How do panhandlers actually select their victims in public?

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Do some of them actually just seek for the people they dislike the sight of the most?

Might explain them all going for me while leaving the rest at bay from what I've noticed.

Do they just go for people who look stupid to them or perhaps wealthy or naive?

Are we aspies more likely to be targetted by them because of our "low status"?

i think they target people that make eye contact with them.

Body language. If you look like you can be easily intimidated they will ask you for money.

I guess I should ask where everyone above lives so I know to watch out for roaming thug panhandlers that victimize people and take their money, but only if you look like you are easily intimidated, are the most "disliked" with a "low status" (because they know oh they know), and make eye contact. The arrogance of those hoodlums in broad public daylight even, someone should round them up and put them before the gallows for their crimes against humanity.

^^ Well, I don't live in the states so there is your problem.

Different laws are here attracting different people.

It's not a location issue. Though it's insightful to see you think so.

^^ Gimme 20 bucks, I'll spend it on the next 5 panhandlers I see around here if you're that moral.

So now you are targeting victims. Funny how that worked out is it not?

You have certainly demonstrated that you have a limited world view; that is for sure. I'd be happy to send $20 to any charity you wish that doesn't involve handing you money. I fear it would only encourage your behavior, and we wouldn't want you to become one of those despised pan handlers now would we.

Pick one I can donate to online and provide me with your first name or email so I can forward the donation information once it is completed. I am more than happy to put my money where my mouth is.

Thanks for your wonderful contributions to my thread, I really appreciate it. *cough*

Panhandlers have their own social skills. They look for the person they believe will be the least likely to abuse them, while the most likely to understand their plight. They don't look for someone who is "low status" because in their eyes they see themselves as scum and worthless. They don't pick people because they look naive, stupid, or wealthy. They look for someone who they believe will be compassionate and willing to at least pay attention to them long enough to ask for help. Most are suffering from either a mental illness or drug addiction and have no families or families that have abandoned them. They are people who have been abused, neglected, over looked, and forgotten. While there may be a select few who are scam artist the vast majority are not and legitimately need the help.

You don't always have to give money to show kindness. Buying a meal if they say they are hungry or spending a few minutes talking to them or helping them get to an agency that can help makes just as big of a difference if not more in their lives .

Coming online and blaming them for victimizing you....audacity. You are the one who said no and then went to your cozy home, hopped on your computer and then complained to the world how awful they are for making you feel uncomfortable for two seconds of your day. While they are probably trying to figure out how to meet their basic human needs.

The above donation was made to unicef. Wouldn't want future generations growing up to be panhandlers and needlessly victimizing others. Thank you for reminding me to be a grateful for not being in their shoes.

*Puts first stone back down*
In My Experience, I've noticed the people who need genuine help aren't likely to be camped by the ATM or the front door of a shop, they won't be the first to speak and they certainly won't have their fresh pack of Marlboro cigarettes in plain view when asking for a handout. Most tellingly; they won't be wearing brand new shoes.

Interesting that European countries have the dole and allow squatting yet there are still panhandlers

He wasn't saying they victimized him. That was probably just the word that he used instead of "marks". I think he was trying to figure out how to go somewhere without somebody trying to hit him up to let them hold a dollar. I guess you have never been hit up by bums every day in the city, have you? I have when we lived in Birmingham and I worked in the city, and it gets old fast. That's why you just ignore them and walk like you own the place and they don't keep asking.

It can make somebody feel bad when people ask them for money if they don't have it to spare. Just because you have a home and a computer doesn't mean you have anything to spare at all. I would feel bad at first every time I got hit up, but after it happened over and over again, I just got sick of it. There were one or two who were there a lot that I would help out. Most of them made their rounds and knew their people they would talk to. The ones who did that are the ones who got the handout. The ones who put forth some kind of effort to be nice and not just stand there on the street and ask for money.

Don't even get me started on the "Will work for food" sign people. That does not work. I know quite a few construction and labor guys who picked them up and said they would not only buy them breakfast and lunch but would give them cash at the end of the day for help at work. These weren't frail people they picked up either. Not a one would do more than an hours work before they just wanted to be taken back to their spot. Food had nothing to do with it. Neither did work. If you notice, there is a higher concentration of them around areas where the dope spot is. There are very few in the other areas of the city, even the poorer and business areas. They are all near the dope spots. Why do you think that could be?

Lol, "we don't give money to strangers at all, we are the greediest people on the planet and panhandlers are the spawn of satan *cough* *cough*", my dad actually has a monthly subscription to unicef running for a couple of years (which comes down to way more than that 20 bucks you transferred) and we all share money in the house so uhm, best to get that smelly long thick stick out of your sore ass kicker and stop making short sighted remarks about me and this thread, okay?

They come to me a lot, too. I was wondering if I somehow look like an easy target. I always ignore them. A few times they got aggressive because I didn't give them money. I had to call the security at the train station. They are a serious problem here. I didn't know those types of people existed in the OP's country. I had an impression that it was free from such people.

I can understand why the OP came up with those possible reasons why they pick certain types of people. I thought about them myself. I believe that they approach those "weak-looking" people (like me) that would be easily intimidated.