A Florida man claiming to be homeless scammed shoppers outside a Target department store into giving him money – and then rewarded their generosity with $100 bills.
The heartwarming holiday campaign was an experiment launched by Plantation resident Brian Breach, as he explained in a Facebook video he posted on Christmas.
"Hi, my name is Brian Breach and today, I’m going to be homeless. I woke up this morning and I saw a Christmas video of someone giving back, which is important to do, so I want to do the same. Whoever decides to help me feed my family will get a $100 bill, so they can spend it on theirs. Let’s see what happens.
Hi, my name is Brian Breach and today, I’m going to be homeless.
He held a sign written with a black pen on a piece of brown cardboard that appeared to be torn from a box.
“Homeless: Just need a little help to feed my family through the HOLIDAYS,” the sign read, besides a sketch of a Christmas tree.
(MORE: Video: 7-year-old boy inspires classmates to collect over 1,000 toys and food items)“Oh my God. I’m gonna cry,” one stunned woman responded.
Breach explained to a man in a bright green t-shirt that he was “just trying to get some money to feed the family.” The man in the t-shirt handed him cash and started to walk away before Breach stopped him.
(MORE: Video: Santas hit the slopes for charity)“Thank you so much, I appreciate it,” Breach said, and then casually employed his signature response: “Oh wait, just one more thing. Since you’re such a nice giver, this is for you for the holidays.”
For the longest time I thought to myself, I stopped giving people money and I said myself, ‘You know what? I don’t care. I’m doing really, really well!’ And I’m gonna give this back ... this is not staying in my pocket.
The man in the t-shirt seemed overwhelmed, and said the experience turned him around about the less-fortunate in his community.
“For the longest time I thought to myself, I stopped giving people money and I said myself, ‘You know what? I don’t care. I’m doing really, really well!’ And I’m gonna give this back," the man concluded, “this is not staying in my pocket.”
(MORE: 102-year-old becomes oldest skydiver in the world while jumping for charity)Soon another shopper’s generosity took hold. When Breach explained his campaign, and handed yet another $100 bill out.
“Are you serious? Oh wow.”
Breach told ABC affiliate WPLG that he dispatched $500 over the course of his experiment.
“I had a cup,” he said. “And anyone who gave me a $1 or $5, got a $100 in return.”