We sadly have the same situation here in the larger cities in central europe, where organized groups of beggars from outside the country are working the streets. They also drive away the real beggars - so if you meet someone begging in a high-traffic area, chances are high that they are not who they seem to be. I do not give anything at those traffic hotspots (there are enough rubes out there who fall for this). If someone asks me for money for food on a lower frequency spot, i do occasionally offer to buy them some snack nearby (no shaming for someone wanting a beer, and a few cheap groceries are fine too). Hasn’t been refused yet, outside of someone who was a bit more high than they appeared at first.