My sister and I were still up at 3am. We were watching a scary movie. A woman came onto my porch and knocked. I live on a terrace. A man was at the top of the stairs going up the terrace onto my front yard. The woman walked on the sidewalk that is in my yard up to my front porch. There is about 10 stairs to climb to my porch. She knocked and told me that she and her husband got off work at midnight. Their truck's gas gage doesn't work and they ran out of gas. She told me if I could only spare a few bucks so they can get home she would be so grateful. She offered to straighten my porch for the money. Her husband stayed at the top of the steps all that time. I asked her if she could call someone(family, friends ect.) She just moved to this state and everyone she knows is out of state. I went ahead and gave her enough for 2 gallons of gas and sent them off. They didn't look like drug people or that they had been drinking. What would you do and do you think they scammed me?
2006-06-05 12:07:55 · 20 answers · asked by Homesweethome 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
It is possible that they ran out of gas, but being a cynic I am more inclined to believe that you were scammed.
The likely scenario is that they saw the lights on in your home and decided to see what they could get off of you.
I am very wary of strangers coming to my home. I likely would not have answered the door, and if they persisted in knocking, I would have asked what they wanted without opening the door. And when she went into her spiel, I would've just said, sorry, and turned off the lights.
2006-06-05 12:14:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
As far as what I would do, I would never have opened the door in the first place, and I would have inconspicuously shut off the TV, lights, etc, and moved to where they couldn't see me, all the while shaking to death. I mean, 3 am watching a scary movie?! I would just about die of fright I think. Seeing as you did go to the door, and they did not try to break in the house and kill you all......I suppose you made the right choice to help them out, but I would never have trusted anyone asking for money at 3 am. Gas is pretty expensive, but that's beside the point. If they had really wanted something from you, they would have got it forcefully. Since they seemed to have not done that, I would say that they didn't scam you, but you never know.........
2006-06-05 12:14:51 · answer #2 · answered by Macho-man 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
SCAM!!! I wouldn't have answered the door in the first place, but FYI, this is a scam. I've seen in the papers where those people go down a whole street and collect money from everyone with that bullsh*t story.
2006-06-05 12:10:13 · answer #3 · answered by meathead76 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Called the police and told them that there were stranded motorists on your porch at that god-awful hour, please send a squad car with a gallon of gas. They do have "courtesy" police cars that do that sort of thing. You're lucky they were "real" people and not someone trying to get you to open the door so they could rob you or worse.
2006-06-05 12:12:20 · answer #4 · answered by PuterPrsn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you were scammed and you are lucky that was all that happen to you, next time someone comes to your door at that time and you don't know them call the police and do not open your door until the police arrive.
2006-06-05 12:14:03 · answer #5 · answered by kilroymaster 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A good idea to pull out the 22 Rifle and qwikly open the door, but she may have scammed you yes.
2006-06-05 12:11:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
thats pretty strange for someone to go to someones house and ask for money for gas, they could have looked for a gas station or convient store for that.
i would of told them sorry but i have no money to give to strangers that i don't know expecially at 3am in the morning, just very very strange!
2006-06-05 12:12:42 · answer #7 · answered by _ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would just tell them to give a number and I will call that person for you, never open the door, unless you got a gun, and I still wouldn't...
2006-06-05 12:10:21 · answer #8 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems like a meager amount of money. You got the impression that they were on the level. If you didn't give them the money and they were scammers, they might have vandalized your house later on.
2006-06-05 12:13:28 · answer #9 · answered by spackler 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You either have the money and can spare it, or not, try not to make judgements about people, or peoples situations. It is not our earthly place to judge her or her honesty. If she lied to you, everything she gives out will come back to her, and you don't have to worry.
2006-06-05 12:12:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋