Ripped Off

[caseyjo]

Ok...Today we were out on the road to Walmart to pick up something to clean an old piece of carpet (we got out of the trash at the carpet store) for our front porch.We were right across the street from Walmart when we noticed a guy with his car stuck stuck in the middle of the road so we pulled behind him when everyone else was passing by...

He said he was out of gas & asked if we had a can. The guy handed us his Id & we went & got 2 gal. He said God bless & got our phone #... said he didnt have cash on him...I joted his name & address down on paper while we were at the gas station so when we got back & Eric put the gas in his car we gave him his id back figuring he was a decent guy...You know the God Bless & all that......He was driving a real nice fairly new model truck, ten times nicer than our old wreck which is on its last legs. 

The Bf is mad as hell.....We had loads to do today & here we stop to help a guy..go out of our way to the gas station to get him gas with our own money & put the gas in for him too & the guy who was supposed to call us at home in a hour never called. That was over 4 hrs ago.

The BF is out hunting him down. He says it will be a cold day in hell befor he ever stops to help anyone out ever again.....

Low down dirty thieving no good (fill in the blank)......How can a person rip off a person who helps them off the side of the road?...It's beyond me....The BF is such a polite driver...I guess that is all over now........Do you have a similar story to tell?

[Bob Stepp]

*note to self.....get the money up front or drive on down the road*

[caseyjo]

The BF is back.....The house # I jotted from the ID is a abandoned house......I guess the bf is kicking himself in the rear -end for being taken for a ride....It never happened to us before & I doubt he will help anyone else anytime soon...He's real PO'd. Says he doesn't care if your babies hungry...he's not helping. I am usually the forgiving one, but someone like that should be put out of their misery......You don't bite the hand that feeds you.....Someday he will get caught & I hope who-ever does beats the crap out of him.

[caseyjo]

NO-way...:)

[funesthememorious]

caseyjo, I'd like to think that what happened to you is an aberration - the vast majority of people wouldn't resort to taking advantage of someone's kindness. I'm a been-taken-advantage-of virgin - so no story to tell.

[caseyjo]

I think so to:)....Glad your still a virgin....:}

[Quinn]

I am cautious, but I won’t stop helping, within reason of course. Especially after what happened to me recently…
I saw a young man; early twenties maybe, at the Miami airport approach three different people, ask then something and then walk away after they shook their heads “no”.
He approached me and asked if I had change for a dollar. I pulled out my wallet and commented that I had a “ton” of change. He said he had three dollars and if I had that much change it would be great—he could call his girlfriend and his Mom. I offered my cell phone to him, as I was wondering to myself why someone his age didn’t have a cell…
I couldn’t imagine he was up to no good, we were at the gate…what was he going to do??
He called his girl and then asked if it was okay to call his Mom, I said, “yes.” He sat across from me and spoke softly so I couldn’t really hear him. After he called his Mom I told him if he needed to call anyone else he should…He called his Dad. He thanked me and walked back to his seat.
As I was boarding, my phone rang, I sent it to Voice mail and forgot all it until I got home four days later.
The voice mail said, “Hello, this is John Doe. You let my son use your phone earlier today [at this his voice started to crack]. I wanted to thank you, he is being deployed to Afghanistan tonight and I may not have been able to talk with him if you hadn’t lent him your phone. Again, thank you.”

It was then that I remembered that service men and women aren't allowed cell phones.

I’ll continue to help people…

[caseyjo]

Very nice of you  Quinn...You go girl!.....I will always help if I can, even now, but I hope the guy eventually gets his ass kicked...

The BF....I think his street pride was hurt.....We were in a hurry......What-ever....He will be more careful next time & angry for a while......Never been ripped off before for being kind.

[Jaylee53]

*wiping a tear....*

Good for you Q.

[Stir Young]

I can't recall getting ripped off for being a good samaritan.  I've lived in a rural area for a good many years, and I'd probably do like many people here would do, offer my services to help, but not offer money or goods.

Just because I'm a country bumpkin doesn't mean that I'm a fool.....after all, I was born and raised in a metropolitan area.

[caseyjo]

Yeah..It was foolish....I am from The greater Los Angeles area & he is from New Orleans..It's not like we haven't seen what goes on in big cities.....I was homeless for almost a year & learned how to survive like a champ on the streets......I will not go into why I stayed out there that long (Long story & many years ago) but Neither one of us is street stupid......Today..Yeah....But so far here in Fl. everyone we have helped has been so grateful...I guess the thought of being ripped off had temporarily taken a vacation It's back now....Won't happen again.

[caseyjo]

It's the principal that someone would take advantage of a person trying to help...esp. people who they can clearly see have very little to start with...I'm easy...I'm already over it, but I started this thread so shall carry on.

The BF on the other hand...well? ...he works hard for his minimum wage....3 or 4 years at this job without even taking a vacation because they do not pay vacation pay.....He's  a little upset.

 

 

[TeeBubbaDee]

Getting ripped off never feels good. Doesn't matter if it is Bernie Maddof scamming you for a couple mill, or some street bum getting you for a couple of bucks. It still hurts. It's a pride thing. Knowing you should have been smart enough to know you were being conned, and letting it happen anyway. Been there, done that. Long story short, I lost nearly $300 bucks years ago. Bells and whistles were BLARING in my head, but I let it happen anyway. Why, I'm still not sure. Guess I didn't want to make a stink when I should have been hollering for the cops. I'm still a sucker for the down trodden, but am a little more cautious, especially if there is cash involved. On occasion I see someone on the streets holding the sign. Homeless, outta work, whatever. I rarely hand them money, but do sometimes make a trip to the grocery store and come back and give them food. I alway think... I could be that guy some day, and hope that some one would do the same for me.