Yep, I have seen people roam parking lots looking to do this. Not likely a carjacking. Almost legit.
Was it broken?
Yeah, that is more scam than legit.
Fixing a non-broken headlight doesn’t sound like a business proposition, scam or legit. I think the car jacking is more likely.
It wouldn’t hurt to call the non-emergency police number to make a report. They can probably tell you what it was, and it’s helpful in case this guy is doing it to a lot of people.
Back when I drove my previous car, a Mazda 3 with two big dents (courtesy of my wife’s inability to drive when sleep-deprived), I’d frequently get stopped as I walked through the parking lot, by people asking if I wanted them to fix the dents. Never got a criminal vibe, more like shade-tree mechanics. I’d also find collision repair flyers on my windshield. So there are in fact legit (well, legit in the sense of “not carjackers”) folks who solicit repair work in parking lots.
Same. Driving a car with “mobile dent repair” signs on the side.
The OP’s scenario? Impending crime of some sort. Maybe as minor as a the guy giving a hard-luck story then asking for a donation a la homeless dudes. But more likely something less voluntary on the OP’s part if the plan had run to fruition.
Done. Good suggestion.
I can imagine someone trying to jack my car, only to have them complaining about it being a manual transmission.
This has “wallet inspector” written all over it.