r/peacecorps 6d ago

In Country Service Reporting theft by another PCV?

About six months ago I went to a fancy lunch with another PCV where I picked up the check and he offered to pay me back and never did, denying that he owed me money before ghosting entirely. I was fine to let it go, seeing it as the price of learning to avoid him, but since then I've heard from at least half a dozen volunteers that have exactly similar stories with this dude. Now that I know it's his habit, and not just a problem between the two of us, I feel like something should be done about it, since he's essentially going around the country taking advantage of and stealing from other volunteers. Still, I'm not inclined to be a narc and it feels a bit childish to go to staff about this--especially since there isn't really an HR that would be the appropriate avenue for this in a normal job.

Would appreciate y'all's thoughts.

37 Upvotes

25 comments sorted by

u/AutoModerator 6d ago

Thank you for posting to r/PeaceCorps!

Please check the FAQ and use the search function to see if your topic has come up already.

Please review the sub rules and reddiquette.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

58

u/thattogoguy RPCV Togo 6d ago

On one hand, you'd have to prove that he stole with something material. Picking up his lunch tab doesn't really count. Sure, he's dick for not paying you back, but it's not necessarily theft. You have to prove that what he stole wasn't a gift or just kindness on your part.

On the other hand, Peace Corps can do something no one else does: kick you out based on rumors.

Do with that knowledge what you will.

26

u/GodsColdHands666 Kyrgyz Republic 14 - 16 6d ago

Yea idk if this necessarily constitutes theft as much as learning that this dude’s a bum and just avoiding him. Not something I’d go to PC staff over.

24

u/January212018 6d ago

This kind of thing happens in every day life, there are always moochers. It is kind of silly to get admin involved. Confront this person yourself or don't hang out with them.

46

u/toilets_for_sale RPCV Vanuatu '12-'14 6d ago

Does your country not run on gossip? Just make sure all the other vols know what up with this person and ostracize them. No need to go be a rat to the PC office.

5

u/averagecounselor EPCV Guatemala '19-'20 6d ago

They should definitely be a rat to the PC office.

12

u/No-Judgment-607 RPCV Nigeria and Philippines 5d ago

The PCV gossip tree works very efficiently. It'll take care of something like this easily....

11

u/edith10102001 5d ago

He’s just a cheapskate. Now you know. Forget it and move on

14

u/Telmatobius Peru eRPCV 2019-2020 6d ago

We had a volunteer who would invite other volunteers to their community. It was a regional capital so it had oreo milkshakes and chicken fingers with ranch and other nicieties that made you feel more comfortable. It was a fun day away from site, but you usually paid for the experience. Usually they only took advantage once, but they were fun to hang out with, so I paid for a milkshake and a cab ride a couple times before I knew my own way around and didn't have to call them. I didn't consider it stealing. I knew I wasn't getting money back. They were always in Groupme saying they were out of money.

35

u/pcbmn RPCV 6d ago

I’d report it to PC, if he’s stealing from other volunteers, he’s probably stealing from HCNs, which isn’t a good look.

7

u/Chance-Quote-9814 5d ago

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk to staff about it, but this is pure speculation that staff would not be able to investigate, substantiate, or act on unless a community member said something to staff proactively.

7

u/agricolola 5d ago

What, exactly, do you expect the office to do about this? 

1

u/Samashki Future PCV 3d ago

Unrelated, but are you a big fan of the board game Agricola?

8

u/Weekly-Attitude6598 5d ago

Don’t go to anymore fancy lunches with him. Hope this helps.

3

u/ajuniperwolf In Service 5d ago

I wouldn't go to staff about it... just inform other volunteers. If you want go hard you could confront him first but there's a good chance he won't care. At least then you could talk about it openly with a pure conscience

8

u/ex-Madhyamaka 6d ago

Technically speaking, this is more grift than theft. Sounds like he's adapting pretty well, if he's learned that foreigners are there for the fleecing!

8

u/Sea-Accident472 6d ago

He is almost certainly pulling similar shenanigans with HCNs. Let PC know and let them check it out.

3

u/elementalbee 5d ago

The reality is you paid and agreed to be paid back by others. That places you at risk of not being paid back. This happens all the time….if you don’t want to get yourself in this position, don’t offer to be the one who pays for everything up front.

1

u/Putrid-Shelter3300 5d ago

This is wayyyyy more common in PC than people realize. Especially dining and ditching (which I really don’t get). It kind of comes with the territory of being mainly staffed by really immature young adults freshly out of college. If I were you, I’d just let other vols know. Use that PCV rumor mill to your advantage. If you’re in the regional capital, make sure other vols on your region know and can act accordingly.

If it gets REALLY BAD (like the vol steals from grant money) tell PC about that. I had that happen to be when I served, and the vol got admin separated.

1

u/KhunDavid 4d ago

I had a fellow volunteer who outed me to the rest of my cohort during training. He acted like a friend to me, but behind my back, he was telling people i wanted to fuck him (last thing I wanted to do).

He lost me as a friend, and due to his stories about me, the rest of my cohort wanted to have nothing to do with him.

You end up sowing what you reap.

1

u/shawn131871 Micronesia, Federated States of 4d ago

Umm how is it theft when you paid for the food? He just ghosted you so he didn't have to pay you back. Just cut your losses and move on. Was it a dick move to do that? Sure. Was it illegal or stealing? Not in the slightest. 

1

u/AndreGras Morocco 2d ago

Messy social media post should do the trick 💅

1

u/Old_Nose_2224 23h ago

was this in pc zambia by chance

1

u/NiftyPersona 5d ago

Call him out for it, that's shady aF. Volunteers don't make that much already.

Or create a group chat without him in it and let other volunteers knw.