When you were growing up, it’s likely that your parents warned you about stranger danger. Don’t talk to any adults that you don’t know, and don’t ever go anywhere without Mom or Dad's permission. If someone offers you candy or asks you to go to their car, run. But as an adult, I have to admit that most of the random encounters I've had with strangers weren't bad at all. In fact, some of them have been quite pleasant!
While the vast majority of people are harmless, there are, unfortunately, some strangers who turn out to be frightening. Redditors have recently been recalling the creepiest encounters they’ve had with people they didn't know, so we’ve gathered their most disturbing stories below. Be sure to upvote the accounts that give you the heebie-jeebies, and remember to be cautious around strangers, just in case!
#21
Mine is fairly mild, but was still gross and creepy to me (and made my mom lose her s**t on this dude).
I was around 12 years old, and we were visiting my dad who was working out of town. We were staying in his hotel room, and had ran to a local convenience store for some snacks and things for the room.
As we were standing in line at the checkout, my mom was in front of the cart (at the cashier) and I was behind it. This old man (probably mid-60s or so) came up behind me and said something to the effect of "you've got nice legs". But like, he said it in a suggestive/gross way.
Thankfully, my mom heard it, and went off on the dude.
I was around 12 years old, and we were visiting my dad who was working out of town. We were staying in his hotel room, and had ran to a local convenience store for some snacks and things for the room.
As we were standing in line at the checkout, my mom was in front of the cart (at the cashier) and I was behind it. This old man (probably mid-60s or so) came up behind me and said something to the effect of "you've got nice legs". But like, he said it in a suggestive/gross way.
Thankfully, my mom heard it, and went off on the dude.
Report
74points
#22
A friend of mine was out on a nature trail taking his three young kids for a bike ride. His 4-ish-year-old daughter had ridden just a little bit ahead and over a small hill. When my friend crested the hill, he saw a man pulling his daughter off of her bike, attempting to carry her away. That s**t can happen so fast.
Report
73points
#23
I commented the following in a post a few years back; seems germane here.
*
I don’t know his real name, but he told me to call him “Mr Tom”. I only spoke with him for half an hour but I’ve never forgotten his horror: he told me he’d spent his 20s travelling the world beating up and torturing prostitutes (and there is no doubt in my mind that he had k***ed, too) until in his 30s he’d discovered that he preferred it when they beat up and tortured him, instead.
His parting phrase stuck with me like a tumour: “Son, I’ve got all the pain money can buy.”
(u/Horus_Syndrome asked: “Was he some type of random psycho you met in a bar or was this just some dude you met on the internet who randomly told you all of his dark secrets in under 40 minutes?”)
When I was 21 I worked in a brothel for six months - not at the sharp end of the business, though: I had talked the boss into letting me edit a promotional magazine for his hotel/casino. Initially I didn’t have an office so used the Internet cafe computers; this guy came over and asked if I could help him print some stuff out - for money, but I couldn’t look at what I was printing.
I said that was impossible as I needed to open it on-screen; he thought about it for a bit and then acquiesced. When I got this stuff up on-screen, it was really really vile: short stories about women being eviscerated, f****d while on fire, being forced to have sex with pigs, all sorts; and some s****y pencil-type drawings to accompany some of the stories. Sick, sick s**t - but fiction, if there’s a silver lining.
As I didn’t immediately jump up in horror and flee (partly because he was paying me about half a week’s wages for ten minutes’ work) he presumably concluded that I was some kind of kindred spirit and began telling me his story. I’ve never hated anyone so profoundly so quickly.
NB: this was in 2001 and he was maybe mid-fifties - so the timeline fits for him to have been in Vietnam for the start of his sadistic endeavours, though he didn’t make that explicit.
*
I don’t know his real name, but he told me to call him “Mr Tom”. I only spoke with him for half an hour but I’ve never forgotten his horror: he told me he’d spent his 20s travelling the world beating up and torturing prostitutes (and there is no doubt in my mind that he had k***ed, too) until in his 30s he’d discovered that he preferred it when they beat up and tortured him, instead.
His parting phrase stuck with me like a tumour: “Son, I’ve got all the pain money can buy.”
(u/Horus_Syndrome asked: “Was he some type of random psycho you met in a bar or was this just some dude you met on the internet who randomly told you all of his dark secrets in under 40 minutes?”)
When I was 21 I worked in a brothel for six months - not at the sharp end of the business, though: I had talked the boss into letting me edit a promotional magazine for his hotel/casino. Initially I didn’t have an office so used the Internet cafe computers; this guy came over and asked if I could help him print some stuff out - for money, but I couldn’t look at what I was printing.
I said that was impossible as I needed to open it on-screen; he thought about it for a bit and then acquiesced. When I got this stuff up on-screen, it was really really vile: short stories about women being eviscerated, f****d while on fire, being forced to have sex with pigs, all sorts; and some s****y pencil-type drawings to accompany some of the stories. Sick, sick s**t - but fiction, if there’s a silver lining.
As I didn’t immediately jump up in horror and flee (partly because he was paying me about half a week’s wages for ten minutes’ work) he presumably concluded that I was some kind of kindred spirit and began telling me his story. I’ve never hated anyone so profoundly so quickly.
NB: this was in 2001 and he was maybe mid-fifties - so the timeline fits for him to have been in Vietnam for the start of his sadistic endeavours, though he didn’t make that explicit.
Report
72points
#24
When I was in 3rd grade I was on a local community service soccer team, and normally parents would be acting as coach and assistant coach but the parent who did the asst coach position was sick that day so community service center sent a random middle aged woman to act as assistant coach for that game.
Well, it also happened to be my best friend at the times (I’ll call her “Milly” for this) birthday that day and so she was having a sleepover party after the game and the whole team was invited. So we were all being normal little girls being super excited and talking nonstop about the sleepover at Millys. And it was about halfway through the game when the assistant coach lady called me over by name and my instincts instantly knew something was off because my stomach dropped.
I went over to her reluctantly and stood a couple feet away but she wiggled her finger to motion me closer to her. She said “closer” again, until I leaned in enough. Then she said “Hey, I just wanted you to know that I’m Millys mom, so you will be coming home with me today after the game. As soon as the game is over, come right with me to my car. Don’t stop to talk to anyone.”
I got suuuuuuch bad vibes. So I clung close to Milly for the rest of the game and then as it ended I said “Milly I’ll explain later but after the game let’s run to your moms car ok?” And thankfully she didn’t question me and we rocketed to her moms car as soon as the final whistle rang out. And I think up til that point I had retained some hope because I didn’t think adults would just lie like that, but when we got in the car a totally different woman turned around and when I asked “wait are you millys mom???” she looked super confused and said “uhhhh yes I am, why?” and I explained what happened while on the drive home to Millys and she was super super concerned and told me to tell my parents the next day. But when I told my parents, they thought I was making it up and didn’t believe me (I was their firstborn so I think they figured kids just lie about that stuff? I don’t really know tbh). My grandmother believed me though and for that I am thankful because I felt very scared and alone and confused because I didn’t understand why that lady would have tried to take me like that.
Well, it also happened to be my best friend at the times (I’ll call her “Milly” for this) birthday that day and so she was having a sleepover party after the game and the whole team was invited. So we were all being normal little girls being super excited and talking nonstop about the sleepover at Millys. And it was about halfway through the game when the assistant coach lady called me over by name and my instincts instantly knew something was off because my stomach dropped.
I went over to her reluctantly and stood a couple feet away but she wiggled her finger to motion me closer to her. She said “closer” again, until I leaned in enough. Then she said “Hey, I just wanted you to know that I’m Millys mom, so you will be coming home with me today after the game. As soon as the game is over, come right with me to my car. Don’t stop to talk to anyone.”
I got suuuuuuch bad vibes. So I clung close to Milly for the rest of the game and then as it ended I said “Milly I’ll explain later but after the game let’s run to your moms car ok?” And thankfully she didn’t question me and we rocketed to her moms car as soon as the final whistle rang out. And I think up til that point I had retained some hope because I didn’t think adults would just lie like that, but when we got in the car a totally different woman turned around and when I asked “wait are you millys mom???” she looked super confused and said “uhhhh yes I am, why?” and I explained what happened while on the drive home to Millys and she was super super concerned and told me to tell my parents the next day. But when I told my parents, they thought I was making it up and didn’t believe me (I was their firstborn so I think they figured kids just lie about that stuff? I don’t really know tbh). My grandmother believed me though and for that I am thankful because I felt very scared and alone and confused because I didn’t understand why that lady would have tried to take me like that.
Report
72points
#25
I was going to my friend's house at 13 years old when a man asked me to come over to him. He told me that he was a security guard, that a house had been robbed, and that he needed to confiscate my things. He checked my backpack, felt every inch of my body, and asked me to kiss him to 'forgive him.' As soon as I saw the opportunity, I ran. But it could have been worse. I can still feel his cold hands against my skin.
Report
70points
#26
When I was in college (in rural Kentucky), I ended up stranded one weekend in Lexington. My sister had dropped me off at the greyhound station before heading to the airport (she’d been visiting me from out of state), and I was going to catch the bus back to my small college town.
Only problem was that it was Sunday, and the regular bus didn’t run that afternoon (this was before smart phones were ubiquitous, so I couldn’t look it up in advance).
I walked across the street to the Walmart with my duffel bag and sat in the entryway area calling different friends trying to find a ride home, all the while feeling near tears, stressed and tired and just wanting to get home.
Then a man who was exiting the store stopped and stared at me for a few seconds. Mid fifties, grey hair, trucker cap. He said “Do you need a ride?”
I have never had this experience before or after, but I felt like had a split second psychic intuition and I KNEW that if I went with that man I would end up dead. I just instantly felt it in my bones, like I could see the future. It was terrifying.
I said no, and he tried several more times, but finally left. Thankfully, a friend of a friend finally gave me a ride (still during daylight hours), and I made it home safely.
Only problem was that it was Sunday, and the regular bus didn’t run that afternoon (this was before smart phones were ubiquitous, so I couldn’t look it up in advance).
I walked across the street to the Walmart with my duffel bag and sat in the entryway area calling different friends trying to find a ride home, all the while feeling near tears, stressed and tired and just wanting to get home.
Then a man who was exiting the store stopped and stared at me for a few seconds. Mid fifties, grey hair, trucker cap. He said “Do you need a ride?”
I have never had this experience before or after, but I felt like had a split second psychic intuition and I KNEW that if I went with that man I would end up dead. I just instantly felt it in my bones, like I could see the future. It was terrifying.
I said no, and he tried several more times, but finally left. Thankfully, a friend of a friend finally gave me a ride (still during daylight hours), and I made it home safely.
Report
67points
#27
The creepiest encounter I had was when a stranger followed me for blocks, then suddenly stopped, smiled, and said, "We'll meet again." It still gives me chills to think about it.
66points
#28
I used to work at meijer in the deli. A customer came up and asked for my opinion. I recommended all the things I liked and was just super friendly, I guess. He ended up calling the store that night asking for me. The other girl I was working with didn't even offer the phone to me just told him I had left, thank god. He came back the next day and started asking me personal question I was very vague and then started helping other customers. He left, CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY, I had to get management involved. He was standing like behind a pole just watching me. I had to be walked to my car every night for about a month. I would call my boyfriend at the time now husband every night on the way home and lived in an apartment building with another coworker whose husband would literally walk me to my door. Ugh I still feel likes he's watching me sometimes and this was about 4 yrs ago.
Report
63points
#29
I was a registered massage therapist for seven years and had just opened my own practice. I was renting space at a clinic and there were other practitioners who would often cross refer clients for other services. One of the ND's clients asked her for my work schedule, because he was wanting to book a massage. This happened to be the same man who would stare at me in such a way from the waiting area that I would have to close my office door.
After receiving my contact details, he called me directly while I was at home with my partner and began asking me questions like if I were single or if I have a husband and when do I work alone, because that's when he would prefer to come for his appointment. This automatically gave me bad vibes, so I told him I'm never alone (false) and that I was actually booking quite far out in my calendar so he'd be better off booking elsewhere. I thought this had deterred him, however the next time he was at the clinic he booked in with me via the receptionist.
He came into my treatment room while I was doing notes, shut the door behind him, and demanded I write my hours down on one of my business cards so he could cross examine them in person with those of the clinic. I told him I was in the middle of notes and if he were really this interested in knowing my schedule that he could look at my website. He then told me he had scheduled an appointment with me for the following week and that he was "so excited". He was giddy when he was saying this, and I started to freeze. I got up from my desk to walk him towards the door, but instead he took a step towards me and started trying to make out with me. He told me I'm just "so beautiful" that he couldn't believe he had gotten an appointment with me. That's when I realized this man thought I was a sex worker and that this clinic was a massage parlor. I panicked, but not before he began running his hands all over my body and tried pinning me to my massage table. I managed to fight him off of me and he exited the room so nonchalantly, telling me to have a good day and that, again, he was "so excited" for our appointment.
From here, I called the police. I explained to them what had happened, they instructed me to keep his scheduled appointment, and they showed up and arrested him right outside my office door. He was charged and found guilty of sexually attacking me. Before his arrest, he was calling me multiple times each night and just breathing heavily into the phone. I was able to get a restraining order from him, and just ask quickly as he entered my life he was gone. I did find out from the police officer working my case that this man owned a nail salon, so the police suspected there was forced sex work happening there with the nail techs who were immigrants and relying on this man for their work permits. I'm not sure what came of that, but he and his wife still operate their nail salon in a local mall.
After receiving my contact details, he called me directly while I was at home with my partner and began asking me questions like if I were single or if I have a husband and when do I work alone, because that's when he would prefer to come for his appointment. This automatically gave me bad vibes, so I told him I'm never alone (false) and that I was actually booking quite far out in my calendar so he'd be better off booking elsewhere. I thought this had deterred him, however the next time he was at the clinic he booked in with me via the receptionist.
He came into my treatment room while I was doing notes, shut the door behind him, and demanded I write my hours down on one of my business cards so he could cross examine them in person with those of the clinic. I told him I was in the middle of notes and if he were really this interested in knowing my schedule that he could look at my website. He then told me he had scheduled an appointment with me for the following week and that he was "so excited". He was giddy when he was saying this, and I started to freeze. I got up from my desk to walk him towards the door, but instead he took a step towards me and started trying to make out with me. He told me I'm just "so beautiful" that he couldn't believe he had gotten an appointment with me. That's when I realized this man thought I was a sex worker and that this clinic was a massage parlor. I panicked, but not before he began running his hands all over my body and tried pinning me to my massage table. I managed to fight him off of me and he exited the room so nonchalantly, telling me to have a good day and that, again, he was "so excited" for our appointment.
From here, I called the police. I explained to them what had happened, they instructed me to keep his scheduled appointment, and they showed up and arrested him right outside my office door. He was charged and found guilty of sexually attacking me. Before his arrest, he was calling me multiple times each night and just breathing heavily into the phone. I was able to get a restraining order from him, and just ask quickly as he entered my life he was gone. I did find out from the police officer working my case that this man owned a nail salon, so the police suspected there was forced sex work happening there with the nail techs who were immigrants and relying on this man for their work permits. I'm not sure what came of that, but he and his wife still operate their nail salon in a local mall.
Report
59points
#30
I was outside playing with my cat in my yard when I was 3 when this stranger stopped his van on our rural road and came over to me. My cat freaked out and hissed at him, which scared me so I ran inside to get my Mom. When she came outside, the dude claimed to be a neighbor (it was a very small town and my Mom didn't recognize him so he was definitely not a neighbor), apologized for scaring me and claimed he just wanted to tell me what a nice cat I had (yeah, right!) then he left.
I always remembered that experience because it seemed so odd and creepy even as a kid. Found out as an adult that a young girl had been kidnapped 10 minutes away from my house around 4-5 years before this happened. The only lead was a strangely painted van parked near her school bus stop that was the last time anyone saw her. She disappeared in 1985 and unfortunately still has never been found. I've always wondered if I'd unknowingly been face to face with Cherry Mahan's presumed murderer.
Either way, I don't think the strange guy in the van had good intentions because what 20-30 year old dude is going to stop his van on the road to compliment a little girl's cat? So I probably owe my cat for saving me from an abduction or worse because I was too young and sheltered to grasp stranger danger. The only thing that gave me a bad feeling about this dude was my cat's reaction which makes me incredibly grateful my Dad had let me keep the stray cat that showed up on our porch a few months before this. I definitely think I had a guardian angel looking out for me that day because it was only my cat's reaction that raised the red flag. I totally think he could've lured me to his van if my cat hadn't gotten so protective.
For a long time, I thought the whole experience had been a recurring nightmare or something because it seemed so cliche for a creepy guy in a white van to approach a little girl alone in her yard, but my Mom remembers it happening and she did speak to him that day, though she was naive and truly believed the guy was just a neighbor even though she never saw him in town before or after this.
I always remembered that experience because it seemed so odd and creepy even as a kid. Found out as an adult that a young girl had been kidnapped 10 minutes away from my house around 4-5 years before this happened. The only lead was a strangely painted van parked near her school bus stop that was the last time anyone saw her. She disappeared in 1985 and unfortunately still has never been found. I've always wondered if I'd unknowingly been face to face with Cherry Mahan's presumed murderer.
Either way, I don't think the strange guy in the van had good intentions because what 20-30 year old dude is going to stop his van on the road to compliment a little girl's cat? So I probably owe my cat for saving me from an abduction or worse because I was too young and sheltered to grasp stranger danger. The only thing that gave me a bad feeling about this dude was my cat's reaction which makes me incredibly grateful my Dad had let me keep the stray cat that showed up on our porch a few months before this. I definitely think I had a guardian angel looking out for me that day because it was only my cat's reaction that raised the red flag. I totally think he could've lured me to his van if my cat hadn't gotten so protective.
For a long time, I thought the whole experience had been a recurring nightmare or something because it seemed so cliche for a creepy guy in a white van to approach a little girl alone in her yard, but my Mom remembers it happening and she did speak to him that day, though she was naive and truly believed the guy was just a neighbor even though she never saw him in town before or after this.
Report
56points
