VeggieBoards › Forums › General Discussion Forums › Off Topic Forum › Faking Cancer to Make Money and Get Free Stuff Is Officially a Thing
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Faking Cancer to Make Money and Get Free Stuff Is Officially a Thing

post #1 of 31
4/10/12 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
http://jezebel.com/5900830/faking-ca...cially-a-thing

Quote:
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tToday a grand jury in Orange County indicted 25-year-old Jessica Vega on a charge most unusual: lying about having terminal cancer so she could have a gigantic, free wedding. When Vega didn't die as promised, suspicions were aroused, her husband divorced her, and the bride found herself in trouble with the law. But Vega's not the first lady to lie about having cancer in order to cash in on well-wishers' good intentions. Far from it. Turns out, lying about cancer for the donation money is its own little cottage industry.
In 2010, Vega told friends, neighbors, and loved ones that she was dying of leukemia, and her Cancer Wish was to get married to the father of her young daughter before she Nicholas Sparked off into the great beyond. Her neighbors bought the tale (because what kind of ass lies about having cancer?) and donated tens of thousands of dollars worth of goods, services, and cold, hard cash to the needy, tragic couple. They raised so much money that the couple was able to embark on a "dream honeymoon" to Aruba. Four months later, when she explained to local media that she'd made the whole thing up, people were upset. And now she's being held on a $10,000 bail.

People like this need to be shot out of a cannon into a brick wall.

Vegans are basically saying, "Hey, animals shouldn't be needlessly harmed." It's amazing how many people that sentiment freaks out. - Vegan.com

Reply

Vegans are basically saying, "Hey, animals shouldn't be needlessly harmed." It's amazing how many people that sentiment freaks out. - Vegan.com

Reply

Featured Stories on VeggieBoards

Get Refreshing Beverage & Smoothie Recipes
Ultimate Cute & Funny Animals Thread
This little chick says "Try vegan 'chicken' 'n dumplings"
post #2 of 31
4/10/12 at 4:18pm
Yup and there's a lot of them, and for some reason it's almost always women, or at least all we hear about, i've never seen a story on a man that's done this, i've seen stories on some of those women never on the men. I wonder if all the people that do it have like the same mental or personality disorder or something.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 31
4/10/12 at 4:22pm
Ooh, not cancer, but reminds me of a lady (from my area in the world) who lied about being pregnant with a kid with some disorder or illness or something and wasn't going to get an abortion, then gave birth, and the "kid" died. What got her found out was that she posted a picture of the "baby" on her blog, and one of the commenters noticed that the "baby" was actually one of those detailed baby dolls that look super real, and the commenter had the same one. Lemme find an article.

Edit: Her name is Rebeccah Beushausen.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_214745.html
Edit: She never really got any money from it though, but got letters and gifts: http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/2507935...d-to-attention

Your KORRA mom KORRA said KORRA I KORRA could KORRA take KORRA you KORRA to KORRA the KORRA dance KORRA tonight.

Join Korra Nation and I promise I'll stop talking about Korra for 30 days.

Reply

Your KORRA mom KORRA said KORRA I KORRA could KORRA take KORRA you KORRA to KORRA the KORRA dance KORRA tonight.

Join Korra Nation and I promise I'll stop talking about Korra for 30 days.

Reply
post #4 of 31
4/10/12 at 4:34pm
I used to work with someone who did that. She looked about 6 months pregnant or so, all belly, not fat. Coworkers gave her a baby shower and she got pricey gifts.

Then her belly just never got bigger & she never gave birth. Coworkers were asking what was happening. One day I gave her a ride home and she told me the baby died inside her but she refused to have it "removed". I was a teenager at the time and could not fathom this.

Coworkers were mad I gave "the liar" a ride, claimed there were other signs she was lying & pressured her to return the gifts. She finally quit, w/o returning the gifts.
Beanitarian.
Reply
Beanitarian.
Reply
post #5 of 31
4/10/12 at 4:52pm
Sometimes when people feel cheated by life and powerless to get ahead legitimately, they do things like this.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 31
4/10/12 at 5:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlixJ18 View Post

Yup and there's a lot of them, and for some reason it's almost always women, or at least all we hear about, i've never seen a story on a man that's done this, i've seen stories on some of those women never on the men. I wonder if all the people that do it have like the same mental or personality disorder or something.

I feel like men who want to get ahead illegitimately would sooner go mug some random people, basically just resort to criminal behaviour. I guess this is women's way of being a criminal? lol
"People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant."
"Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings."
-Helen Keller
Reply
"People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant."
"Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings."
-Helen Keller
Reply
post #7 of 31
4/10/12 at 5:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pspence3 View Post

I feel like men who want to get ahead illegitimately would sooner go mug some random people, basically just resort to criminal behaviour. I guess this is women's way of being a criminal? lol

Maybe it's her idea of an acting gig?
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 31
4/10/12 at 5:09pm

deleted


Edited by Beetlejuice - 6/2/12 at 1:41pm
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 31
4/10/12 at 5:13pm
Sadly, this sort of thing is exactly the reason I never donate to anything I'm too skeptical of people.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 31
4/10/12 at 5:16pm
Someone has to be messed up to tell their fiance that they have cancer, when they don't. I feel sorry for her. She's got mental problems.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 31
4/10/12 at 5:21pm
When I worked retail I had a coworker do this. We all believed her cancer story and like one of the women in the article she also shaved her head. She would frequently take days off for "chemo treatments" and sometimes wore a bandana over her shaved head. We held a fundraiser for her raising thousands of dollars. The day our manager handed her the check was the last day anyone ever saw her again. She disappeared and we later found out she was a professional scam artist when the cops showed up looking for her.

Getting scammed out of money is awful enough but it's the ****ing with people's emotions and sympathies that gets me the most.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 31
4/10/12 at 8:38pm
This is disgusting.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 31
4/10/12 at 8:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RabbitLuvr View Post

As someone who was very recently diagnosed with cancer, I find this to be extremely disgusting.

My doctor gave me some info on people to contact for financial assistance because I'm worried about the medical bills along with the normal bills, and I just can't fathom lying about this to make money for a honeymoon or other such bull****.

Hope all goes well for you!!
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 31
4/10/12 at 8:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by imagineaa View Post

One day I gave her a ride home and she told me the baby died inside her but she refused to have it "removed".

I think I would have found that more uncomfortable than lying for free stuff, if it were true. Like... what the holy ****...
Jesus saved me, but the file was corrupted.
Reply
Jesus saved me, but the file was corrupted.
Reply
post #15 of 31
4/10/12 at 9:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Savvington View Post

I think I would have found that more uncomfortable than lying for free stuff, if it were true. Like... what the holy ****...

Prepare to throw up in your mouth a little...

http://www.weirdasianews.com/2009/05...one-pregnancy/

Vegans are basically saying, "Hey, animals shouldn't be needlessly harmed." It's amazing how many people that sentiment freaks out. - Vegan.com

Reply

Vegans are basically saying, "Hey, animals shouldn't be needlessly harmed." It's amazing how many people that sentiment freaks out. - Vegan.com

Reply
post #16 of 31
4/10/12 at 9:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Werewolf Girl View Post

Prepare to throw up in your mouth a little...

http://www.weirdasianews.com/2009/05...one-pregnancy/

Now that is nifty!
"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring."
 Marilyn Monroe
Reply
"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring."
 Marilyn Monroe
Reply
post #17 of 31
4/10/12 at 9:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Werewolf Girl View Post

Prepare to throw up in your mouth a little...

http://www.weirdasianews.com/2009/05...one-pregnancy/

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
So I looked up "lithopedion" and found a picture of where they cut it in half! It's partly weird, gross, awesome, and I can't stop looking at it. I kinda wish there was a picture of it at a higher resolution...

Your KORRA mom KORRA said KORRA I KORRA could KORRA take KORRA you KORRA to KORRA the KORRA dance KORRA tonight.

Join Korra Nation and I promise I'll stop talking about Korra for 30 days.

Reply

Your KORRA mom KORRA said KORRA I KORRA could KORRA take KORRA you KORRA to KORRA the KORRA dance KORRA tonight.

Join Korra Nation and I promise I'll stop talking about Korra for 30 days.

Reply
post #18 of 31
4/10/12 at 9:54pm
Reality can be stranger than fiction after all.
"Hell exists not to punish sinners, but to ensure that nobody sins in the first place."
Reply
"Hell exists not to punish sinners, but to ensure that nobody sins in the first place."
Reply
post #19 of 31
4/10/12 at 10:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fadeaway1289 View Post

When I worked retail I had a coworker do this. We all believed her cancer story and like one of the women in the article she also shaved her head. She would frequently take days off for "chemo treatments" and sometimes wore a bandana over her shaved head. We held a fundraiser for her raising thousands of dollars. The day our manager handed her the check was the last day anyone ever saw her again. She disappeared and we later found out she was a professional scam artist when the cops showed up looking for her.

Getting scammed out of money is awful enough but it's the ****ing with people's emotions and sympathies that gets me the most.

Wow, that's HORRIBLE. People blow me away sometimes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Puppet Master View Post

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
So I looked up "lithopedion" and found a picture of where they cut it in half! It's partly weird, gross, awesome, and I can't stop looking at it. I kinda wish there was a picture of it at a higher resolution...

I immediately had to look that up, so weird!

Vegans are basically saying, "Hey, animals shouldn't be needlessly harmed." It's amazing how many people that sentiment freaks out. - Vegan.com

Reply

Vegans are basically saying, "Hey, animals shouldn't be needlessly harmed." It's amazing how many people that sentiment freaks out. - Vegan.com

Reply
post #20 of 31
4/10/12 at 10:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Werewolf Girl View Post

Prepare to throw up in your mouth a little...

http://www.weirdasianews.com/2009/05...one-pregnancy/

I've read that can happen to rabbits if they do the auto-abort too late or something.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 31
4/11/12 at 12:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Envy View Post

Reality can be stranger than fiction after all.

In Will Self's How The Dead Live, the main character dies so her lithopedian pops out. She carries it around in her pocket while it sings pop songs
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 31
4/11/12 at 1:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlixJ18 View Post

Yup and there's a lot of them, and for some reason it's almost always women, or at least all we hear about, i've never seen a story on a man that's done this, i've seen stories on some of those women never on the men. I wonder if all the people that do it have like the same mental or personality disorder or something.

i met a young man on a forum who tried to fool.the forum that his girfrien was ill. people sent him money, though he didn't ask for it. but it turned out that the girlfriend didn't exist. so, men do this too.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 31
4/11/12 at 8:31am
I have heard of this before, unfortunately. When LiveJournal was popular there were lots of people who would pretend to have cancer. Many of them didn't ask for money, they just wanted the attention/sympathy.. it became so common that there were whole communities on there exposing cancer-pretenders.
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 31
4/11/12 at 8:55am
its pretty horrible when generous people get taken advantage of, but thats the risk involved if they send money to someone they dont really know all that much about
auto correct can kiss my ask
Reply
auto correct can kiss my ask
Reply
post #25 of 31
4/11/12 at 9:04am
Aw, I want a stone baby. They're so much easier to take care of than the non stone ones.

"If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the civil war, don't look at where you stand on slavery today, look at where you stand on animal rights." - Paul Watson.

 

Every animal you eat
was running for her life

Reply

"If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the civil war, don't look at where you stand on slavery today, look at where you stand on animal rights." - Paul Watson.

 

Every animal you eat
was running for her life

Reply
post #26 of 31
4/11/12 at 9:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Irizary View Post

Aw, I want a stone baby. They're so much easier to take care of than the non stone ones.

The risk of a live baby is to great to risk it.



I just made myself a little sad.
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 31
4/11/12 at 9:15am
You could still have a nice baby shower for an imaginary baby. And then have an imaginary miscarriage.

"If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the civil war, don't look at where you stand on slavery today, look at where you stand on animal rights." - Paul Watson.

 

Every animal you eat
was running for her life

Reply

"If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the civil war, don't look at where you stand on slavery today, look at where you stand on animal rights." - Paul Watson.

 

Every animal you eat
was running for her life

Reply
post #28 of 31
4/11/12 at 9:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Irizary View Post

You could still have a nice baby shower for an imaginary baby. And then have an imaginary miscarriage.

I'd rather just throw a party, cause then people wouldn't look at me askance when I got drunk.
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 31
4/11/12 at 9:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kazyeeqen View Post

I'd rather just throw a party, cause then people wouldn't look at me askance when I got drunk.

Who are they to judge your imaginary pregnancy?

"If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the civil war, don't look at where you stand on slavery today, look at where you stand on animal rights." - Paul Watson.

 

Every animal you eat
was running for her life

Reply

"If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the civil war, don't look at where you stand on slavery today, look at where you stand on animal rights." - Paul Watson.

 

Every animal you eat
was running for her life

Reply
post #30 of 31
4/11/12 at 3:13pm
Dear Rabbit, I am sorry to hear your news. I wish you well.

(survivor here)
Quote:
askance

Ah. The Internet has increased my vocabulary again. ty
Beanitarian.
Reply
Beanitarian.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Off Topic Forum

Featured Stories on VeggieBoards

Get Refreshing Beverage & Smoothie Recipes
Ultimate Cute & Funny Animals Thread
This little chick says "Try vegan 'chicken' 'n dumplings"
VeggieBoards › Forums › General Discussion Forums › Off Topic Forum › Faking Cancer to Make Money and Get Free Stuff Is Officially a Thing