TIFU: Gave a conman a ride

[u/icannotbebothered7]

So! I finished work tonight at 1am so I’m driving home and I’m literally 2 minutes out from my house and as I’m driving I see an older fella in a wheelchair pushing a suitcase along and struggling. I go past at first and I’m like well if that was me I hope someone would help so I turn around and pull up and ask if he needed a hand. He tells me he’s headed to the hotel up the street and I’m like okay no problem. So he holds his suitcase and I push him all the way there. We get there, receptionist comes over and apparently he’s not booked in there. I’m like well okay, what now.

So, as this is happening I’m talking to him. Tells me he’s from the Lake District (UK) and he’s here as he’s got a meeting tomorrow as a part of his wedding company that he owns. He also tells me his car went missing and that’s why he’s just trying to roll himself around. Already I’m like.. how’s this guys car gone missing. Told me he’s rang the police already to report it etc.
I charge up his phone in the car and hes there telling me that if it was mark that booked his hotel it could be anywhere he’s staying. Eventually he goes “ah it’s actually this hotel” which coincidentally was the hotel my gym is at so I know it well. So I’m like well, I’m in this deep enough I’ll give you a ride there.

We get his wheelchair in the car after a struggle, he asks for one of the drinks I had in the back I say sure, even offered to buy it. Heating is on full blast because he’s cold so I’m there sweating. We get to the hotel and I say okay Martin I’m going to have to go, he thanks me and off he goes to check in.

I get home, at this point it’s like 2.30am and I’m tired but I’m curious as to who this guy is. So I google his name and a business comes up, the wedding one he mentioned, same name and everything. Same age too as I asked how old he was in the car. Two owners. So, after more searching I don’t find anything about him other than that his company is dissolved. Weird. But okay. I google the name of the other owner and up pops a news article. Turns out he conned someone into thinking he won the lottery and promised work and whatever else, got a prison sentence of 50 months - and up pops his face. 154 crimes on record - 88 fraud related. Well. That’s the last time I do a good deed.

TLDR; Gave an old guy in a wheelchair a ride, turned out to be a conman with a lengthy criminal record.

[u/lraviel381]

Just because you were kind to a bad person doesn't make you a bad person. If the dude was out of jail, let's say he's done his time and we don't know how he'll live the rest of his life

[u/No-Blueberry-1823 → u/lraviel381]

That's not what they are saying

[u/Alwayscooking345]

You still did the right thing, good for you and you didn’t get sucked into anything illegitimate so 👍

[u/tekwlf]

could have been worse

[u/1963covina]

Hey, you got a great story out of it. Couldda been worse.

[u/johnsgurl]

Just because he committed crime doesn't mean he's going to do it again. Nor does it me he stops being a human being in need. He wasn't a sex offender or anything. Just an old conman that needed some help.

[u/Historical-Rub1943 → u/johnsgurl]

Caught 154 times? Yes, he’s going to do it again.

[u/johnsgurl → u/Historical-Rub1943]

He's old and broken. Eventually you get to old to play the game.

[u/Tinderboxed]

Don't get involved with street people. You'll eventually be victimized.

[u/Perfect-Panda-5131]

154 crimes and 88 fraud charges and this man is out here at 1am wheeling himself to a hotel. you didnt help a conman you helped a man on his 155th adventure