Scam or not a Scam?

[Det. Jimmy McNulty]

Total scam. My friend fell for it about a month ago in DC. The woman was very convincing and my friend is too embarrassed to admit how much she got scammed for.

I've been taken before, I'll admit it. That's why I don't give any money to anyone on the street.

 

[DanOregon]

I'm always amazed at how many people run out of gas and/or money, not on the side of the road, but in a highway rest area.

 

[Big Circus]

At my old shop, we didn't have a deadline during the week (we were a PM on a weird schedule) and I lived half an hour away, so I would get home as late as 3 some nights. One night, I had a guy come up to my window and talk about how he and his old lady had gotten in a fight and he needed gas money. The fun detail was his admission that he was "tripping really hard right now." I told him I didn't have any money on me (which was true).

Two weeks later, I was moving to a new place and was putting gas in the rental truck before I returned it. Same dude came up to me, same story. Guess he didn't recognize me.

 

[Peytons place]

If the woman didn't have a guy with her, I might be more likely to believe it, because I wouldn't want to get in some guy's car I didn't know even if I needed help. I imagine the guy in the car knew the woman would have a lot more luck getting cash than he would.

I once had a guy ask me for a few bucks for gas while I was pumping gas, saying something about not having enough money to get home. I told him I didn't have any cash and saw him go over to his car, which was a lot nicer than mine, and there was another guy in it waiting for him. Maybe they should have just stayed home.

 

[forever_town]

Total scam.

If it weren't a scam, if she were genuinely out of gas and that were her main concern, she should have accepted the ride to the gas station.

Better yet: She should be a AAA member. If you run out of gas, they can come and put enough gas in your car to get it moving. I know first hand.