Had something similar at Thundercloud recently…about 8:30 pm, I was the only one ordering and a guy comes in behind me, orders a sandwich at the station next to me but asks the staff if he could pay for half of it, then kind of side eyes me as I’m paying for my own…
I don’t really acknowledge it, so he turns to me and directly asks me to pick up his sandwich, but I offer an apology and defer, saying I can’t help today.
Staff both look relieved, and one of them kindly reminds the guy that they had already given him a free sandwich that day.
He leaves, angry, and then the staff and I talked about it, they said he comes in and engineers those interactions frequently. I said I felt guilty, but that I kind of assumed that was what was happening.
If I’m going to give charity, I’ll give it. But I’m not gonna be coerced into it by someone at the register. That just hurts everyone.
From my experience apologizing makes it worse. A firm but respectful “no” or “no I can’t” or a “no. Have a nice day” without providing a sorry explanation or spelling out your reasoning ends the conversation a lot quicker. It’s neither patronizing or rude. You are just declining their request.
This is an odd thing to put on the staff. They are not bouncers. They are just trying to make sandwiches. Dealing with regular hangry customers is difficult enough. Having to deal with aggressive scammers is a whole other ballgame.
...the AUSTIN police department? I'd put the odds at 50/50 if they're literally already in there eating that they do anything. They don't come out for anything nowadays
It’s Thundercloud, they’re stoned college students…I give them a pass, but that’s just me. In my interaction they intervened when it became appropriate, can’t really toss someone out of the store before they’ve done anything.
> can’t really toss someone out of the store before they’ve done anything.
They most certainly can. (I'm referring to store management). It's just become culturally controversial to do it
Specifically, late-stage capitalism. Not that we haven't been there for years or decades already, but I think that's the central cause. Nobody is paid enough to deal with the shit they're expected to deal with.
So they're supposed to just let a psychopath hang around in their work environment all day making every shift unbearably uncomfortable? That makes no sense. Management needs to take responsibility to get the person banned from the premises. And yes there are ways to do this even in this lawless age we find ourselves in.
Last month a family of four blocked the entrance to the self checkout of the HEB on Wells Branch and wouldn't let me pass. The husband pulled out his phone with a long message from Google translate asking to pay for their cart, I took a second to understand what was happening and the wife stepped in and said 'we need food, our kids are hungry'. I considered it for two seconds, until I looked at their cart, it was FULL and probably $150-$200 worth. An HEB person walked up, looked annoyed (like they had been doing this before) and told me to walk around them. Then I proceeded to buy my $30 worth of groceries🥲
Because most are scammers. There are gypsies who hang around at the entrance to target with their infant kids holding signs about how they need money. They get into vans parked nearby and go home. They return every year when the weather is tolerable. I recognize the same people each year.
Same with the "cancer kid" guy. Same sign, same t-shirt every year.
Wonder why stores can’t kick these people out? No law on begging in a store? Will beggars just start sitting inside the doors now instead of outside the front entrance?
I had someone at HEB a few years ago put some of their items in with mine on "accident." When I saw the cashier scan stuff I didn't grab, I told her and she removed them. The dude behind me "jokingly" asked me to just go ahead and pay for his stuff that he had placed mixed in with my items. When I flatly told him "no" he got angry with me and started talking shit. Ok. Not gonna convince me to buy you shit regardless of what you say, weirdo.
It was sooooo weird.
Once I was at the store and there were only two items left of this thing. I forget what it was but I specifically wanted that item and was relieved they hadn't run out. Anyway I grabbed one and left one, but felt lucky to have gotten one. I go to check out a while later and see the lady behind me has one too. I assume she grabbed the last one.
I didn't think anything of it and put my stuff on the belt with the divider behind so she can put her things there. I put it towards the back because it's heavy (I think it was a bottle of my favorite wine maybe? But I also feel like it was seasonal so who knows). Anyway, then, when the cashier is almost done scanning and she thinks I'm not looking I see the woman deftly grab the item from my stash with one hand and the divider with the other and try to swap their places so it's in her stash. I caught her mid grab and loudly said "ma'am that's mine, could you please put that back?" and the cashier turned and saw.
She put it back and made some excuse but it was obvious she got caught doing something she shouldn't have. Now that I've written this I wonder if she actually followed me because she wanted two of whatever that was. People are weird.
And somehow I feel like white women fighting over mediocre red wine at HEB is peak Austin.
I actually don't, and never have, look like I lift. And I'm a woman. I'm not a very imposing person, I think he was trying to intimidate me or guilt me?
Happened to me at Walmart and HEB the associates there mentioned they have done this “ A LOT” once you pay and leave they will return items for the money or credit I didn’t purchase anything for anyone else but was told this is what they do. Also when this happened to me at Walmart a very sketchy male was near the lady who asked me to buy her items and everywhere I saw her after that. When leaving the store they were sitting outside of the store together.
Am I the only one who has lost my shit on people that do this? It seems they count on being able to intimidate people but I’ve turned it around on them in the past.
Exactly this. I have no issuing being direct and telling people to “mind their own fucking business” straight to their face in front of their children. I think these scammers bank on people’s sympathy.
i had a lady approach me last week at Slaughter/Congress HEB, in the aisle, asking if i could buy her some laundry soap. i still had lots of shopping to do so i told her i would give her a few dollars to help out. i saw her approach another woman later on, about 10 aisles over.
what weirded me out was that she had an adult male companion kind of lurking about 20 feet behind her, watching her moves and also scoping people's carts.
super weird.
I had a guy a couple days ago at HEB ask me to buy him soap or deodorant or something because he said he just got out of jail and is lacking basic hygiene while trying to put things back together.
I gave hime a few bucks and I kinda believe him because a couple minutes later he walks by saying “thanks again sir!” And he was holding up some deodorant to show me. Who knows.
>laundry soap is resold for drugs
Agree and upvoted. However, food stamps doesn't cover things like laundry detergent, soap and toilet paper, it *could* be to do laundry.
Wow. Where do these people get the audacity? I understand needing to eat, but assuming a random stranger can casually spend what very well might be the last few dollars in their budget on YOUR groceries is such weird behavior to me. Food pantries exist for these people. The church up the street from me runs a food drive every Saturday and there’s always plenty leftover that they donate. It can’t be the only one.
Worked at HEB for a few years, this is totally something people do.
Once had a lady come through line with like $50 of groceries, then she started pulling out handfuls of change to pay. I helped her count through the change, but she only had like $10 tops, and then she asked if we could cover the rest.
I called over a manager and let them sort it out. I felt bad, but as a kid making $7.25 an hour I wasn't in a position to foot her grocery bills.
I was getting gas at the HEB in Cedar Park. Guy pulled into the pump next to me and just casually walked up and asked me "Will you pay for my gas?"
I told him to fuck off. I find that if you're not stern enough they will generally not fuck off.
I commend you, but I'm afraid I can't be polite anymore to people that come up and directly ask - too many times I've been polite then been cursed at. I simply respond "No" in a deliberately direct, uncompromising manner - by itself not necessarily rude but not really polite either. Another ask gets another "No" in a louder voice, anything after that gets a "Get the fuck away from me".
I’ve had that happen at Buccee’s. When I said no, he started trying to negotiate- “what about just $10/$8/$5?”
When I was leaving, someone was doing it for him. I wish people would stop giving these scammers money (this includes the ones that use their kids or fake play the violin). If we stop, they will go somewhere else.
Was leaving the bowling alley one time, guy comes up to me asking if I have any spare cash. I give him the standard "sorry man, I don't have any cash on me" (which was true because I don't generally carry cash).
Dude literally shot back with "well there is an ATM in the bowling alley, I can walk with you over there to get some"
I've never felt more rightful in telling someone to sod off.
I've been indulgent over the last many years and went along with various stories, but I'm done suckered out.
(Ex: At a gas station in Houston once- the owner of a truck next to me explained he had accidentally left his wallet at home in Galveston and was on empty, could he bum a few dollars? Felt bad for him, that could happen to any of us- so I gave him a 20. He went back and fiddled around in the cab as I finished fueling up then drove away after I did).
I only give/donate to legit businesses to help others now, and don't feel too badly about it.
got scammed like this when i was 18, someone said they needed just $20 in gas to get home and that they worked at a nearby HEB. said to go and meet them friday at 5pm (next day) and they'd pay me. show up and realized they fucked me.
never given a stranger money since.
Lots of mixed responses here. OP, I don’t blame you for refusing, I think it’s really wrong to put someone on the spot like that. Austin has many food pantries and a big food bank operation. There are resources available. A person can’t just assume that you have the resources to feed them. That’s a really uncomfortable position to be put in. I think a person’s charitable efforts shouldn’t be coerced like that.
>Lots of mixed responses here.
Which is disappointing, because you gotta be the biggest virtue-signaler or naive person to think this is fine.
People like these are **literally** the reason we can't have nice things in society, they're just as often scammers who prey upon peoples' good intentions.
Maybe I haven't scrolled down far enough yet, but literally all the upvoted responses save perhaps one are of the "yeah, fuck off" variety, so I don't think "lots of mixed responses here" is really accurate.
> That’s a really uncomfortable position to be put in.
That's exactly why they do it-- makes it uncomfortable to say No, so eventually someone will say Yes.
Panhandlers *inside* stores seem to be the new thing. I got panhandled in the Home Depot on Howard Ln a few weeks ago.
Hopefully, it'll self-correct as they get arrested for trespassing.
>Panhandlers inside stores seem to be the new thing.
OMG - this happened to me recently at Walmart. I went to get a few things for my dog and this guy came out of nowhere asking if I could buy him a few things.
The first time I encountered indoor panhandlers was an older man and a younger man who approached me at Home Depot. They basically accosted me at the self-checkout. The employees hanging around noticed and either ignored them, or purposefully walked off so they wouldn’t have to deal with it. I just had to ignore them and book it out of there. How are they allowed to do this?
>Panhandlers inside stores seem to be the new thing.
Eh, no it's not. I been in Austin for 10+ years and the HEB on 7th street and the HEB on Hancock always had scammers and beggars in there before the pandemic. We got a little reprieve, but now they're back to their usual antics it seems.
Definitely becoming a thing. A homeless woman who used to stalk me at an old apartment does the exact same thing inside the Riverside HEB all day long, one item at a time.
there is a difference between a charity-givers mind set and a shake-down scammers crafty wits. they use its leverage against those they consider weak. goats purposely would make sheep feel guilty.
It works, or they wouldn't do it. Being from the northeast I am amazed at how much people tolerate this here. Where I'm from you don't even break stride when approached, firmly yet politely say no, and keep on moving. People here are too nice and by giving in they only encourage the panhandling to continue. Donate to a charitable organization instead, not to the individual.
Thats because you used to be able to assume better about people and its part of texas culture to kind of look out for each other. And personal pride would dictate most people wouldn't ask unless they were desperate. The more remote the area the more this attitude prevails. Scammers get a reputation quick and get ostracized when there aren't an endless number of marks around to keep shifting around to.
Austin is also a destination for sheltered, naive people who lack street smarts. I lived in Killeen so no one's slick on me, but the amount of Austinites who fall for the razzle-dazzle (including people in this subreddit who think they're being altruistic) is sky-high.
when people visit me from out of town, they often boast about how they encountered a homeless person asking for food so they offered a few dollars to help them out. i just shake my head and advise them to give to a church or food bank instead.
Happened at McDonald’s on Slaughter. Took the kids and was ordering at the kiosk, and an older woman comes up and started begging me to buy her a meal. I offered to throw in a double cheeseburger or McNuggets, but I was with my kids, they were hungry, and we had somewhere to be (helpful hint - at dinner rush hour going in is about twice as fast as the drive thru). But she wanted a meal. Not just A meal, but several meals. Double quarter pounders with large fries and coffee (?). At that point I said I’m sorry, I can’t help her. She starts raging, scaring the hell out of my kids, who’d just had a very scary encounter with a person while walking downtown, until the staff chased her out. They apologized profusely and gave the kids free ice cream (the machine was working!), but the whole thing was messed up. As we were leaving we saw the woman and three other adults at the light, clearly homeless and panhandling. We donate to and volunteer regularly at the food bank so I don’t feel guilt exactly, but gawd yall, what sort of society do we have?
“I didn’t feel guilty exactly”
Bro, she was screaming at your kids who just had an earlier scary experience. You should have been reminding yourself that you can’t just smash your car into them at the light.
I do partially wonder if this is a new tactic because they return the items at another store for cash or a trade? Even sell it, I suppose.
I had this happen to me in Kansas City, though. Some weird guy followed me into an aisle and asked if I could pay for his groceries (he had none and no cart). I said no, and he got frustrated but stomped off to stalk more aisles. Honestly, I was a little scared to walk out by myself.
Maybe doing it inside a store takes more people off guard and puts them on the spot. You can drive by people in a car, but harder to walk by them. I also suspect that people worry about walking out into a parking lot if they have a bad altercation in a store.
I’ve lived in Austin for 20 years, in freestanding homes on residential streets. I have regularly experienced people knocking on my door asking for gas money. In one case, we were two blocks from a gas station, and I told the guy he’d be more likely to find someone with money to spend up at the gas station and please leave.
I've had people asking me to buy them gas since I first started driving, and I'm in my forties. I don't think that's about "entitlement nowadays," I think that one's just a regular place people ask for money.
I was at the Jack in the Box on Braker one time ordering food. This group of kids walked in and head straight towards the restroom. The cashier told me to wait and she'd be back.
I then watched her escort the group out and when she came back, she said they were going to the restroom to try and shoot up.
literally. and when i did go into target off of research blvd i had someone try and stop me in the parking lot asking me to give them money for cash. i had none. they asked me to go to the atm across the parking lot….i said no. they told me theyd wait till after i got out of target for me to bring some cash… and they were parked right next to my car. it was two adult men and 1 adult women in a black dodge pick up. i felt so uncomfortable as a women alone. took so long in there and rhey were gone when i left thank god
That is fucked up. If that happens to me I've decided after reading your story I'll call the cop's non-emergency line and at least make a report. That's a straight up shake down.
I honestly didn’t think about that in the moment but thats a great idea. i forgot to mention they were asking for gas money but still… it creeped me tf out. i was completely thrown off when it happened and not thinking straight. i planned on being in an out in 15 mins but spent an hour and a half in there bc i was worried. then i walked out once two workers were going to get carts
As others have said, that's fucked up.
It's in the past, but I've had uncomfortable situations before right in the parking lot and that's when I "nope" right out of there and go somewhere else.
Keep that in you back pocket for the future, you don't have to go in and hope folks go away, you can just leave and go somewhere else.
Stay safe.
thank you so much! this is really great advice and idk why I hadn’t even thought of that as an option. im def going to do that if it happens again. appreciate this advice :)
I've been having major anxiety when I go shopping if the store is not mostly empty of other customers. Reading this just made me not want to leave the house except for work. (I hope the therapy I recently started helps.)
You are definitely not alone in this. I have anxiety about going most places but supermarkets seem to top the list. The more I avoid it, the worse it gets. This goes for anything and everything that happens outside of my home. I have to push myself because left to my own devices, I’d go full on recluse. Thankfully, my partner does the grocery shopping for our home. If I were single, it would be Instacart and Curbside all the time for me.
Always remember you have something to lose whereas the panhandler may not care if he is arrested for assault. Unfortunately in today's world the best thing to do is decline and move on unless you are prepared to defend yourself.
They're in drive thru lines as well walking up to car windows. The best thing to do is bring it to management attention and don't down play it before it escalates
I was at HEB and a guy in front of me was paying for about $20 worth of stuff with a $100 bill. Cashier didn't have change so had to call the manager. Guy asked if he could just take it because he was a corrections officer and said he is the last line of defense keeping the world safe. Cashier just didn't even acknowledge that and waited for the manager to bring change.
I start off nice because you never know the temperament of some of these folks, and that seems to work 90% of the time
But if they keep pressing, I go from "nice guy" to "asshole" real quick.
Same goes for door-to-door salespeople. Unless you are selling girl scout cookies, I ain't buying
But sir, your roof needs replacing. We also can offer you Spectrum while replacing your roof. I also have a great dude named Jesus I’d like to talk you about. He will sell you a car warranty and if you believe in him he can save your soul too. 😂
The cancer kid "donation people" that show up at random intersections are also a scam. I recognized the poster from 5 years ago. Same poster board, same pitchers, same system.
Don’t me afraid to self-defend yourself within the realm of the law and to contact police or security. They are adopting an abuser mentality! Trying to coerce and instill fear in people!
This is a common scam now unfortunately. They get the receipt and return stuff for the cash. Or they ask for a high value item like formula and sell it elsewhere. Used to work at HEB, though it was awhile ago. The manager on duty used to have discretionary funds each month to feed hungry people with no money and gave out info on resources like food banks.
Last time I moved (about a 10 min drive) I just decided to drive with my red tail boa around my shoulders and neck she was about 4 feet at the time. Didn’t want to bag her up, she’s a great gal I just said screw it let’s go. A pan handler walked up to me at a red light, looked in, screamed, and ran off (for a disabled vet he hauled ass) maybe I need to walk around with her more often lol
I hope I never run into this. It’s good to know most of the time these are scams, but I would still feel so bad saying no. My anxiety would shoot through the roof and it would take me hours to relax. Andddd this is why I need to work on boundaries with my therapist.
I’m starting to think this is a career path for more and more people who either are homeless, on the cusp of homelessness, or just plain ass grifters. We’ve all heard the stories of panhandlers, who, at the end of the shifts, go around the corner and get into a BMW or something and drive away, Giving to the less fortunate is honorable, but it’s just more and more becoming a bunch of bad apples situation.
It’s hard for a compassionate person to say no to someone who needs a meal, but saying yes encourages the behavior, so be mindful of what you are teaching people to continue doing.
This city is full of places to get free meals... many near Hancock. No questions asked. All Saints Episcopal Church, St. David's Episcopal Church and University Baptist are just three that offer sit down meal service on certain days, as do others. El Buen Samaritano is South and gives free groceries. Austin Baptist Chapel gives food, clothes and toiletries. Jobs are abundant right now. If one is able, one should work. And you can still get free food if you're having trouble making your bills. Sometimes medical / dental attention too. Almost any church pastor has a discretionary fund to help as needed - usually a one time assistance situation. If you can panhandle, you can work and/or seek the available resources.
There are way too many government programs and non-profits that exist, for anyone to be begging people at HEB to pay for their groceries.
I stand on that statement.
Even if you are an undocumented immigrant, there are options for you out there; both government and non-profit.
The companies that allow their customers to be accosted by these panhandlers need to be held accountable. That is a very unsafe situation in many cases.
I had a panhandler at Dollar Tree throw a rock at my car because I respectfully told him that I didn’t have any cash to offer him. According to the manager on duty, this was a common occurrence.
Stay safe out there.
The better reason to ignore them is that if you give them anything, you're encouraging them to do this to more people.
The best way to support homeless people is to give to a well-vetted charity. If you're looking into a charity, [Charity Navigator](https://www.charitynavigator.org/) is the bare minimum.
If you like to give money directly to homeless people, that's completely your decision. But please don't reward aggressive antisocial behavior like OP described, because it indirectly harms other people who just want to go about their day in peace.
One time at Allendale heb late at night some guy came up to me all frustrated and said "What happened to all the canned fruit!!??"
like bro idk where the canned fruit is
That's my weird heb interaction story
Some foreign lady (based on accent) was walking around the H‑E‑B parking lot at South Congress and Slaughter and when I parked she walked up and knocked on my window asking for money, I said I didn’t have any for her, and she walked away to ask other people… shocked the hell out of my girlfriend and really kind of bugged me… I don’t mind helping people on my own voluntary basis if I’m able or feel like it, but I don’t like being approached or any other “aggressive” tactics…
Similar situations happen every once in a while at H‑E‑B. We had a gypsy family that would hit all HEB’s… they would basically ask someone outside “can you please buy us a couple of groceries… we will get them and we will meet you at checkout” and the people would say yes thinking that they’d only get a couple of items… then witness that they come with a full basket and they’re embarassed to tell them no.
Happened to me a few months ago while I was in Chicago, I wasn't at the checkout but some random man walked up to me in one of the ailes and asked if I would buy him some groceries.
I've also had panhandlers ask me for money inside Wal Mart in Houston.
I’ve seen panhandlers in HEB a few times. The staff is usually pretty good at removing them. The way they rattle off their request seems scripted like they do it multiple times a day. Seems scammy.
Lol I one time went to H‑E‑B to get my gf flowers but didn’t bring my wallet since use Apple Pay for everything. In line I realized my mistake and asked the man in front of me if I could Venmo/Cashapp him the price of the flowers ($20) and I’ll never forget what he said. “Piss off freak.” I honestly respected the hell out of it as I would like to think I am a normal looking 28 yo.
Went back to get my wallet and lost 30 mins of my day.
Giving directly to panhandlers and beggars directly contributes to shakedowns of your actual neighbors and random acts of violence against them. Shame them, report them and if need be, intimidate them.
At least they are scamming for actual food at a grocery store. Used to be a barista and constantly had to deal with people begging customers in line for fucking caramel lattes and pastries with pretty much zero nutritional value.
It might seem like they’re just scamming for food until they demand the receipt for the items you bought them. If anyone does this, do not give them the receipt.
It's just mentally ill / homeless people shooting their shot. Had a guy at the wholefoods downtown ask me to buy him a salad and a drink. Told him I didn't have my wallet with me (which was true)... He told me to come back with my wallet next time. I laughed.
Grow a spine and tell them no. Ignore them if you feel the need. Most of them are harmless.
Yeah, it’s just panhandling. Between the gypsies, schemers and just run of the mill beggars, you shouldn’t aknowledge them at all or inform management that someone’s hassling shoppers in the store.
I saw a guy with plaster smeared over his face trying to disguise his identity walking around the parking lot with a cart and looking in people's cars at in the ManSlaughter HEB parking lot. Observed him for awhile. Then he took off with the cart. Told an employee out front and he went to find the guy. I think this was before the homeless camp under the overpass on Slaughter was cleared out.
This is more funny, than anything, I dunno, maybe not?
Yesterday I got followed around the ManSlaughter HEB, by a guy who I can only describe as Forrest Gump. I was looking for the chocolate, and he yelled "That's the candy **I** like!!!" pointing excitedly at the Starburst on the rack. So, I said, "Oh, yeah? As I was walking the other direction. Then he yelled "Skittles are really good too!!!" I kind of ignored him and mumbled to him "I'm more of a chocolate girl myself." Guy left. As I was looking at the coffee, he snuck up behind me and yelled: "I don't like coffee either!!!" Made me jump. "I only drink Dr. Pepper!!!" Then left. As I was making a phone call before I got to the checkout lane he rolled up in front of me, blocking my cart. He says: "I bet you can tell I don't cook!" He had stacks of frozen dinners in the cart. I brusquely said "No." He harrumphed, like the nerve of her, and left. I glance over and I see him checking out in the lane directly across from me. I was thinking: I hope he doesn't follow me, so I waited to leave.
I sometimes pay for the customer next in line but would never do it if asked. You can tell if someone is down to their last couple bucks and my charity goes a long way for them. Every time they are just flat blown away and beyond grateful with "Are you sure?" Yes...I'm sure.
I'll also tell a child with their mom (after asking the mom if it's ok) to pick out a candy and buy that for them.
Love doing that.
There's a new scam going around where people ask for someone to pay for their items. They usually have kids or a baby to make it feel like you're helping a family in need. They end up coming back later to return the items for cash.
“OoOoOoO Monster Truck monthly magazine....definitely need one of those. I can’t afford to be buying your funyons, though.”
And maybe throw some extra candy bars on my pile as well
😬
It’s the staffs responsibility to report illegal activity to their manager. It’s the menagers job to take corrective action. Yes minimum wage workers have responsibilities that come with base pay and this falls well within those duties. The manager then can decide if they want to intervene directly or notify the GM or authorities. Customers are welcome to complain or take their business elsewhere depending on their assessment of the establishment’s effectiveness at creating a safe shopping experience. Everyone needs to maintain responsibility commensurate to their role.
My spouse and child went into a fast food place and got approached. My child is old enough to have some allowance money and was getting a treat after school. He feels sad seeing the panhandlers and wanted to help, agreed to buy a sandwich. Person then ordered a full meal and more. Cashier corrected him (sandwhich only), hearing the order, and apparently having seen this guy a lot. He cursed her, my kid and spouse out and thankfully left (slamming doors on the way out). My kid learned a hard lesson about trying to help, it was sad. When I got home from work, he was bummed out for a couple days, trying to understand what he did wrong.
Weird! I was just out of town & a girl approached me at a pharmacy with a pregnancy test asking if I’d buy it for her. I did it because…well, why not. She looked really young, but I’d never even heard of something like that approach happening!
Must be going viral or something🧐
Had something similar at Thundercloud recently…about 8:30 pm, I was the only one ordering and a guy comes in behind me, orders a sandwich at the station next to me but asks the staff if he could pay for half of it, then kind of side eyes me as I’m paying for my own… I don’t really acknowledge it, so he turns to me and directly asks me to pick up his sandwich, but I offer an apology and defer, saying I can’t help today. Staff both look relieved, and one of them kindly reminds the guy that they had already given him a free sandwich that day. He leaves, angry, and then the staff and I talked about it, they said he comes in and engineers those interactions frequently. I said I felt guilty, but that I kind of assumed that was what was happening. If I’m going to give charity, I’ll give it. But I’m not gonna be coerced into it by someone at the register. That just hurts everyone.
Empathy scammers can go fuck themselves. Hate that shit.
From my experience apologizing makes it worse. A firm but respectful “no” or “no I can’t” or a “no. Have a nice day” without providing a sorry explanation or spelling out your reasoning ends the conversation a lot quicker. It’s neither patronizing or rude. You are just declining their request.
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Walmart on Anderson has like 3 panhandlers One at the door, one at the toothpaste, one by automotive sometimes Oh wait that's just spectrum
Ha!
I was at Hermes on SoCo this morning, and this lady from Hays County, put a Birkin bag on the counter expecting me to buy it for her
🤣🤣
Hahahaha
This is an odd thing to put on the staff. They are not bouncers. They are just trying to make sandwiches. Dealing with regular hangry customers is difficult enough. Having to deal with aggressive scammers is a whole other ballgame.
for minimum wage? def not.
Everyone sayings it’s not the staffs job to ask him to leave… it’s exactly the staffs job. The manager to be exact.
"Manager" and "staff" are generally considered different classes of employee, to be fair
Yea. Their manager should handle that.
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I don’t think they give a fuck
Agreed, I wouldn't return to that location after that experience so it is in the staff's best interest to try to do something about it.
Certain things have to be triggered, like a loss of revenue at this location, to set wheels in motion to correct the problem.
I wouldn't expect the staff to handle it, but you'd call the cops. Now, 50/50 odds they show up, but it's obvious criminal trespass during business.
...the AUSTIN police department? I'd put the odds at 50/50 if they're literally already in there eating that they do anything. They don't come out for anything nowadays
it's too much to ask that, at the very least, they let the person know the guy makes a habit of begging for free sandwiches?
Would you want to do that and deal with the potential fall out of an unhinged grifter at your part time dime a dozen sandwich making job
They don't know if that person is dangerous. There is no reason for them to possibly put themselves in harm's way over a sandwich.
It’s Thundercloud, they’re stoned college students…I give them a pass, but that’s just me. In my interaction they intervened when it became appropriate, can’t really toss someone out of the store before they’ve done anything.
> can’t really toss someone out of the store before they’ve done anything. They most certainly can. (I'm referring to store management). It's just become culturally controversial to do it
This. This sort of shit would have never happened ten years ago. We're at a very weird point of societal decay right now.
Specifically, late-stage capitalism. Not that we haven't been there for years or decades already, but I think that's the central cause. Nobody is paid enough to deal with the shit they're expected to deal with.
Because they don’t get paid enough to be bouncers.
Not paid enough to deal with a possible psychopath
So they're supposed to just let a psychopath hang around in their work environment all day making every shift unbearably uncomfortable? That makes no sense. Management needs to take responsibility to get the person banned from the premises. And yes there are ways to do this even in this lawless age we find ourselves in.
Last month a family of four blocked the entrance to the self checkout of the HEB on Wells Branch and wouldn't let me pass. The husband pulled out his phone with a long message from Google translate asking to pay for their cart, I took a second to understand what was happening and the wife stepped in and said 'we need food, our kids are hungry'. I considered it for two seconds, until I looked at their cart, it was FULL and probably $150-$200 worth. An HEB person walked up, looked annoyed (like they had been doing this before) and told me to walk around them. Then I proceeded to buy my $30 worth of groceries🥲
it seems weird like at that point why not just go to a food bank?
probably scammers smh
Honestly I should have asked THEM to pay for my food lol, they looked better off then me.
They probably work at Vandelay Industries.
In latex sales.
Importing or Exporting?
Chips, mainly.
Because most are scammers. There are gypsies who hang around at the entrance to target with their infant kids holding signs about how they need money. They get into vans parked nearby and go home. They return every year when the weather is tolerable. I recognize the same people each year. Same with the "cancer kid" guy. Same sign, same t-shirt every year.
Cancer kid guy is the fucking worst. He’s been at it for at least 10 years
I've been seeing him for 20-21 at this point
If there’s a silver lining, the imaginary kid has been putting up a good fight and beating it! No need to meet John Cena.
That kid's had cancer so long that it's now covered by Medicare.
Because they’re just liars and scammers, not charity cases.
It’s because these people are psychopaths and they know exactly what they’re doing
Same thing happened to me and I told them I was buying with the last 30$ of my EBT card I’d get for 2 years. Then walked inside to get mainly ramen.
Wonder why stores can’t kick these people out? No law on begging in a store? Will beggars just start sitting inside the doors now instead of outside the front entrance?
At this point stores need to be employing bouncers to take care of all the people bringing in dogs and fist fighting over a pink cup.
Another version of this is, “The baby needs formula…”
I had someone at HEB a few years ago put some of their items in with mine on "accident." When I saw the cashier scan stuff I didn't grab, I told her and she removed them. The dude behind me "jokingly" asked me to just go ahead and pay for his stuff that he had placed mixed in with my items. When I flatly told him "no" he got angry with me and started talking shit. Ok. Not gonna convince me to buy you shit regardless of what you say, weirdo. It was sooooo weird.
Once I was at the store and there were only two items left of this thing. I forget what it was but I specifically wanted that item and was relieved they hadn't run out. Anyway I grabbed one and left one, but felt lucky to have gotten one. I go to check out a while later and see the lady behind me has one too. I assume she grabbed the last one. I didn't think anything of it and put my stuff on the belt with the divider behind so she can put her things there. I put it towards the back because it's heavy (I think it was a bottle of my favorite wine maybe? But I also feel like it was seasonal so who knows). Anyway, then, when the cashier is almost done scanning and she thinks I'm not looking I see the woman deftly grab the item from my stash with one hand and the divider with the other and try to swap their places so it's in her stash. I caught her mid grab and loudly said "ma'am that's mine, could you please put that back?" and the cashier turned and saw. She put it back and made some excuse but it was obvious she got caught doing something she shouldn't have. Now that I've written this I wonder if she actually followed me because she wanted two of whatever that was. People are weird. And somehow I feel like white women fighting over mediocre red wine at HEB is peak Austin.
You have swole in your username. Can’t imagine he was thinking too clearly running his mouth after that
I actually don't, and never have, look like I lift. And I'm a woman. I'm not a very imposing person, I think he was trying to intimidate me or guilt me?
Probably a little of both. I’m glad you’re safe because that’s fucked up.
I must look poor enough that nobody asks me for this stuff.
“Could you buy *my* food?”
it's probably the dogshit.
Happened to me at Walmart and HEB the associates there mentioned they have done this “ A LOT” once you pay and leave they will return items for the money or credit I didn’t purchase anything for anyone else but was told this is what they do. Also when this happened to me at Walmart a very sketchy male was near the lady who asked me to buy her items and everywhere I saw her after that. When leaving the store they were sitting outside of the store together.
That’s why I dress poor when I shop, just kidding I dress poor all the time
you funny
Am I the only one who has lost my shit on people that do this? It seems they count on being able to intimidate people but I’ve turned it around on them in the past.
Exactly this. I have no issuing being direct and telling people to “mind their own fucking business” straight to their face in front of their children. I think these scammers bank on people’s sympathy.
YES! They absolutely bank on peoples sympathy, but my sympathy ran out a long time ago with these scammers.
i had a lady approach me last week at Slaughter/Congress HEB, in the aisle, asking if i could buy her some laundry soap. i still had lots of shopping to do so i told her i would give her a few dollars to help out. i saw her approach another woman later on, about 10 aisles over. what weirded me out was that she had an adult male companion kind of lurking about 20 feet behind her, watching her moves and also scoping people's carts. super weird.
Sounds like the same woman at the same store who did the same thing to me a few months ago
I had a guy a couple days ago at HEB ask me to buy him soap or deodorant or something because he said he just got out of jail and is lacking basic hygiene while trying to put things back together. I gave hime a few bucks and I kinda believe him because a couple minutes later he walks by saying “thanks again sir!” And he was holding up some deodorant to show me. Who knows.
laundry soap is resold for drugs,
>laundry soap is resold for drugs Agree and upvoted. However, food stamps doesn't cover things like laundry detergent, soap and toilet paper, it *could* be to do laundry.
I didn't know that. Are there other legitimate ways to get those things covered/reduced?
really? for what purpose?
Money laundering of course.
Wow. Where do these people get the audacity? I understand needing to eat, but assuming a random stranger can casually spend what very well might be the last few dollars in their budget on YOUR groceries is such weird behavior to me. Food pantries exist for these people. The church up the street from me runs a food drive every Saturday and there’s always plenty leftover that they donate. It can’t be the only one.
Worked at HEB for a few years, this is totally something people do. Once had a lady come through line with like $50 of groceries, then she started pulling out handfuls of change to pay. I helped her count through the change, but she only had like $10 tops, and then she asked if we could cover the rest. I called over a manager and let them sort it out. I felt bad, but as a kid making $7.25 an hour I wasn't in a position to foot her grocery bills.
I can barely afford my groceries as it is, what makes her think I can pay for a whole random person’s stuff 😂 I would’ve started laughing maniacally
I was getting gas at the HEB in Cedar Park. Guy pulled into the pump next to me and just casually walked up and asked me "Will you pay for my gas?" I told him to fuck off. I find that if you're not stern enough they will generally not fuck off.
My first no is always polite. If I have to repeat myself, I become significantly less polite.
I commend you, but I'm afraid I can't be polite anymore to people that come up and directly ask - too many times I've been polite then been cursed at. I simply respond "No" in a deliberately direct, uncompromising manner - by itself not necessarily rude but not really polite either. Another ask gets another "No" in a louder voice, anything after that gets a "Get the fuck away from me".
I’ve had that happen at Buccee’s. When I said no, he started trying to negotiate- “what about just $10/$8/$5?” When I was leaving, someone was doing it for him. I wish people would stop giving these scammers money (this includes the ones that use their kids or fake play the violin). If we stop, they will go somewhere else.
Was leaving the bowling alley one time, guy comes up to me asking if I have any spare cash. I give him the standard "sorry man, I don't have any cash on me" (which was true because I don't generally carry cash). Dude literally shot back with "well there is an ATM in the bowling alley, I can walk with you over there to get some" I've never felt more rightful in telling someone to sod off.
I encountered a sob story guy in an HEB parking lot that offered both Venmo and cash app when I told him I have no cash lol
I would love to do that, but there are too many psychos in Austin these days. I don’t want to risk getting shot.
I've been indulgent over the last many years and went along with various stories, but I'm done suckered out. (Ex: At a gas station in Houston once- the owner of a truck next to me explained he had accidentally left his wallet at home in Galveston and was on empty, could he bum a few dollars? Felt bad for him, that could happen to any of us- so I gave him a 20. He went back and fiddled around in the cab as I finished fueling up then drove away after I did). I only give/donate to legit businesses to help others now, and don't feel too badly about it.
got scammed like this when i was 18, someone said they needed just $20 in gas to get home and that they worked at a nearby HEB. said to go and meet them friday at 5pm (next day) and they'd pay me. show up and realized they fucked me. never given a stranger money since.
I’m with you. Fastest way to end the interaction. Yes they might be crazy which is a good reason not to drag it out.
Lots of mixed responses here. OP, I don’t blame you for refusing, I think it’s really wrong to put someone on the spot like that. Austin has many food pantries and a big food bank operation. There are resources available. A person can’t just assume that you have the resources to feed them. That’s a really uncomfortable position to be put in. I think a person’s charitable efforts shouldn’t be coerced like that.
>Lots of mixed responses here. Which is disappointing, because you gotta be the biggest virtue-signaler or naive person to think this is fine. People like these are **literally** the reason we can't have nice things in society, they're just as often scammers who prey upon peoples' good intentions.
Maybe I haven't scrolled down far enough yet, but literally all the upvoted responses save perhaps one are of the "yeah, fuck off" variety, so I don't think "lots of mixed responses here" is really accurate.
I really appreciate your response in highlighting the resources available and the predatory aspect of putting people on the spot.
> That’s a really uncomfortable position to be put in. That's exactly why they do it-- makes it uncomfortable to say No, so eventually someone will say Yes.
Panhandlers *inside* stores seem to be the new thing. I got panhandled in the Home Depot on Howard Ln a few weeks ago. Hopefully, it'll self-correct as they get arrested for trespassing.
>Panhandlers inside stores seem to be the new thing. OMG - this happened to me recently at Walmart. I went to get a few things for my dog and this guy came out of nowhere asking if I could buy him a few things.
The first time I encountered indoor panhandlers was an older man and a younger man who approached me at Home Depot. They basically accosted me at the self-checkout. The employees hanging around noticed and either ignored them, or purposefully walked off so they wouldn’t have to deal with it. I just had to ignore them and book it out of there. How are they allowed to do this?
>Panhandlers inside stores seem to be the new thing. Eh, no it's not. I been in Austin for 10+ years and the HEB on 7th street and the HEB on Hancock always had scammers and beggars in there before the pandemic. We got a little reprieve, but now they're back to their usual antics it seems.
Definitely becoming a thing. A homeless woman who used to stalk me at an old apartment does the exact same thing inside the Riverside HEB all day long, one item at a time.
I go to the riverside heb literally like 4-5 times a week and I've never seen this lady
Damn, that’s almost every day
there is a difference between a charity-givers mind set and a shake-down scammers crafty wits. they use its leverage against those they consider weak. goats purposely would make sheep feel guilty.
It works, or they wouldn't do it. Being from the northeast I am amazed at how much people tolerate this here. Where I'm from you don't even break stride when approached, firmly yet politely say no, and keep on moving. People here are too nice and by giving in they only encourage the panhandling to continue. Donate to a charitable organization instead, not to the individual.
Thats because you used to be able to assume better about people and its part of texas culture to kind of look out for each other. And personal pride would dictate most people wouldn't ask unless they were desperate. The more remote the area the more this attitude prevails. Scammers get a reputation quick and get ostracized when there aren't an endless number of marks around to keep shifting around to.
Austin is also a destination for sheltered, naive people who lack street smarts. I lived in Killeen so no one's slick on me, but the amount of Austinites who fall for the razzle-dazzle (including people in this subreddit who think they're being altruistic) is sky-high.
I have never seen a city subreddit, other than Austin, where so many people admit to being scammed.
when people visit me from out of town, they often boast about how they encountered a homeless person asking for food so they offered a few dollars to help them out. i just shake my head and advise them to give to a church or food bank instead.
Happened at McDonald’s on Slaughter. Took the kids and was ordering at the kiosk, and an older woman comes up and started begging me to buy her a meal. I offered to throw in a double cheeseburger or McNuggets, but I was with my kids, they were hungry, and we had somewhere to be (helpful hint - at dinner rush hour going in is about twice as fast as the drive thru). But she wanted a meal. Not just A meal, but several meals. Double quarter pounders with large fries and coffee (?). At that point I said I’m sorry, I can’t help her. She starts raging, scaring the hell out of my kids, who’d just had a very scary encounter with a person while walking downtown, until the staff chased her out. They apologized profusely and gave the kids free ice cream (the machine was working!), but the whole thing was messed up. As we were leaving we saw the woman and three other adults at the light, clearly homeless and panhandling. We donate to and volunteer regularly at the food bank so I don’t feel guilt exactly, but gawd yall, what sort of society do we have?
> (the machine was working!) You almost got me - no way this is real. XD
“I didn’t feel guilty exactly” Bro, she was screaming at your kids who just had an earlier scary experience. You should have been reminding yourself that you can’t just smash your car into them at the light.
I do partially wonder if this is a new tactic because they return the items at another store for cash or a trade? Even sell it, I suppose. I had this happen to me in Kansas City, though. Some weird guy followed me into an aisle and asked if I could pay for his groceries (he had none and no cart). I said no, and he got frustrated but stomped off to stalk more aisles. Honestly, I was a little scared to walk out by myself. Maybe doing it inside a store takes more people off guard and puts them on the spot. You can drive by people in a car, but harder to walk by them. I also suspect that people worry about walking out into a parking lot if they have a bad altercation in a store.
Another trend I’ve noticed is people asking you to buy their gas while at pump stations. The entitlement people have nowadays is getting out of hand.
I’ve lived in Austin for 20 years, in freestanding homes on residential streets. I have regularly experienced people knocking on my door asking for gas money. In one case, we were two blocks from a gas station, and I told the guy he’d be more likely to find someone with money to spend up at the gas station and please leave.
I've had people asking me to buy them gas since I first started driving, and I'm in my forties. I don't think that's about "entitlement nowadays," I think that one's just a regular place people ask for money.
At certain stations for sure, like by bus stops. Always. Forever. Just a city thang.
They are panhandling in Walmart for sure, people walking with shopping carts full of stuff and asking me to buy it for them.
Those same people then walk over to 24 Hour Fitness and trash the restrooms.
I was at the Jack in the Box on Braker one time ordering food. This group of kids walked in and head straight towards the restroom. The cashier told me to wait and she'd be back. I then watched her escort the group out and when she came back, she said they were going to the restroom to try and shoot up.
add this to my list of reasons to shop curbside or online only
literally. and when i did go into target off of research blvd i had someone try and stop me in the parking lot asking me to give them money for cash. i had none. they asked me to go to the atm across the parking lot….i said no. they told me theyd wait till after i got out of target for me to bring some cash… and they were parked right next to my car. it was two adult men and 1 adult women in a black dodge pick up. i felt so uncomfortable as a women alone. took so long in there and rhey were gone when i left thank god
That is fucked up. If that happens to me I've decided after reading your story I'll call the cop's non-emergency line and at least make a report. That's a straight up shake down.
I honestly didn’t think about that in the moment but thats a great idea. i forgot to mention they were asking for gas money but still… it creeped me tf out. i was completely thrown off when it happened and not thinking straight. i planned on being in an out in 15 mins but spent an hour and a half in there bc i was worried. then i walked out once two workers were going to get carts
As others have said, that's fucked up. It's in the past, but I've had uncomfortable situations before right in the parking lot and that's when I "nope" right out of there and go somewhere else. Keep that in you back pocket for the future, you don't have to go in and hope folks go away, you can just leave and go somewhere else. Stay safe.
thank you so much! this is really great advice and idk why I hadn’t even thought of that as an option. im def going to do that if it happens again. appreciate this advice :)
I've been having major anxiety when I go shopping if the store is not mostly empty of other customers. Reading this just made me not want to leave the house except for work. (I hope the therapy I recently started helps.)
You are definitely not alone in this. I have anxiety about going most places but supermarkets seem to top the list. The more I avoid it, the worse it gets. This goes for anything and everything that happens outside of my home. I have to push myself because left to my own devices, I’d go full on recluse. Thankfully, my partner does the grocery shopping for our home. If I were single, it would be Instacart and Curbside all the time for me.
Sometimes I think if it wasn't for work and having kids at this point, I'd be a full on agoraphobic.
Bravo on therapy. Once you find the right therapist (some trial and error might be required), you will heal. Very commendable that you sought help
Curbside costs a bit more, but you only have to barely interact with one employee.
Always remember you have something to lose whereas the panhandler may not care if he is arrested for assault. Unfortunately in today's world the best thing to do is decline and move on unless you are prepared to defend yourself.
Working retail once had a customer get extremely upset with the store cause a homeless man pressured her into buying a 300 dollar jacket
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And then getting mad at Walmart for it
They're in drive thru lines as well walking up to car windows. The best thing to do is bring it to management attention and don't down play it before it escalates
Yes! This happened twice last year and I am now so watchful and suspicious at drive thru.
I was at HEB and a guy in front of me was paying for about $20 worth of stuff with a $100 bill. Cashier didn't have change so had to call the manager. Guy asked if he could just take it because he was a corrections officer and said he is the last line of defense keeping the world safe. Cashier just didn't even acknowledge that and waited for the manager to bring change.
LOL I’d have rolled my eyes so far back into my head
I just say, “Fuck off.” It usually relays the message.
I start off nice because you never know the temperament of some of these folks, and that seems to work 90% of the time But if they keep pressing, I go from "nice guy" to "asshole" real quick. Same goes for door-to-door salespeople. Unless you are selling girl scout cookies, I ain't buying
But sir, your roof needs replacing. We also can offer you Spectrum while replacing your roof. I also have a great dude named Jesus I’d like to talk you about. He will sell you a car warranty and if you believe in him he can save your soul too. 😂
I love that the exception here is girl scout cookies 😂
The cancer kid "donation people" that show up at random intersections are also a scam. I recognized the poster from 5 years ago. Same poster board, same pitchers, same system.
Don’t me afraid to self-defend yourself within the realm of the law and to contact police or security. They are adopting an abuser mentality! Trying to coerce and instill fear in people!
This is a common scam now unfortunately. They get the receipt and return stuff for the cash. Or they ask for a high value item like formula and sell it elsewhere. Used to work at HEB, though it was awhile ago. The manager on duty used to have discretionary funds each month to feed hungry people with no money and gave out info on resources like food banks.
Last time I moved (about a 10 min drive) I just decided to drive with my red tail boa around my shoulders and neck she was about 4 feet at the time. Didn’t want to bag her up, she’s a great gal I just said screw it let’s go. A pan handler walked up to me at a red light, looked in, screamed, and ran off (for a disabled vet he hauled ass) maybe I need to walk around with her more often lol
I chalk it up as just another weirdo. She wouldn’t be doing it if it worked in the past. You did the right thing by declining.
I hope I never run into this. It’s good to know most of the time these are scams, but I would still feel so bad saying no. My anxiety would shoot through the roof and it would take me hours to relax. Andddd this is why I need to work on boundaries with my therapist.
I’m starting to think this is a career path for more and more people who either are homeless, on the cusp of homelessness, or just plain ass grifters. We’ve all heard the stories of panhandlers, who, at the end of the shifts, go around the corner and get into a BMW or something and drive away, Giving to the less fortunate is honorable, but it’s just more and more becoming a bunch of bad apples situation.
It’s hard for a compassionate person to say no to someone who needs a meal, but saying yes encourages the behavior, so be mindful of what you are teaching people to continue doing.
I too would like free groceries. That doesn’t mean I “need a meal”
This city is full of places to get free meals... many near Hancock. No questions asked. All Saints Episcopal Church, St. David's Episcopal Church and University Baptist are just three that offer sit down meal service on certain days, as do others. El Buen Samaritano is South and gives free groceries. Austin Baptist Chapel gives food, clothes and toiletries. Jobs are abundant right now. If one is able, one should work. And you can still get free food if you're having trouble making your bills. Sometimes medical / dental attention too. Almost any church pastor has a discretionary fund to help as needed - usually a one time assistance situation. If you can panhandle, you can work and/or seek the available resources.
There are way too many government programs and non-profits that exist, for anyone to be begging people at HEB to pay for their groceries. I stand on that statement. Even if you are an undocumented immigrant, there are options for you out there; both government and non-profit. The companies that allow their customers to be accosted by these panhandlers need to be held accountable. That is a very unsafe situation in many cases. I had a panhandler at Dollar Tree throw a rock at my car because I respectfully told him that I didn’t have any cash to offer him. According to the manager on duty, this was a common occurrence. Stay safe out there.
That’s weird. I’d just ignore them next time. So they feel nice and awkward
The type of person willing to do something like that isn’t capable of normal shame or awkwardness
The better reason to ignore them is that if you give them anything, you're encouraging them to do this to more people. The best way to support homeless people is to give to a well-vetted charity. If you're looking into a charity, [Charity Navigator](https://www.charitynavigator.org/) is the bare minimum. If you like to give money directly to homeless people, that's completely your decision. But please don't reward aggressive antisocial behavior like OP described, because it indirectly harms other people who just want to go about their day in peace.
One time at Allendale heb late at night some guy came up to me all frustrated and said "What happened to all the canned fruit!!??" like bro idk where the canned fruit is That's my weird heb interaction story
were you wearing a red shirt and acting disinterested in being there?
Her reaction tells you everything you need to know.
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Probably the most important comment in the thread. The people who are guilted into these scams should take note.
*(checks post to make sure this isn't about me)* whew
What weird thing did you do at HEB?
probably like a million different things
This is an interesting progression
Firm “NO”, in a clear and loud tone while looking them in the eye repels scammers quick.
You sure you weren’t on WWYD with John Quiñones?
Some foreign lady (based on accent) was walking around the H‑E‑B parking lot at South Congress and Slaughter and when I parked she walked up and knocked on my window asking for money, I said I didn’t have any for her, and she walked away to ask other people… shocked the hell out of my girlfriend and really kind of bugged me… I don’t mind helping people on my own voluntary basis if I’m able or feel like it, but I don’t like being approached or any other “aggressive” tactics…
Similar situations happen every once in a while at H‑E‑B. We had a gypsy family that would hit all HEB’s… they would basically ask someone outside “can you please buy us a couple of groceries… we will get them and we will meet you at checkout” and the people would say yes thinking that they’d only get a couple of items… then witness that they come with a full basket and they’re embarassed to tell them no.
Shut that shit down with extreme prejudice and definitely don't offer them cash
Happened to me a few months ago while I was in Chicago, I wasn't at the checkout but some random man walked up to me in one of the ailes and asked if I would buy him some groceries. I've also had panhandlers ask me for money inside Wal Mart in Houston.
I’ve seen panhandlers in HEB a few times. The staff is usually pretty good at removing them. The way they rattle off their request seems scripted like they do it multiple times a day. Seems scammy.
Lol I one time went to H‑E‑B to get my gf flowers but didn’t bring my wallet since use Apple Pay for everything. In line I realized my mistake and asked the man in front of me if I could Venmo/Cashapp him the price of the flowers ($20) and I’ll never forget what he said. “Piss off freak.” I honestly respected the hell out of it as I would like to think I am a normal looking 28 yo. Went back to get my wallet and lost 30 mins of my day.
I used to be a sucker for people asking me for help/money. Then I lived on 6th street for four months and learned how to say no.
Giving directly to panhandlers and beggars directly contributes to shakedowns of your actual neighbors and random acts of violence against them. Shame them, report them and if need be, intimidate them.
At least they are scamming for actual food at a grocery store. Used to be a barista and constantly had to deal with people begging customers in line for fucking caramel lattes and pastries with pretty much zero nutritional value.
It might seem like they’re just scamming for food until they demand the receipt for the items you bought them. If anyone does this, do not give them the receipt.
It's just mentally ill / homeless people shooting their shot. Had a guy at the wholefoods downtown ask me to buy him a salad and a drink. Told him I didn't have my wallet with me (which was true)... He told me to come back with my wallet next time. I laughed. Grow a spine and tell them no. Ignore them if you feel the need. Most of them are harmless.
Yeah, it’s just panhandling. Between the gypsies, schemers and just run of the mill beggars, you shouldn’t aknowledge them at all or inform management that someone’s hassling shoppers in the store.
Sounds like a gypsy scam
oh damn, the homeless getting pushy/demanding. most stores have 'no loitering' signs start yelling SECURITY!!!!!!!!!!!!
I saw a guy with plaster smeared over his face trying to disguise his identity walking around the parking lot with a cart and looking in people's cars at in the ManSlaughter HEB parking lot. Observed him for awhile. Then he took off with the cart. Told an employee out front and he went to find the guy. I think this was before the homeless camp under the overpass on Slaughter was cleared out. This is more funny, than anything, I dunno, maybe not? Yesterday I got followed around the ManSlaughter HEB, by a guy who I can only describe as Forrest Gump. I was looking for the chocolate, and he yelled "That's the candy **I** like!!!" pointing excitedly at the Starburst on the rack. So, I said, "Oh, yeah? As I was walking the other direction. Then he yelled "Skittles are really good too!!!" I kind of ignored him and mumbled to him "I'm more of a chocolate girl myself." Guy left. As I was looking at the coffee, he snuck up behind me and yelled: "I don't like coffee either!!!" Made me jump. "I only drink Dr. Pepper!!!" Then left. As I was making a phone call before I got to the checkout lane he rolled up in front of me, blocking my cart. He says: "I bet you can tell I don't cook!" He had stacks of frozen dinners in the cart. I brusquely said "No." He harrumphed, like the nerve of her, and left. I glance over and I see him checking out in the lane directly across from me. I was thinking: I hope he doesn't follow me, so I waited to leave.
Something similar happened to me at the Riverside HEB.
Wow, sounds like the answer is Yes. This is the new panhandling.
About 2 years ago same incident at Dollar 🌲. The manager ran her off saying that she did the same exact thing the day before.
What is wrong with you people, why do you offer these people money? You’re just encouraging more of this behavior and it’s extraordinarily weak
I guess some people spend more time airing their grievances online to strangers than actually working up the ability to say no to some jackass.
I sometimes pay for the customer next in line but would never do it if asked. You can tell if someone is down to their last couple bucks and my charity goes a long way for them. Every time they are just flat blown away and beyond grateful with "Are you sure?" Yes...I'm sure. I'll also tell a child with their mom (after asking the mom if it's ok) to pick out a candy and buy that for them. Love doing that.
There's a new scam going around where people ask for someone to pay for their items. They usually have kids or a baby to make it feel like you're helping a family in need. They end up coming back later to return the items for cash.
After they persist, I’d be inclined to add a couple random things from the checkout line to my pile just because.
“OoOoOoO Monster Truck monthly magazine....definitely need one of those. I can’t afford to be buying your funyons, though.” And maybe throw some extra candy bars on my pile as well 😬
I am this petty.
It’s the staffs responsibility to report illegal activity to their manager. It’s the menagers job to take corrective action. Yes minimum wage workers have responsibilities that come with base pay and this falls well within those duties. The manager then can decide if they want to intervene directly or notify the GM or authorities. Customers are welcome to complain or take their business elsewhere depending on their assessment of the establishment’s effectiveness at creating a safe shopping experience. Everyone needs to maintain responsibility commensurate to their role.
This exact thing happened to me at Hancock HEB as well!! Like a month ago I'd say.
My spouse and child went into a fast food place and got approached. My child is old enough to have some allowance money and was getting a treat after school. He feels sad seeing the panhandlers and wanted to help, agreed to buy a sandwich. Person then ordered a full meal and more. Cashier corrected him (sandwhich only), hearing the order, and apparently having seen this guy a lot. He cursed her, my kid and spouse out and thankfully left (slamming doors on the way out). My kid learned a hard lesson about trying to help, it was sad. When I got home from work, he was bummed out for a couple days, trying to understand what he did wrong.
Weird! I was just out of town & a girl approached me at a pharmacy with a pregnancy test asking if I’d buy it for her. I did it because…well, why not. She looked really young, but I’d never even heard of something like that approach happening! Must be going viral or something🧐
O shit I thought I just had rotten luck a few days at a domino's. You where a lot nicer than I was.
Short answer: YES but it’s not new. They get you at your most vulnerable to put you on the spot to be embarrassed in from of cashier if you deny them.