Facebook Posts about unable to pay for shopping so the lady behind paying...?

[WhatsUpHun]

i keep seeing posts on FB saying things like

I was in SUPERMARKET around X yesterday eve and was at the scan and go check out ready to pay when I entered my pin incorrectly 3 times blocking my card. There was a lady next to me who saw what happened and asked if I was ok. I explained what had happened and without question she put her bank card into the machine and paid for my shopping. I told her I would transfer the money straight into her account and she said no and would not give me her details to do it. She said merry Christmas. And walked off. I would love to find this lady even if it’s just to show my appreciation as she didn’t have to do what she did. I am very grateful for what she did. There really are some amazing people around

but i cannot work out if this is some kind of spam? thats going around, and whats the point of it? (unless its trying to get people to be nicer to each other?)

[GunpowderGelatine]

All sorts of pointless lies/shite gets shared on Facebook (mainly by my thick as mince BIL) and I'm with you I don't understand why people make these things up. Especially the ones that say things like "I hate cancer, copy and paste this status if you hate cancer, only 1/100 people will be brave enough to do this" or even worse "1 share = $1 to charity". Maybe they're trying to round up The Stupid in preparation for Armageddon and this is a good way to measure it?

[GreenKangaroo]

Is is that they post it or that you don't believe it?

[taxiforMIL]

Yeah I think it’s bullshit.

I also think people do things so they end up being spoken about on Facebook. The one like “my waitress covered the bill as a random act of kindness”

Sorry. I’m horribly cynical.

[WorraLiberty]

Oh I haven't seen that particular sort.

There was a spate of similar posts on MN a few years ago but it was the OP who apparently paid for the shopping - thus receiving loads of pats on the back from other MNetters, telling them "You're such a lovely person, OP"

I often wondered if people were PMing with offers of money, so they felt like they were 'chipping in'.

[GreenKangaroo]

This week:

The man opposite me on the train paid for a teenager who had no money.

I bought a theatre programme for a student whose card wouldn't work.

I used my debit cards for the bus fares for a family who only had 1 card

I gave a stranger £185 (all I had on me) as there need was greater than mine.

I believe that people pay for shopping.

[Kitsandkids]

I personally hate it when it’s the other way around -
‘I was in Sainsbury’s the other day and the lady in front didn’t have enough money to pay for her shopping. So I gave her a tenner to pay. She was in tears it meant that much to her. I don’t want thanks, I just want everyone to look out for each other. We’re all human beings bla bla bla.

No, you do want thanks, otherwise you’d have just got on with your life instead of putting it on FB so people can like your post and say ‘you’ve got a heart of gold’ etc.

[GreenKangaroo]

PS, I don't have facebook and not looking for kudos, just saying that I believe it happens.

[WorraLiberty]

Kitsandkids and the most stomach churning phrase "I told them to pay it forward"

I feel nauseous just typing that

[WinterfellWench]

Anyone bleating on social media about any 'good deed' they have done makes me nauseous.

Don't do a 'good deed' and then brag about it; it makes you look like an obnoxious showy oik, and undoes any 'good' you may have done, because it's looking like you only did it for the attention.

[Callmedarcy]

Why would you give a stranger £185?

[Yeaididthat]

One I noticed far too often was "I found a little purse in town today if you can tell me how much was in it you can have it back. Pm me. Share this folks"

Wtf

On a different, but similar note one that reallly boiled my tits was "found a little teddy/blanket/phone/bank card in supermarket, everyone share so it can be reunited with owner".

No. Leave it at customer services, the place where the owner will actually look!!

[WinterfellWench]

'Pay it forward' is one of those 'modern' sayings that makes me wanna barf too! Along with 'Rihanna just dropped her new single.' And 'Ariana just dropped her new video.'

Just say 'released' you cunts.

[JudasPrudy]

Or people who post pictures and videos of themselves buying a homeless person a McDonald's or whatever. It's awful to use a person for virtue signalling.

[ladydickisathingapparently]

I rather like reddit’s “that happened” for posts like that!

[Bacardi101]

I do believe it happens someone paid for a few bits I had from Aldi about a year ago as I’d bought a few bits and couldn’t find my card when I went to pay and the lady behind me paid for it it was only a few pound but meant an awful lot as I was having a shit time of it and it restored my faith in humanity but I have since done it for someone else who did something similar so I think it does happen now and again

[GabsAlot]

exactly u wouldnt put it on fb if u didnt want praise otherwise why tell anyone

[kmc1111]

There are plenty of genuine posts about acts of kindness, but when it’s written like the OP’s example it’s a tool scammers use to identify good targets.

The kind of people who share things like that, or ‘warnings’ about urban myths, or ‘like if you think cancer is bad’ posts and so on are people who are very susceptible to scammers. So scammers can look at public profiles and identify targets by seeing how much obvious nonsense they’ve been convinced by.

[TulipsTwoLips]

I don't know if they're true or not, but like you I do often wonder!

A stranger did kindly help me out years and year ago when my petrol gauge had got stuck and I ran out on a busy junction in rush hour. I stayed with the car and he went off and got me a can of petrol. Put it in the car and off he went. Nothing sinister just a genuine act of kindness. Long before the days of social media though. I often think of how nice it was of him.

[GreenKangaroo]

So it is the telling people not the doing that you think is odd? I haven't told anyone in real life that I gave the stranger the money. I did tell my DH that I paid for the family on the bus as the system is ridiculous.

[LucieMorningstar]

@GreenKangaroo

You gave a stranger £185 or £1.85??

[frasersmummy]

Greenkangaroo why would you give a random stranger £185

[fuzzywuzzy]

Many years ago when I first got shot of abusive horrendous ex. He drained all joint accounts and left me in massive debt with two very young dc.

One night I decided to order take out as I had nothing in the house and dc were hungry. When I tried paying over the phone my card got rejected and it was a few days till pay day.

About twenty minutes later the takeaway chap turned up with my order and told me it was on the house. I really had a hard time not bawling like a massive baby at him and insisted on giving him a post dated cheque and made him promise he would cash it when I got paid.

So yes I do believe people are kind and generous and can do things which mean the world to person on the receiving end.

The above happened over a decade ago and I still remember that act of huge kindness and that takeaway owner. And I hope his life is wonderful and amazing and full of love and happiness.

[RedHelenB]

Someone gave my dd her theatre programme when she overheard them discussing the need to write about the play for drama GCSE. Not sure if that person posted on Facebook though.

[Chouetted]

It does happen - with small amounts. Bus fares, coffees, that sort of thing. It's not even necessarily altruistic - if paying for the person in front gets the queue moving again, it might be worth it, depending on how much of a hurry you're in.

For larger amounts, it really is very unusual, and I wouldn't expect the recipient to go around publicising it - surely the "normal" reaction is excruciating embarrassment?

[Procne]

I’m assuming GreenKangaroo’s £185 is a typo for £1.85.