works [well..it's not an excuse- it's true - I rarely ever carry any cash anymore].
Click to expand...

Uh... latest? This has been going on for decades. I'm pretty sure even before cars, shady looking cowboys would troll the local saloon to get "oat money" for their horse.

I would like to move to your area. If this is the first time you've seen this you probably live in a better area than me.
 
I left work last night with my fuel light on (on the motorcycle). I rode straight to the gas station to fill it up but it left me thinking what I would have done if the power was out and I couldn't get gas. Wondering if someone would be kind enough or even able to help me because I doubt I could have made it home on my reserve.
 
My wife and I were approached in a parking lot by a lady with two kids. She asked for any help we could give them. I was going to go buy them a sandwich but my wife just gave them 5$. Guess we got scammed.

/CSB
 
Also, why is he ok just having enough gas to get home? Is he planning to off himself once he gets home? Unless he has some cash under his mattress it doesn't even make sense to ask for enough gas to go home and come back to fill up -- after all, he ostensibly just used money to buy the canister and therefore does have his wallet.
 
Not a new scam. It's been around forever.

I feel bad if anyone is ever actually in need, because those people are SoL because of lazy, scamming pieces of shit.

Another scam that became popular when I was in college was kids buying boxes of candy bars and selling them for $1 as a "fundraiser for their schools." I'm 100% sure it was a fundraiser for own pockets, but at least I would be getting candy delivered to me out of the deal.
 
gorcorps said:
Uh... latest? This has been going on for decades. I'm pretty sure even before cars, shady looking cowboys would troll the local saloon to get "oat money" for their horse.

I would like to move to your area. If this is the first time you've seen this you probably live in a better area than me.
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I've had that happen to me once in 26 years of driving. The price of petrol over here you'd think it would be more popular. 😀
 
Bignate603 said:
2. If you're holding a gas can and you go up to somebody who is actively pumping gas why would you ask for money to buy gas? Wouldn't you just ask for him to put some gas in the can?
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This is what I never understood about this scam. Even if I fell for it they'd just end up with a couple gallons of gas to lug around. Then they'd be lugging around a full can of gas asking everyone for money for gas.

Anyway, this doesn't happen around here...mostly because there aren't many people but also because standing around outside freezing your ass off trying to scam people is to much work.
 
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