I'm No Longer The Beggars' Friend.
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
United Kingdom
March 16, 2016 9:20am CST
I've always given a coin or two to beggars, though my husband says I am gullible. However, I'm not stupid - I know that it may be spent on drink or drugs, but if there's a chance that it may help someone in genuine need, I give anyway.
Here in Spain there are quite a few beggars on the streets, and I've tossed a bit of change their way.
Yesterday I happened to pick up the local paper which is printed in English, and there was a headline which caught my eye - 'Don't Give To Beggars'.
It seems that 99% of the beggars are part of a gang who are bussed in each morning, and then have to give all their 'takings' to a 'slave master'. I don't know what they get in return - perhaps food and a bed for the night?
Whatever - they'll get no more from me.
Picture from Pixabay.
56 people like this
49 responses
@LadyDuck (470776)
• Switzerland
16 Mar 16
This is sad but true Janet. The same happens in Italy and also here in Switzerland there are a few that are bussed from Italy each morning. The police has put warning signs not to give money to the beggars, at most we can give food or discarded clothes if we want.
6 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
17 Mar 16
I choose the beggars i would give money with . If i see that the beggar is an old and weak person , i would give . But if the person is still mobile and whom i can perceive as capable of going to work , i don't .
As for those children , i certainly would not give . Giving alms to beggars who are children and those who are still mobile , i like encouraging them not to look for work .
3 people like this
@hostessman (11871)
• Tucson, Arizona
16 Mar 16
I offer then some yard work and then pay them for it.. most of them don't want to do that
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 16
@hostessman That shows that they aren't genuine then, unless they are disabled.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
16 Mar 16
Why in the world would these people stay and beg for someone else? Why don't they just run off and disappear? Here they beg everywhere and there are newspaper stories about people they follow up on who live in big houses and drive nice cars on the money they get. So I don't give to them, but give to the homeless shelters. If you can earn so much by begging though why are so many in homeless shelters? It's a puzzle.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 16
@Jeanniemaries That's what I find hard to understand too, the begging for someone else. I suppose it's the security of knowing that they will have food and a bed at the end of the day.
As you say, it's better to give directly to homeless shelters.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
16 Mar 16
@jaboUK It also would be quite easy to infiltrate the gang and find out who the leader is if the police wanted to. It is hard to understand how this can be ongoing.
2 people like this
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
16 Mar 16
I guess that if it was in the paper, then it is true ... that is far more trustworthy than an article on the Internet. However, I was wondering why the local government has not done more to put a stop to this sort of behavior, especially if it is so well-known that it is in the local newspapers.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
16 Mar 16
@jaboUK That is exactly what I was thinking. Then again, I guess it is not really the beggars that are doing anything illegal but more the person or people taking the money from them. I was thinking that they could arrest the beggars or at the very least keep them off the streets with the "no solicitation" laws or something like that.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 16
@purplealabaster If they know they are being bussed in they could surely just be waiting for them and turn them away. As you say, individual beggars are not illegal.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 16
@purplealabaster That's what I wondered too - if the newspaper warned us about this, the police must surely know about it too. The beggars must have a camp or something nearby, it wouldn't be hard to find.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
16 Mar 16
Wow that is insane! Here in the US I do give to people that are in need. I am in no position to judge what they buy with the money I give them-that is between them and God. My heart being in the right place and helping is between God and I. I love helping others. =)
1 person likes this
@xstitcher (32270)
• Petaluma, California
18 Mar 16
I try to give when I can, too--though i'm not able to do it very often.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
18 Mar 16
@xstitcher I'm going to be more careful about giving now.
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 16
@LovingMyBabies I've done the same as you up till now, but this has certainly made me think twice. I won't be giving any more while I'm in Spain, anyhow.
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
16 Mar 16
Down here I have noticed that they always travel in pairs, see one and look around you will see their partner in a car or across the street, I don't give to them.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
17 Mar 16
@jaboUK Yes and I see them smoking and drink Starbucks coffee dahhhh
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
17 Mar 16
@BelleStarr Lol - I've even seen the beggars with mobile phones!
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
17 Mar 16
@BelleStarr If they've got cars they aren't exactly down and out, are they?
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17713)
• South Africa
18 Mar 16
Eureka - did the light bulb go on? They are indeed a group of conning people that play on our sympathy. I remember a day when we say a beggar woman at the Entrance to one of the Catholic Churches, it was late afternoon and as it got dark we were about to leave, and low and behold, her male friend arrived, she took off her robe and walked away with him with the most modern designer clothes on. Wharever!! I was cured of my gullible giving in an instant.
2 people like this
@Gina145 (3949)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
22 Mar 16
@Inlemay That kind of story seems to be quite common around here. In Joburg we had a beggar who managed to sit in such a way that it looked like he had no legs. He would sit himself down on the ground in the middle of the road, and naturally people felt sorry for him. Then the cops came along and he quickly sprang up and ran away. I think someone caught the whole thing on video.
1 person likes this
@miniam (9154)
• Bern, Switzerland
16 Mar 16
l once saw a documentary in BBC where bosses bought babies and women in Romania then take them to the UK to beg, little girls as young as 3 years are sent to beg, at the end of every working day they have to give money to the bosses.
The BBC followed them around all the way to Romania, these people had mansions and driving top range cars from the begging money.Some bosses had up to 7 children and women.
Babies sell better because they receive more from people and they have a longer life(in begging business).and people feel sorry for them so they earn more
l have not given a penny to a beggar since then, l will donate to homeless shelter or any other charity if l want to but im not giving to anyone
1 person likes this
@miniam (9154)
• Bern, Switzerland
16 Mar 16
@jaboUK
l believe they call them iternos or internos in Spain.
Im not being mean here, im talking from experience, they also steal a lot, the women/children go begging men go shop-lifting.Men don't get much sympathy when begging so they steal
1 person likes this
@slund2041 (3314)
• United States
17 Mar 16
I wonder why they are not out there begging for themselves or their own family. Why are the begging for some Master? Is this a type of gang that once you are in it, you cannot get out?
1 person likes this
@slund2041 (3314)
• United States
17 Mar 16
@jaboUK You are probably right. It seems so strange, but I guess everyone is not fortune enough to have their own bed. I guess I tend to take too much for granted. These poor people.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
17 Mar 16
@slund2041 I think they beg for someone else because being part of a gang gives them the security of a bed for the night and enough food. That's only my guess.
1 person likes this
@Sherlymbejoy (111)
• Hyderabad, India
17 Mar 16
I know right, I stopped giving to the beggars too. But one day ( this was years ago) a child happened to ask me for food. I readily accepted. The next thing I saw was, he ran with the food towards his little sister. Fed her and then he had. My heart melted right there. I didn't know these kids had emotions inspite of being abused and tortured.
Since then I choose to give them food.
This was my exp, if you'd like to read it.
His face lit up, his eyes dazzled with happiness as he said 'thek kyu Didi' .
1 person likes this
@Sherlymbejoy (111)
• Hyderabad, India
17 Mar 16
Thank you for those kind words Ma'am. I write on Motherhood for that blog. If you found that article interesting, then may I request you to share it? It'll help build us readership. :)
That boy changed my outlook towards life. I realised that there were a lot of things that I during my college days took for granted.. Be it food,clothing, shelter, parents and even God. There are children who don't have some of these and then there are children who don't have any of these.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
18 Mar 16
I am a beggars' enemy here. I would always tell them that ai am a nurse and I can bring them to a government agency that takes care of people like them; that is why they curse me while they run away. I believe thay are members of a syndicate because a policewoman said at 6AM, these beggars are brought in and they disembark from a big truck where many of them have newborn babies with them too.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
18 Mar 16
@ridingbet It seems that everybody knew about these syndicates but me! Lots of the commenters here have told me that the same thing happens in their countries, and you are saying the same about the Philippines.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
19 Mar 16
@jaboUK it is, my dear friend. there are syndicates of beggars around, and they are from another regions of our country
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
28 Apr 16
This is a very hard thing to deal with sometimes. Some people look down on you for not giving because it makes you look uncaring. But if you do give, there is always a chance that it's given to a complete scammer.
I can't remember if it was here in Australia or somewhere else but my dad told me a story of this dude who would beg for money in the street but got caught driving away in a Ferrari hours after. 
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
28 Apr 16
@jaboUK lol yeah I know. So pathetic. I don't know how he can sleep at night knowing he can happily take money from people who believe he is poor.
1 person likes this
