She Spots a Pregnant Homeless Woman Begging For Money. But Then She Sees The UNTHINKABLE Truth!
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At any given moment across America there are over half a million homeless people. Some live on the streets, others in their cars or at temporary shelters, but no matter where they stay, all of them struggle to get by. While all major cities have a homeless population, warmer, more dry areas have higher concentrations because it’s much more comfortable than cold wet places. The weather is what primarily makes California such an attractive location for homeless people, the wealthier residents also factor in heavily.
Melissa Smith, who lives in San Diego, California, was used to seeing people begging on the streets whenever she visited the local shops. Even so, there was one woman who caught her eye one day. She was pregnant and holding a simple sign that said, “Please Help,” while a young boy, likely her son, sat next to her. Every time Melissa went to the Eastlake Plaza Center to grocery shop, they always stood outside begging in the hot sun, rain or shine, and she couldn’t help but feel bad for them.
Oftentimes Melissa would see other people bring the woman and her son food and drinks and many passersby would hand them money. While she never gave them any cash herself, Melissa did keep a close eye on them. One day she noticed that they were not in their usual spot at the shopping plaza.
This made her worry a bit, but she had to get gas and so quickly forgot. As she was filling up at a gas station across the street, she suddenly noticed the woman and her son walking across the parking lot. A Mercedes Benz pulled up beside them with a man driving and the woman got in the front seat, put the little boy on her lap, and they drove off.
Melissa could not believe what she was seeing and decided to follow the car. She took pictures and documented everything. They ended up driving over to another shopping center and the woman got out and started begging again with her son by her side while the man drove off and parked nearby. At this point Melissa knew exactly what they were up to, scamming the public, and so she got out of her car and continued taking pictures.
When the woman saw her, she got very angry and picked up a large rock which she hoisted over her head as she went towards Melissa. At that moment all Melissa could think was ‘should she be doing that if she’s pregnant?’ but thankfully other eyewitnesses called the police. When the beggar found out that the cops had been called, she grabbed her son and left as soon as possible.
However, Melissa had managed to get the license plate number and she handed over her video footage to a local TV station. They ran the plates and found the car was registered to a woman, but the address associated with it was a dead end. Apparently, the couple who had lived at the $2500/month apartment had just picked up and left and already a different person had moved in.
When a reporter at the station named Emily Valdez got a tip on the woman, she confronted her at a grocery store where she had been begging once again. This time she had a baby in her arms and when asked if she was the woman in a photo Melissa had taken, she said, “No speak English” and then ran off.
Later on, a private detective decided to look into the case and discovered something even more sinister than anyone had expected. The woman may have been part of an organized crime ring where women and children are forced to beg all day in exchange for food and shelter.
They don’t get any of the money they collect, instead it goes to the people who run the scheme and their children don’t go to school either. As for being pregnant, many of the women are not, instead they use fake bumps because it makes them a lot more money.
Watch the video below for the full story:
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These Are The 10 Secret Tricks and Food Scams They Use To Keep Stealing Your Hard Earned Money!
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When it comes to food, we all like to think that we are in control of the choices we make when it’s time to eat. But before you even take a bite of a burger you ordered or reach into a bag of chips; you’ve already been influenced by certain tricks that food sellers have come to rely on.
Across the food industry and at every level there are food scams being played out. Restaurants, bars, grocery stores, manufacturers, and major companies all want to make the most money possible. If pulling a higher profit means using psychology and how people think against them, then so be it.
Your best defense against falling victim to food scams is to be familiar with the most common types. The following list goes over some of the most widespread ones that any consumer is likely to come across:
1) Overpricing. Many dining establishments will place the most expensive item at the top of the menu so it’s the first one you see. As you scan down the menu it makes everything else looks cheaper in comparison and you’re more likely to choose a less pricey option, even if it is only a dollar or so less. This is so widespread there’s a special name for it called ‘anchoring.’
2) Portion Illusions. The goal here is to make you think you’re getting a great deal for what you’re paying. Whether through advertising or plate size, businesses will try their best to make it look like a lot more than it is. Oftentimes careful comparison of packaging, weights, and sizes will show that you really aren’t getting much more than what you’re made to think.
3) Free Snacks While You Wait. Those complimentary bowls of peanuts, chips and salsa, or baskets of bread that you sometimes get before a meal are meant to make you thirstier and therefore more likely to buy another drink or two.
4) Bar Glasses. The shape and thickness of a glass can greatly alter how much it can hold. Bars often use thicker glassware and fill them up with ice before making a drink. This gives the illusion of a brimming full drink, but the reality is the customer is only getting three-quarters, or just half, of what they thought they were paying for. Always ask for light or no ice to ensure you get your monies worth.
5) Portion Sizes. Ever opened a bag of chips only to have a blast of air puff out in your face, and then when you reach into the bag it’s only filled a quarter of the way? Filling bags like this is a common trick and many companies actually reduce the amount of product they put in them very slowly over time so that consumers don’t notice, and they save money.
6) Misleading Visuals. All those fast food commercials you see with perfect looking, steaming fresh food that make your mouth water are created specifically to bait you into the store. We all know once we get there that the burgers are smushed and the food looks nothing like what was portrayed on TV, yet many of us fall for the advertisements anyways.
7) Best-By and Sell-By Dates. Grocery stores will place food products with the nearest sell-by date at the front shelf because most customers grab whatever is closest. Since the food expires sooner than later, they have to go back to the store more often to buy the item again. The next time you’re at the supermarket, pay closer attention to the sell-by dates and dig towards the back to get the food that will last longer.
8) Low Quality Ice Cream. Besides tasting subpar, cheap ice cream is only made soft and creamy because a lot of air is whipped into it. That means you’re actually paying for much less actual ice cream than you would be if you bought a more expensive quality kind that doesn’t have all that extra air whipped in. You can see in the video how the melted ice creams compare, it shocking!
9) Color. Brighter, more natural, organic looking colors are what fast food companies use in order to make their food and businesses appear healthier. The bright colors stimulate your brain and remind you of fresh fruits and veggies. In effect, they make you think you’re eating healthier than you really are.
10) Plumping. This has to do with artificially injecting meat with water to make it appear fuller and weigh more. Because meat is sold by the pound to consumers, plumping up poultry can bring in a lot of money for sellers. Random testing has found that some chicken has contained up to 30% water, gross!
Watch the video below for further information so you can be aware when you are being scammed:
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