Would a beggar you see often be a scammer or actually homeless?

While your generosity is admirable, people like that are often asking for cash for -snip- (or -snip-) money and not for anything important to their well-being. You're just supporting their bad habits. They likely are poor, but that doesn't mean they can't go out and get a real job, giving to them is almost encouraging them to be a bum. Don't feel any need to give to those people, it's not worth it. There are already welfare programs in place to help people like that, they don't need YOUR money.

But if you do want to support people like that, which is a fine idea, donate to trusted charities like Meals On Wheels or Feeding America that assure that money is going to the right place and the right people.

 

in canada for welfare, you must have a place to claim it, homeless? to bad get a place and that really sucks, for me i put it as my grandparents place to get mine cause i need money for a place but need a place for money as the governments puts it

 

Problem is some homeless people actually live on the street, others are beggars to use the money on -snip- or -snip- etc. So you should pose the question of what they are going to do with that money. After a football game somebody came up to me and my friends and asked for money and we asked him what he was going to do with it he said for a bus to see his family, so obviously we gave him loose change. Who knows what he did with the money but some people do find themselves in very difficult situations which I have sympathy for, so I would give change for the right reasons.

Interesting topic!

 

I usually buy less fortunate people food, or coffee (if it’s winter time in Canada). My family often also donates food or mittens :)

 

It's hard to tell and guessing is often not a great idea as it would be cruel to suggest they were a scammer if the person really was just desperate for money for food. It is good you were generous, even if you only did it to make sure they left you along, you may really have helped them.

As many people above have said, buying clothes or food and beverages is often a good option as this covers a lot of their basic needs and will likely be the very help they need in that moment. Depending on where I am will dictate what I buy, often it ends up being a McDonalds meal or subway as that is where the homeless generally reside in my city, but if I'm out of town I will usually go to the nearest coffee shop, especially in winter as that extra bit of warmth can go a long way. It can be frustrating to think your generosity may be going towards scammers, but in the very likely event that person really is homeless then I know I did the right thing anf more than makes up for the times I have been scammed.

 

If I ever see you begging, I shall remember this and purchase you a delicious McDonalds Mcjölnir Negev skin so that you may pass on the favour and feed down banana in style.