how much did "ruth" make?

[Black Aliss]

Meh. According to PayPal I've given her $60 over the last 4-5 years. In that time I've given at least twice that much to panhandlers who had a good story. There has to be a good story--none of this sitting at the freeway interchange with a cardboard sign saying you'll work for food (unless you really will, in which case standing in front of the local Home Depot at 7:00 am will get you that job a heck of a lot faster)--and Ruth had a good story. I figured there was a kernel of truth somewhere underneath but even if there wasn't, it was a good soap opera.

At least she wasn't exploiting her kids, a la MckMama, whilst simultaneously ripping off her creditors and taxpayers to the tune of $700-something K.

[NDC22]

Just a thought, she has almost 500 followers on her blog, which does not include the many lurkers.....do the math.

What sucks is she is most certainly in the midst of another scam. She may not be to the asking for money point, but she is sleeper cell someplace. What a truly horrible person.

[treemom]

Just out of curiosity, was your $500 donation before or after she said she makes "$40 in tips on a good month". (RR Blog 9/5/10)

Not that I should give a crap about particular lies, at this point.

Before

[Lainey]

Aw Lainey, for that I am truly sorry. :( You put good out there, and it is never a waste to try and change the world's tone. She will remain what she probably will always be, a lying scammer who scams.

Thanks. It's not the first time I've been scammed (although I think it's the first time on the internet), and I'm sure it won't be the last (but it probably will be the last time on the internet! Only respectable charities for me from now on). I really thought I knew better by now. I spent more than three years with a scammy ex, for goodness sake. Shouldn't that have been a crash course in Scams 101? I think her lack of defensiveness made me more inclined to think she might be telling the truth. I can't say I ever completely believed her, or that I didn't. I didn't know what to make of her.

[Lainey]

I remember that. It was sad to watch people try to discredit you simply because you wanted to help keep FJ going. It was part of the reason I almost stopped coming to FJ.

I vaguely remember this, but not who it was.

Speaking of flounced admins/mods, one of them knew all this information about Ruth last year. Wok Chop and Sam gave her all their information on the Ruth/Possummomma/PennMommy/jhawksgirl1 connection. And yet she never said a word. I don't think she even mentioned it to any of the other mods/admins. That kind of pisses me off.

[Mustang Sally]

I vaguely remember this, but not who it was.

Speaking of flounced admins/mods, one of them knew all this information about Ruth last year. Wok Chop and Sam gave her all their information on the Ruth/Possummomma/PennMommy/jhawksgirl1 connection. And yet she never said a word. I don't think she even mentioned it to any of the other mods/admins. That kind of pisses me off.

That's actually pretty terrible.

[Closed Womb]

Before

Sigh.

I am very glad your donations were not a financial hardship, Treemom.

eta: It was very brazen of her to make such a statement when (presumably) several of her donors could have discredited her on that one statement. I guess that speaks to her superior conning skills.

[Closed Womb]

That's actually pretty terrible.

So, do we know that these are the same person (particularly with the Ruth connection)? (Before you answer -- I think we're allowed to identify (or "out") people by other online personas, just not real names, at least I think I saw that among the last 75 pages of Ruth posts -- please correct if I'm wrong, mods).

[Lainey]

So, do we know that these are the same person (particularly with the Ruth connection)? (Before you answer -- I think we're allowed to identify (or "out") people by other online personas, just not real names, at least I think I saw that among the last 75 pages of Ruth posts -- please correct if I'm wrong, mods).

Define "know." I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm pretty damned sure at this point.

[TeaNCrackers]

I'm new here but I gave her $20 about a year ago - no big deal - hope she had a coffee or two ;)

[Closed Womb]

Define "know." I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm pretty damned sure at this point.

Know as in have something more concrete than punctuation styles and similarities in stories. Do we know that the IP addresses link those personas? I have no idea what the "publicly available information" is that linked Ruth to non-Ruths; does anyone know what that info is and does it link to these possum people?

I don't know any of the non-Ruth personas, so I have no gut feelings.

eta: I guess we don't know about IP addresses; just read the admin statement again.

[Lainey]

Know as in have something more concrete than punctuation styles and similarities in stories. Do we know that the IP addresses link those personas? I have no idea what the "publicly available information" is that linked Ruth to non-Ruths; does anyone know what that info is and does it link to these possum people?

I don't know any of the non-Ruth personas, so I have no gut feelings.

eta: I guess we don't know about IP addresses; just read the admin statement again.

PMing you.

[nelliebelle1197]

No. I wasn't originally going to post how much I gave because people have said snarky things to me in the past but I did a 500 one time and several more 10-50 dollar gifts and never got a thank you.

I am not bragging, nor do I think it is deserved. I am very lucky financially and have had a lot of help me out when shit was bad when I was a kid. I am paying forward all those stranger's kindness to me.

You know what, Treemom, they left. They "flounced". I am new, and so are a lot of others - lots of delurking people who now feel comfortable posting here, not intimidated and scared of the pile ons and meanies. It is a new day. Don't be stalled now by how some past someone's misjudgement/jealousy/bitterness led them to pick on you. It seems like there is a lot more maturity, less arrogance and more reason now. You are an FJ matriarch and deserve to be able to speak freely.

[Arete]

Thanks. It's not the first time I've been scammed (although I think it's the first time on the internet), and I'm sure it won't be the last (but it probably will be the last time on the internet! Only respectable charities for me from now on). I really thought I knew better by now. I spent more than three years with a scammy ex, for goodness sake. Shouldn't that have been a crash course in Scams 101? I think her lack of defensiveness made me more inclined to think she might be telling the truth. I can't say I ever completely believed her, or that I didn't. I didn't know what to make of her.

They are called cons (confidence) games for a reason. People like RR study there targets in great detail. They understand what makes them tick and what makes them react. They are usually simultaneously running one con and laying the ground work for their next one. They understand what questions could come up and have worked a lot of them out in advance. No one should feel bad about not being able to plumb the depths of the sewer of manipulation.

I don't believe for a minute that she didn't start off trying to bilk people and she only "fell" into it when she liked the extra income her tip jar gave her. This was elaborate, very well executed, and not her first rodeo.

[Arete]

I second the idea of Treemom as an FJ Matriarch. :mrgreen:

[LilMissMetaphor]

I'm not trying to make the generous feel bad, but it's crazy to me how many people have given her money. Maybe because I am a stingy soul that rarely feels the urge to help anyone?

If you were hungry and wanted my sandwich and I wasn't *that* hungry I would give it to you...but that's really about the extent of my charity.

I don't know. It reminds me of that Emily Dickinson poem I've always hated.

"If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain."

[Lainey]

Oh, I don't think this is her first rodeo, either. I'm 100% convinced at this point that she is Possummomma/PennMommy/jhawksgirl1/etc.

And, LilMissMetaphor, that is (was?) how I think. Moreso before I met my ex. I didn't know there was a poem like that!

[nelliebelle1197]

I'm not trying to make the generous feel bad, but it's crazy to me how many people have given her money. Maybe because I am a stingy soul that rarely feels the urge to help anyone?

If you were hungry and wanted my sandwich and I wasn't *that* hungry I would give it to you...but that's really about the extent of my charity.

I don't know. It reminds me of that Emily Dickinson poem I've always hated.

"If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain."

I hope you are never in need or the victim of a natural disaster. And if you are, I hope you have the integrity to refuse any "charity" offered.

[missbrooklyn]

Oy vey. I gave $50. I hesitated but then thought, well, it won't be the first $50 I've wasted if it is a scam. I wasn't really, truly convinced of this being a big old scammity scam until she said that some deranged fan showed up at her job. I just knew that was her way of setting up the big flounce off and disappearing into the sunset; I don't know why I held on for so long. And no, she never thanked me. Bitch.

[Lainey]

Bitch.

I'm glad you said it. 'Cause I totally thought it. :evil:

[nelliebelle1197]

Can you guys who gave for the move file paypal disputes? It has been less than 90 days??

[LilMissMetaphor]

I hope you are never in need or the victim of a natural disaster. And if you are, I hope you have the integrity to refuse any "charity" offered.

I'm not opposed to charity. I'm just saying it doesn't come naturally to me personally. I am not a charitable (in any sense of the word) person.

[nelliebelle1197]

So you mean you just don't think that way naturally? (serious question, not a confrontation)

[treemom]

Sigh.

I am very glad your donations were not a financial hardship, Treemom.

eta: It was very brazen of her to make such a statement when (presumably) several of her donors could have discredited her on that one statement. I guess that speaks to her superior conning skills.

I actually think I did call her out in a thread on fj saying I know that one month that wasn't the case.

[treemom]

I vaguely remember this, but not who it was.

Speaking of flounced admins/mods, one of them knew all this information about Ruth last year. Wok Chop and Sam gave her all their information on the Ruth/Possummomma/PennMommy/jhawksgirl1 connection. And yet she never said a word. I don't think she even mentioned it to any of the other mods/admins. That kind of pisses me off.

If it was any of the ones I know, the no they did not mention it.