I realize people are mad at me for talking about this story. But the news keeps coming about her scam and it is people like this that make it harder for people who really need it to survive. I think calling out scammers is a good thing:
11/13 updated story: KGTV sent the old and new images of the woman to facial recognition expert Kent Gibson. He used a computer program called “Face Forensics,” which returned a nearly 80 percent match — meaning it is most likely the same woman. See the Update
This story is the reason that I stopped giving money to people on the street! In fact, I have had to tell my children that some of these people are not who they seem to be! A while ago a local station did a a similar story where they followed someone from a corner to a home that was clearly short of homeless. Now this Pregnant Woman Begs for Money with a little boy at her side and then Drives off in a Mercedes story solidifies that you simple have to be careful who you decide to help!
Photo Courtesy of ABC15 News
In a shopping center in San Diego, a woman watched as the pregnant women begs for money and were given hand out after hand out. She is dressed fairly well, has a nice purse on her arm and the little boy is well dressed with good shoes and hair cut. Yet person after person freely handed them money.
Once she had collected enough from that shopping center, she was picked up in a brand new Mercedes Benz where the person watching captured photos of her and the little boy in the front seat – no car seat, mind you – counting money and laughing.
People like this make me so angry. Especially when there are people who beg on the street corner who, literally, have no other option to get any money any other way. I have just as a rule stopped giving money to anyone on the street. Not because I don’t believe some people don’t really need it, but because time and time again I hear stories like this. I choose to give directly to shelters and the Red Cross because at least I feel it might be used as something other than a payment for a Mercedes Benz.
Photo Courtesy of ABC 15 News
As this pregnant woman begs for money in a popular shopping center and then goes to another in the same day to do the same thing, there are people who can’t afford to feed their kids let alone have them in matching outfits!
What do you think? Would you have given this woman money and do you think she will stop now that this story is out?
In my area, we have people pretending to be veterans, who collect money on corners and then drive off in expensive cars. Seeing their brand new shoes and brand new brand name jeans made me suspicious of them. Background checks were done on them, proving they were never vets. I never donate to people like this.
I’d rather donate to an organization who collects money to give it directly to people who are actually in need.
Same here. While I understand that people may think I am judging this woman and don’t know her story, after continues reports came out of her being seen other places, pregnant and not, the video of her threatening to throw a huge rock at the woman who caught her on tape and her running from news crews, I am inclined to stand by my opinion that she is not who she claims to be. It is people like this that make people who want to give to people who really need it, hesitate. Scammers ruin what is really needed :/
This whole article is in bad taste in my opinion. Basically you are judging her on your own assumptions rather than facts. You may be right, because unfortunately scammers exist. However, you really don’t know her situation at all, you are assuming many things based on what she is wearing, what her child is wearing, handbags and a high end car. She very well could have been well off, lost her job, and now is strapped with car payments, house payments, etc that she simply can’t pay. She also may have had those clothes prior to losing everything she has. She can’t possibly get a job if she doesn’t have good (name brand or not, in good appearance) clothing, and if her previously purchased clothing happens to have high end labels, so what? It isn’t an indication that she isn’t broke now. Also, the car may well already be paid for. If I had a Mercedes already paid for, but was destitute, I certainly wouldn’t sell it to then buy a beater car to fit other peoples opinion of what “broke” looks like in their eyes. A very real case in point of what I am talking about is this article: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/09/woman-drives-mercedes-to-pick-up-food-stamps/. It’s not only a great read, but something every judgemental person should read before they go pointing fingers.
While I understand your point, further info came out on this woman and her scam throughout the day.Please read my comment to the previous posted. As for bad taste, I posted it because I am upset that people like this ruin it for the ones who really, really need it! I so appreciate your comment and don’t generally pass judgement, this woman is not who she seems to be.