I’m living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. One night a man approached me on my way out of a restaurant in Inman Square. It was around 9:30 pm of a weekday, the streets were starting to get lonely but weren’t deserted, and I was alone. In case this is relevant: I’m a male (burglars and scammers target males and females differently) and a foreigner who speaks with some accent. This man tried to engage in conversation with me, asking if the pizza place I’ve just left was any good. I was caught off guard and answered his entry question and he proceeded to tell me about his friends, his family and stuff people you just met wouldn’t be interested in. Then, I realized the man seemed nervous and fidgeted with his hands. At that moment I sensed something sketchy was happening and started walking, seeking shelter in an open store. No matter I was walking at a fast pace, he followed me by my side. Meanwhile, I keep the conversation going with plain yeses, noes and other evasive answers. I assumed he may have gotten angry if I stopped replying, but wanted to make clear I wasn’t interested in talking.
I was unlucky and couldn’t find any place to hide, so I had to walk with him for more than two streets. Finally, he said “Hey! That’s my car. Do you need a ride?” I politely said “No, thanks anyway” and kept walking (No way I was getting into his car). He got into his car and drove away and I was left like “What the F* just happened?”. I checked my pockets, luckily everything was in there, and made the rest of my way home unscratched. So, my question is, was I going to be subject of crime? Is this any sort of scam scheme, or am simply being paranoid about friendly Americans in the street?
