Volume 46 - No. 31
by Friedrich Gomez
We have all seen our share of panhandlers on various street corners and intersections. Escondido, Poway, San Marcos, Lemon Grove, La Mesa, San Diego, well, just about everywhere in San Diego County. Makeshift cardboard signs with over-sized crayon-type scribbling often proclaim a short bio such as “Homeless with kids. Please help!” Or variations of the same theme, “Hungry Veteran. Help. God Bless you.” While all of the above may bring a sincere tug at the heartstrings, there are often those who wish to ‘fleece the system’ and falsely parade themselves as being indigent when in reality – The Paper - 760.747.7119
website:www.thecommunitypaper.com
email: thepaper@cox.net
August 04, 2016
they are not. Such is life. No matter what the crusade, what the cause, there will always be individuals who will wrongfully exploit and abuse the sentimental underbelly – just to get at your dollars.
One of the biggest surprises is how much money can actually be brought in from panhandling. It is this lucrative aspect which is bringing onboard a burgeoning number of imitators! The dishonest ones who are misrepresenting themselves as being homeless, or impoverished, are not only hurting the plight of individuals who truly need your help, but they are beginning to raise the hackles of the homeless community, itself. As one
homeless person bitterly complained, “It burns my butt because they (the imitators) make it bad for the people that are really struggling and really trying to get somewhere.” And it’s not just here, it’s everywhere.
In March of 2016, news services in England reported on a con man identified by British authorities as Stewart Fenton, who posed as a homeless veteran of the Iraq war. His two cardboard signs said he was a 12-year ex-armed forces paratrooper. Fenton’s fabricated story produced shockwaves throughout Great Britain and neighboring European countries. He was neither homeless nor did he ever serve in the military.
Street Panhandlers Continued on Page 2
His confession to police is that he preyed upon the sentiment of his unsuspecting British countrymen. Amazingly, the 38-year-old imposter raked in an astounding 5,000 pounds (equivalent to $6,617 American dollars) before being exposed! Such scenarios are, sadly, becoming more and more common.
Closer to home, television’s Fox 19 in Cincinnati, Ohio, hit the pavement and got an earful from the truly homeless people there. They are angry and frustrated at these phony imitators that are hurting them. Cincinnati police have files on individuals who claim to be homeless, beg for money, but actually live in