Some people are way too wily and cunning for their own good and use their intelligence to scam random strangers. These fraudsters are everywhere and always seem to be coming up with the craziest cons possible. That’s why people need to be on alert for possible scams, even in the unlikeliest of places.
This man, in fact, realized he could be the victim of a hustle after a random stranger tried to stop him while driving. The guy felt suspicious and asked an AI software for help, which saved him from a possible shakedown.
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There are many different scams and tricksters out there, but the good news is that having a little bit of social awareness can help save you from getting swindled
Image credits: senivpetro / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster explained that while he was driving, a random stranger in another car tried to caution him to stop because his tires seemed to be almost flat
Image credits: jcomp / Freepik (not the actual photo)
As the other man’s behavior seemed a bit odd, the poster asked Perplexity AI if the situation could be a scam, and the software confirmed his suspicions
Image credits: andreasduess
It might be tough to stay calm in situations like this, but a bit of quick thinking can probably save you from a lot of trouble
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster, Andreas Duess, is the founder of 6 Seeds Consulting. He’s previously shared that he’s extremely fascinated by the behavioral patterns that shape human nature, so when he was faced with an “overly helpful” driver on the road, his interest was immediately piqued. The random driver told Andreas that his tires were almost flat and that he shouldn’t go onto the highway because of them.
To learn more about the situation, Bored Panda reached out to Andreas. He said that “the interaction with the other driver felt off for a few reasons. [He was] aggressive and incompetent, trying to cut in front of me, accompanied by frantic hand waving for no reason.”
“When we opened the window, again urgency in the message ‘all your tires are flat.’ I instantly called that out as nonsense because a) my car has pressure sensors, b) it drove perfectly fine, and c) ‘all your tires are flat’ just doesn’t happen.”
Luckily, Andreas had the presence of mind to clarify his doubts with the Perplexity AI software first rather than succumbing to the other man’s lies. He mentioned that: “the simple reason I used Perplexity over Google is that Google would have given me links, Perplexity gives me an answer. I work in tech and AI, so I am familiar with what tools to use.”
“While I wasn’t initially sure what the scam was, I felt pretty sure that the guy was trying to pull something. That’s why I pulled out Perplexity (after parking the car at our destination) and double-checked.”
One of the next best things Andreas did after almost falling into the con artist’s trap was to share his experience with his audience. He mentioned that there are different car scams similar to this where tricksters either plan to swindle people out of their money or steal their vehicles. Either way, if a person is unprepared, they can fall victim to such scams easily.
What’s shocking to note is that there were around 3.5 million cases of fraud in 2024 alone. Scammers target people’s money, vehicles, and precious items by using different psychological tricks. In certain car buying scams, swindlers advertise fake vehicles for sale at very low prices, but when the buyer pays the deposit, the trickster disappears.
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Similar to the situation that Andreas found himself in, there are also cases where scammers stage accidents on the road. They intentionally put themselves and their vehicle in harm’s way to set up the possible victim. They then try and extort money from the other person by threatening to sue them or take them to the cops.
According to experts, the reason why these tricksters are so persuasive is because they use high-pressure tactics to force the other person to make quick decisions. By creating a false sense of urgency, they con the victim into thinking that if they don’t act immediately, they might get in more trouble.
Some of the most unexpected cons are related to fake roadside assistance. In these situations, scammers might pose as kind strangers and offer to help stranded people by the roadside. After providing the “help,” they may charge exorbitant fees for it and force the person to pay by threatening them.
Sometimes, these tricksters are even behind the tire puncture, and they have an accomplice waiting ahead to pose as the good samaritan. That’s why it’s always important to learn about such cons, so as to be prepared for whatever comes our way.
There are a couple of ways to avoid roadside scams and to stay one step ahead of such con artists. You should:
- Keep essential items in your vehicle, like a spare tire, jack, or emergency kit.
- Have a dashcam that can help you record incidents and provide evidence.
- Use mobile apps or AI to learn about cons like this and how to handle them.
Nobody wants to fall victim to a scam, and hopefully, none of us will ever face something like that. Thanks to people like Andreas, the Internet is full of good advice on how to handle and recognize cons.
If you’ve ever been the victim of a scam, or almost got conned by someone, please do share your story. Who knows, it might be able to help save someone else from falling prey to a fraudster.
Some folks did not believe the poster’s story, while others stuck up for him and shared their own experiences with such tricksters
