# Should I be worried? (Possible scam, or I'm just paranoid)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-worried-possible-scam-or-im-just-paranoid/580230>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 29, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-worried-possible-scam-or-im-just-paranoid/580230 "2011-04-29T23:43:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-worried-possible-scam-or-im-just-paranoid/580230/21 "2011-05-02T20:00:08Z")

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> [@FairyChatMom](#):
>
> The fact that he didn’t come right downstairs with the $10 was suspicious to me.

Unless maybe they were thinking “OMG Who is this FREAK I found on craigslist and why are they still in my parking lot STALKING ME!!” It does go in both directions.

Anyhow, I would figure out what is going on with the tire before you make any conclusions.

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**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-worried-possible-scam-or-im-just-paranoid/580230/22 "2011-05-02T20:26:47Z")

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I think you showed a healthy amount of awareness. It’s easy for a distracted person to become a victim, especially a woman. You were right to be vigilant.

The Travelers (of the non-Wilbury flavor) have a quick and easy distraction scam; they knock on your door, claim to be working on a utility line at the furthest part of your property and ask for your help in identifying something they’ve damaged of yours. You step out (“I’ll only be a second, no need to lock the door.”) and when you get back in the house you’ve been robbed and your new utility worker friend has disappeared by the time you call the cops.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-worried-possible-scam-or-im-just-paranoid/580230/23 "2011-05-02T23:23:38Z")

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There’s really not much “scam” potential of any kind in the scenario you outlined. The two situations, even though they happened concurrently, really don’t provide any overt or obvious opportunity for theft or molestation by themsleves or together. It’s just random stuff.

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