Should there be laws that make it illegal to impersonate a Veteran while panhandling to obtain money on the street?

CPO Robert (Mac) McGovern — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 22:02:16 -0400

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made Jun 2 at 2017 10:02 PM

SSG Pete Fleming — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 22:02:52 -0400

Yes!

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jun 2 at 2017 10:06 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 22:06:09 -0400

CPO Robert (Mac) McGovern Tempting Thought and You Think it would be covered by some kind of Fraud Law but Unfortunately in Most Places it Falls Under Free Speech, Pretending to Be Whatever You Want and Some of These Panhandlers are Pretty Good Street Lawyers.

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2017 10:24 PM

SP5 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 22:24:16 -0400

CPO Robert (Mac) McGovern No, such a law would just add more work for the cops on the beat, and not actually resolve any issues - might just be an overnight in the local hoosegow for the panhandler. Most panhandlers would just ignore the law anyway.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Jun 2 at 2017 10:45 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 22:45:58 -0400

Personally I think all panhandling should be illegal if it isn't already. I am a very charitable person and always willing to help someone down on their luck, but more and more people are taking advantage of the quick cash that I am now less inclined to help someone.

For instance, my mother saw an old man holding a sign claiming to be a homeless vet. She went home, grabbed a spare blanket, stopped at McDonald's and bought a couple value meals, and then gave the man those plus a couple singles she keeps in her wallet just in case. The guy threw the blanket and food on the ground, took the money, then spit on my mother for "not having more". A couple weeks later, she saw the same old man coming out of an apartment building. Not as homeless as he claimed.

Another instance, I've seen the same woman holding up various signs from "homeless, need help" to "Stranded, need money for a ride home". She hung out near the local Walmart to elicit pity money from the shoppers. Saw her there for a few weeks. Eventually she even brought a little dog into her game because who can't resist a puppy. Whether it was hers or not I'll never know. But too many people are out there preying off of the charity of others and it steals from those who actually do need that charity.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jun 3 at 2017 1:09 AM

COL Charles Williams — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 01:09:56 -0400

Yes, but there wont be...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2017 8:05 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 20:05:16 -0400

No. The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 is already in place. As long as they aren't violating that, I don't see a need to establish yet more laws to throw people in jail; as though legitimately homeless, but maybe dishonest, panhandlers don't already have enough problems.

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Jun 4 at 2017 10:49 AM

SFC Everett Oliver — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 10:49:52 -0400

"Stolen Valor Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to rewrite provisions relating to fraudulent claims about military service to subject to a fine, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both an individual who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, fraudulently holds himself or herself out to be a recipient of:"
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/258

H.R.258 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Stolen Valor Act of 2013

Summary of H.R.258 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Stolen Valor Act of 2013

Response by 1LT William Clardy made Jun 4 at 2017 12:02 PM

1LT William Clardy — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 12:02:15 -0400

There already is, and it's called fraud. The key legal requirements for defining a fraud are that the person deliberately and deceptively misrepresent themselves or make other false claims for monetary gain. So a panhandler falsely claiming to be a veteran, presumably to take advantage of public sympathy for veterans, is guilty of the same form of fraud as the telephone callers falsely claiming to be collecting money for the families of firefighters who died in the line of duty.