Walmart Scam

[Simson-Suhl]

Shopping at the local Walmart this afternoon a young woman and her small child approached me and inquired if I would purchase for her child some baby food. In the baby food section and she selected a can of baby food powder, price $33.00. Ok, put it into my cart, then and she stated she needed other items also. I said lady this cans price is $33.00 and that's it for me today.
She and her child followed me along as I continued to complete my shopping, and she decided she and her child would wait at the check out area for me.
After checking out I searched both entrances and she/child were nowhere to be found. Walmart customer service refunded my $33.00 purchase.
Old man a sucker for hungry little kids I suppose.

 

[ditrina]

No doubt with baby food in hand and " other stuff ".. headed right to the return desk to try for a cash refund. Or sold on the street.

30 years in retail taught me some tough lessons.

 

[Rustyt1953]

You were willing to do what your heart told you to.

That speaks volumes.

 

[dusty3030]

Big black market for baby formula.

 

[ACORN]

Be aware that Wal Mart will take that product back and give them cash to use for whatever they choose. My wife worked at CS there and if they gave the “customer” the least little scrutiny the “customer” would threaten to call corporate on them. If they did call many times corporate would give the “customer” a $50 gift card for being inconvenienced. A win-win for the scoundrels

 

[GaryS]

There are plenty of scams out there, and they prey on people like the OP. I hate that I have to be hard hearted, but like Ditrina I've learned that scam artists like to tug at the heart strings of the well intentioned.

Last week, I stopped for gas just on the MA side of the MA/CT state line. A lot of people go there because the gas prices are much cheaper in MA than CT. It's always busy for that reason.

I was approached by a fairly well dressed man who told me he was on his way to Durham, NH from Stamford, CT and he'd left his wallet at home in Stamford. He asked me for money to help him fill his tank so he could continue on his way.

I told him politely that I couldn't help him. It's just a variation on the "I've lost my wallet and need a loan to fill my gas tank scam." I think I've been approached with variations of that over 20 times through the year. In his case, the mistake was in saying he was going to continue on to NH and not use the gas to go back home.

I saw him go from car to car, but it didn't seem like anyone was interested in helping him.

 

[bamabiker]

I was sitting at a red light the other day and I see a cute blond get out of the passenger seat of the car behind me. She comes up to my window and starts with some story about her twin boys being sick. I looked back at the car and see a big dude sitting behind the steering wheel so I stopped her and told her if that guy can't help her I sure can't.
She got back in their car.

 

[LVSteve]

I'd put money on Vegas being top of the tree per 100,000 population for this and similar stunts.

 

[Ogandydancer]

Shopping at the local Walmart this afternoon a young woman and her small child approached me and inquired if I would purchase for her child some baby food. In the baby food section and she selected a can of baby food powder, price $33.00. Ok, put it into my cart, then and she stated she needed other items also. I said lady this cans price is $33.00 and that's it for me today.
She and her child followed me along as I continued to complete my shopping, and she decided she and her child would wait at the check out area for me.
After checking out I searched both entrances and she/child were nowhere to be found. Walmart customer service refunded my $33.00 purchase.
Old man a sucker for hungry little kids I suppose.

Had not seen or heard of this one around here but dishonest people will try anything. I usually do not give to grifters and panhandlers.

 

[Golddollar]

I was approached twice in Baltimore by persons saying that they were hungry, once at the food court in the Inner Harbor and once across the street from my office where a food cart was set up. I don't want to be an enabler for any substance abuse problem, so I won't give away money, but I did buy them something to eat. They were glad for that, so I think that was a good outcome all the way around.

 

[robrossk]

You OP get credit though for your random act of kindness!!

 

[Erich]

Sad to see stuff like this - after having worked in criminal law for my whole career, I know there are so many, many scams.

That said, I was filling up at a truck stop on the west side (long story why I had to use that particular gas station - it's not my usual) and this kid (c. 20) came up to me and asked if I could give him a little money so he and his girlfriend could make it back to Española (a town about 1.5 hours N of where I am). He had a story, but I didn't listen; he was in a junky car and he looked mortified. I gave him a twenty (more than enough to get him home, and he was really grateful about it). I saw him filling up as I pulled out, and - as I headed back across town - the kid passed me (he's a kid) and he and his girlfriend honked and waved. I saw them switch freeways and head toward Española.

We've talked here before about how to best respond to folks who ask for money. Every case is individual . . . and it's tough. I personally have come to feel that I don't want to assist someone in harming him/herself, and that includes engaging in behavior that's beneath the dignity a person ought to have as a creation of God. But I only have the things I have because I was myself blessed, so . . . well, it's tough and it calls for thinking every time I'm asked. So I sure see why Simson-Suhl posted and I sure appreciate him having taken the time to do so (and all of you who've responded, as well), because it reminds me to do that work - to think when asked, in order to make the effort to try to do the right thing in that particular case.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

You are a nice guy. God takes them first.

 

[TennTony]

I have put $20 worth of gas in a few peoples cars after listening to sad stories at truck stops. I don't give them money and if I got scammed I am okay with that. I could afford it, they couldn't return it and I consider it repayment for the times I have been helped by strangers.

 

[Golddollar]

I have put $20 worth of gas in a few peoples cars after listening to sad stories at truck stops. I don't give them money and if I got scammed I am okay with that. I could afford it, they couldn't return it and I consider it repayment for the times I have been helped by strangers.

It looks like helping someone with immediate consumables seems to provide the means of providing help to someone who genuinely needs it without becoming an enabler for some other problem.

 

[BigBoy99]

Yesterday I was approached by a person at a traffic light wanting money for food. I told him that if had money to buy the cigarettes he was smoking, he could quite smoking and he'd have food money. He wasn't happy with me.

 

[ACORN]

Flip side of the coin. I stopped in to a convenience store to grab something for lunch. Cashier rings me up an I realized I’d left my wallet back at work, a mile or so away. I apologized to her and told her I’d be right back with the to pick the items up. A young lady behind me said “I got it” and paid my bill, maybe $5-$6. I thanked her and told her it wasn’t necessary but she insisted. It gave me a little hope.

 

[prairieviper]

I give to charities of my choice, not to panhandlers.

 

[Fishslayer]

Big black market for baby formula.

My local Walmart keeps it under lock & key along with diapers, razors, nicotine products, etc etc. Why they need to lock up the condoms & lubes is a mystery...

 

[Recusant]

My son who is a Leo has taken reports from area churches where folks show for Sunday Church services and then solicit donations from church members as well as from the church funds.