Local FB Group Member's 'Act of Kindness' for Woman Quickly Turns 'Dirty'
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A member of a neighborhood Facebook group shared how a moment of generosity was derailed before it even began, after an unexpected response left her feeling uneasy and conflicted.
Posting as MsMaggieMcGill on Reddit this week, the user said she was familiar with a woman in the group who regularly posted requests for help, often citing hospital stays and a lack of local support.
Stepping In
After weeks of seeing the same request for a large household item, the original poster (OP) finally decided to step in. She intended to buy the item new and have it delivered directly to the woman's home.
But before she could make the offer, the woman responded to her message with something else: a request for cab fare and instructions on how to send her money.
Stock image: Woman looking at phone annoyed.
Stock image: Woman looking at phone annoyed.
fizkes/iStock/Getty Images Plus
"I felt so dirty all of a sudden," the OP wrote, "My intention to help was gone in a split second."
She exited the conversation and never offered the item.
Days later, she gave a large tip to a local waitress—three times the value of her bill—and said that small gesture did more to restore her sense of goodwill.
"It was sweet and genuine and simple," she wrote.
Meta Responds
In reply to an invitation to comment, a spokesperson for Meta told Newsweek that keeping Groups safe is "a priority" and something the company continues to invest in.
"We have a number of tools and resources to help admins keep their Groups safe," the spokesperson continued.
"If you're a group member, you also have the ability to report Groups, posts or comments that do not follow our community standards. If you come across inauthentic behavior on Facebook, we encourage you to report it to us."
Meanwhile, the thread drew support from folks online. One Reddit user quoted the familiar saying: "Give a mouse a cookie."
Another person offered simple advice: "Time to block that person. Give yourself some peace."
A fellow Redditor chipped in: "Anyone who's ever waited tables thanks you!"
Situations like these do crop up online community groups, where the line between need and exploitation can blur.
Accused of Scamming
A Newsweek article earlier this year detailed the experience of a man selling a television on Facebook Marketplace who was later accused of scamming after the buyer broke the screen herself.
"They called me a scammer, hurting for money, dishonest [and] said they were going to call the police on me if I didn't give them their money back," he told Newsweek.
Despite offering help multiple times, he said the buyer refused and then blamed him when the TV was damaged.
Online etiquette matters in these interactions, especially in Facebook buy/sell communities, which operate under informal, but rigid norms.
As explained in Fashion Journal, these groups function like micro-societies, complete with lingo and unwritten codes. Breaking those norms—like appearing entitled or skipping the line of interested buyers—can damage trust and quickly get users removed.
In this case, MsMaggieMcGill said she felt better directing her energy toward someone who didn't ask for anything. Her closing thought: "Helping someone is as valuable to those on the giving end as to those on the receiving end."
Newsweek has contacted MsMaggieMcGill for comment via Reddit.
Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek.
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Woman Wakes Up To Discover Her Indoor Cat Outside, Then Checks Security Cam
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A cat owner was confused when she found her indoor feline outside, but things got even more interesting when she checked her security camera footage. In a viral Instagram video shared in May under the username @danny_just_sendit, the poster walks through her yard to find her long-haired indoor cat lying in the grass by herself. "When I woke up and found my indoor cat outside. So I checked to see what she was doing all night and..." reads layover text in the clip, as the following shot shows the kitty at night pouncing across the yard in a full display of hunting behavior. "The answer is frolicking," the poster writes in the caption shared along with the video. Domestic cats don't need to hunt to survive and they know it, but they still do it because it's an instinctual behavior they inherited from their wild ancestors, and they enjoy it, that's why they're usually very good at it. When they hunt they don't always eat their prey. Often cats kill critters and then just leave it to rot without touching it, and according to an article by Jess Kirk on the website Vet Explains Pets, this may be because they aren't hungry, or because they just see the prey as a toy. Eating prey can be dangerous for cats, especially mice, which can carry disease, parasites and even poison. That's why it's probably better for you to remove their catch instead of letting them eat it. In most cases, hunting behavior can't be stopped. But you can provide them with different forms of entertainment to keep them away from the fauna, including toys, climbing spots and a safe, enclosed yard area to play in. A stock image shows a tabby cat walking in the bushes. A stock image shows a tabby cat walking in the bushes. getty images The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 1.8 million views and 131,023 likes. One user, commented: "It's just cat stuff mom you wouldn't understand." Raggedymama said: "Girl just needed to touch grass for a bit." Another user, Cltabony, wrote: "I once discovered my sassy cat had busted through the screen, and I had no idea how long she had been outside. I assumed she was lost and scared. I went outside and called for her frantically. She came sauntering from around the corner of the house, meowing at me like I was overreacting." Newsweek reached out to @danny_just_sendit for comment via Instagram comments. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Newsweek
Local FB Group Member's 'Act of Kindness' for Woman Quickly Turns 'Dirty'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A member of a neighborhood Facebook group shared how a moment of generosity was derailed before it even began, after an unexpected response left her feeling uneasy and conflicted. Posting as MsMaggieMcGill on Reddit this week, the user said she was familiar with a woman in the group who regularly posted requests for help, often citing hospital stays and a lack of local support. Stepping In After weeks of seeing the same request for a large household item, the original poster (OP) finally decided to step in. She intended to buy the item new and have it delivered directly to the woman's home. But before she could make the offer, the woman responded to her message with something else: a request for cab fare and instructions on how to send her money. Stock image: Woman looking at phone annoyed. Stock image: Woman looking at phone annoyed. fizkes/iStock/Getty Images Plus "I felt so dirty all of a sudden," the OP wrote, "My intention to help was gone in a split second." She exited the conversation and never offered the item. Days later, she gave a large tip to a local waitress—three times the value of her bill—and said that small gesture did more to restore her sense of goodwill. "It was sweet and genuine and simple," she wrote. Meta Responds In reply to an invitation to comment, a spokesperson for Meta told Newsweek that keeping Groups safe is "a priority" and something the company continues to invest in. "We have a number of tools and resources to help admins keep their Groups safe," the spokesperson continued. "If you're a group member, you also have the ability to report Groups, posts or comments that do not follow our community standards. If you come across inauthentic behavior on Facebook, we encourage you to report it to us." Meanwhile, the thread drew support from folks online. One Reddit user quoted the familiar saying: "Give a mouse a cookie." Another person offered simple advice: "Time to block that person. Give yourself some peace." A fellow Redditor chipped in: "Anyone who's ever waited tables thanks you!" Situations like these do crop up online community groups, where the line between need and exploitation can blur. Accused of Scamming A Newsweek article earlier this year detailed the experience of a man selling a television on Facebook Marketplace who was later accused of scamming after the buyer broke the screen herself. "They called me a scammer, hurting for money, dishonest [and] said they were going to call the police on me if I didn't give them their money back," he told Newsweek. Despite offering help multiple times, he said the buyer refused and then blamed him when the TV was damaged. Online etiquette matters in these interactions, especially in Facebook buy/sell communities, which operate under informal, but rigid norms. As explained in Fashion Journal, these groups function like micro-societies, complete with lingo and unwritten codes. Breaking those norms—like appearing entitled or skipping the line of interested buyers—can damage trust and quickly get users removed. In this case, MsMaggieMcGill said she felt better directing her energy toward someone who didn't ask for anything. Her closing thought: "Helping someone is as valuable to those on the giving end as to those on the receiving end." Newsweek has contacted MsMaggieMcGill for comment via Reddit. Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@ We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek. To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.
Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Newsweek
Man Thrifts Designer Bag at Goodwill for $8—Shock Over What He Discovers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A man's thrift store find has stunned viewers on Reddit, after he shared how he bagged the initially $500 item for just $8. The 30-year-old man, who goes by u/josecoolinsisdead on the platform, had shared an image of their find, a brown messenger bag, on July 1. The post has been upvoted more than 4,000 times to date, with the purchase of the $8 bag amassing praise in the comments. "Told myself I could get a nice $300 messenger bag after I got promoted," the man, who is based in Minnesota, said. "Found this $500 one at Goodwill for $8 instead." Accompanying their text was an image of the medium sized bag with brown leather trims and bronze hardware. Attached to the bag was a long black strap with floral detailing. The bag was shown to be from the U.S. label Trask, with an accompanying screenshot showing a similar bag from the same brand on sale for $495. "Added a $30 strap from Etsy and now am looking like a real professional," he continued. The man told Newsweek: "I don't know much about the bag to be honest, but it is a Trask Jackson Zip tote, I think, but I haven't found an exact match anywhere online. Its exterior is canvas with leather trim, and interior is an orange fabric. Comparable bags are listed in the range of $500 online, but none are actually available for sale." The man, who lives with his wife and children, had found the bag in a large pile at the Goodwill store. "The quality caught my eye, so I did a quick Google and decided it was well worth the $8," he said. Viewers on the platform were quick to applaud the man for spotting the heavily discounted bag, with comments ranging from delight at the thrift store steal to advice on how he can now maintain the preloved item's condition. "Amazing find," one viewer said, while another added: "Wow, that's nice!" "I've been following this page for months and this is the first thing I've seen where I've wanted it," another said. "It looks so nice, I love the energy the strap gives it too." "Girl math says you can get yourself another gift," another viewer shared. "Get some leather conditioner for the leather parts and you're golden," another added, while another said: "I agree! Some leather cleaner, conditioner, and polish will breathe new life into it!" "To me, this would justify at least one additional frivolous, lavish purchase with the money you were prepared to spend but saved," a different viewer commented. "Love Trask," another said. "It was a popular brand in the '90s I believe out of Montana." "Great find," another said. "Congratulations! Makes me want to go and rewatch Working Girl." A Colorado Goodwill thrift store entrance and parking lot on April 1, 2024. A Colorado Goodwill thrift store entrance and parking lot on April 1, 2024. Getty Images "It is so exclusive there's no sold listings on eBay," another viewer said, to which the post's creator responded: "It's strange how difficult it was to find anything on the brand." He went on to emphasize how unlikely it was for him to cross paths with his dream bag for just $8. "I've only seen one other available for purchase second hand," he added. Do you have any funny or adorable videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them to life@ and they could appear on our site.
