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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!

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#1

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them Pretty sure my dog saved me from a dangerous encounter. I was very pregnant and was leaving the grocery store with my cart. Lexi was waiting for me in the car, she loved the car rides when the weather was good. So I was loading up the groceries and realized that a man I had seen sitting in a car before I went into the store was still there and was watching me. He got out of his car and asked if I needed assistance. Which, I get, I was very pregnant, it was the polite thing to do. But something about it immediately put me on alert. I was completely unnerved by him and still can't state exactly what it was. I said no thanks, I've got it but he continued to get out of his vehicle and walk towards my car. Lexi had been snuggled up on the front seat and must have heard there was some concern in my voice or something. Duder continued to walk my direction, claiming he just wanted to help. I continued to say no, I dont need help, no worries. As the man approached the hatch of my vehicle where I was loading the groceries, Lexi sprang up from the front seat, leapt over the back seat, and jumped to the cargo area and started growling and baring her teeth. It was dark and she was an all black dog, so she seemingly appeared from nowhere. That was the only thing that made the dude back up and leave. He started cursing at me, calling me names for not accepting his help, and for me letting my dog threaten him. I will say, thank goodness it was dark because Lexi was a Cardigan Welsh Corgi that was all black and was far less intimidating looking in the daylight. She looked like a black lab puppy but had super short stumpy little legs. She stayed right by my ankles the rest of the night once we were home, would not let me out of her sight.

eczblack , TheDangerBird Report

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#2

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them Please play along when a woman comes up to you and pretends to know you. It has happened to me. I approached a couple in Target pretending to know them and they walked me to my car as there was a creepy looking dude vulturing and even followed us outside to see what car I drove. Couldn’t be comfortable after that.

Heavy_Imagination592 , Mike Mozart Report

Final score:
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#3

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them I used to always shop at this one Target years ago, and I started to notice a man that seemed to always be in the store in the same aisles as me every single time then I started to see him at other places I would be at
The last trip to Target, I was in the CD section and he comes up next to me talking about CDs and something in my gut told me to get far away from him as possible. I left my car and quickly left the store and as I fumbled around for my keys, yes I should have had them out beforehand, someone grabbed me from behind and started to drag me across the parking lot. There were two guys who were in the parking lot at the very front by the store who saw this and started yelling and screaming and running towards us. The man dropped me and got in his car and took off. One of the men got the license plate number and what the police discovered in his car and home still send me into a panic attack to this day. He had essentially a kit in his car with rope, duct tape, etc., and in his home he had hundreds of my pictures hung up on his walls with a cage set up in his basement they suspect was for me. The most creepiest part is that he had a picture of me and my mom from one of those Sears portrait studios from when I was like 5 years old with a note to him on the back of the picture from me. Apparently we lived in the same apartment complex for a short period together and I was a childhood friend (I don't remember him, we moved around a lot).

breakitupkid , Liza Summer Report

Final score:
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Captive
Captive
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

By far the creepiest one so far. Like silence of the lambs creepy

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#4

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them I was pregnant with my first child in 2001. Right before my due date (I was obviously really pregnant), I was shopping in Walmart, and I started to notice this woman on every aisle I went on. I would guess she was in her mid 30s.

When I went to the baby section to look at clothes, she started asking me questions, at first they were common, like about the gender. Then the questions started getting strange- was I married, did we have a house or an apartment. She commented on my "accent" and was curious if we had anyone in the area (I am from Michigan and was stationed in Florida) visiting for the birth. Just kind of odd.

I was young, 20, but I was married and my husband and I were both Active Duty, living off base in a rental house. I just told her yes, we were excited and to have a good rest of her day. She then started actually following me, telling me her husband was outside the store and they could help me take my groceries to my house.

That's when I got really nervous. I told her I was fine, thanks, that my husband was home and could help me. She then told me they had a big truck and that she would buy me a large baby item. I politely declined and she was so insistent, becoming aggressive. She then offered to buy my husband a grill, since we didn't need any baby things. I was getting panicky at this point because I knew this lady was not right.

I went to checkout, so did she. She got out before me and I watched her racewalk out of the store and sure enough, she and her husband were pulled along the curb at the front near the pop machines. They were in a beat up old yellow box truck. Husband rolls down the window and says "we'd be happy to help you with that!" I again declined and went to my car.

Loaded up and watched for a minute, they didn't move, just watched me. As soon as I pulled out, they did, too. I hauled a*s out of there and they were only behind me for a minute or two. I still drove around crying for about 30 minutes making sure they were gone before I had to pee and needed to go home. I'm now 44 and that is the first, and one of just a few, times that I have felt that level of fear in my life.

ManitouBears , freestocks Report

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#5

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them I was 17 and was in NYC. I was going from the hotel to buy some croissants near Times Square.
I already knew NYC quite well, so it was normal for me to do this walk through the city.

As I am walking, I never realised someone was following me until a cop starts rapidly walking towards me from the right and just about as the person following me was about to grab me, the cop grabs his arm and stops him.

My stomach dropped and I just kept on walking just letting the cop do his job.

BMagni , Darya Sannikova Report

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#6

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them When I was about 14, my longtime childhood friend and I, both having SUPER strict parents, used to sneak out in the middle of the night during our summer break, just to hang out, walk around town and generally sneak around feeling daring.


One night I went and stood outside her house at the usual time but she didn't show. I eventually gave up and went to walk back home.


About halfway back, a car came down the street towards me. I was on the same side of the road and some instinct told me to cross to the other side. Just as I decided to do so, the car started slowing down. So I crossed, and it sped up again. As it passed me the driver turned his face towards me and gave me a penetrating stare that *chilled* me.


As the street was otherwise completely silent and deserted, I could easily hear this car reach the end of the road, then turn and head back my way. Thinking fast, i waited until he'd almost reached me before running back across to the other side of the road. This time the look he gave me was unmistakably angry. 


He sped up again and as I was just passing a smaller side road I ran down there as fast as I could. I knew there was an alleyway at the other end that I could get home through and he couldn't drive down that way. Again I heard car reach the other end of the road and turn round again. As the sound of the engine approached, I dived behind a parked car.


He came down my side road, driving very, very slowly. Peeking out I caught a glimpse of the driver looking left and right as his car crept along the road. He was clearly looking for me.


As soon as the car had turned a corner out of sight I ran up a nearby gravel driveway that turned out to have a couple of lock-up garages at the other end. By some amazing stroke of luck I found one was unlocked. I slipped inside and pulled the door to, crawled under a tarpaulin in a dark corner and just...waited.


A few minutes later I heard a car door slam.


Then I heard one of the most terrifying sounds I'd ever heard. Footsteps on gravel.


They came to my end of the driveway and just...stood there for a while. I don't even know how he knew I was there as he wouldn't have been able to see me go up there in his rearview mirror unlike he presumably had with the side road, but apparently he did. Eventually he seemed to give up and i heard the footsteps receding back down the drive, then the car door slam and the engine rev up.


I have no clue how long I stayed there under that tarp in the pitch dark with my legs cramping up but it felt like forever. It was morning by the time I got home. This was almost 30 years ago but I can still feel those chills .

tiptoe_only , KoolShooters Report

Final score:
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Kalikima
Kalikima
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was 8 years old, I was walking home with a friend from school. We were walking home on this bike path that ran along this long flash flood culvert. We were just waking, talking, and I noticed this white work van (the kind with no windows in the back) driving past really slowly.. I didn't pay too much attention to it, we kept walking, and then I notice it driving by again in the opposite direction, again really slow. I mention to my friend that I thought they were acting weird, and we start walking faster. But this culvert is miles long, so we still have a ways to go. We're about halfway down the lane when this van drives by a 3rd time. Except this time he slowed down right ahead of us, and stopped. At this point, we were right at the train tracks that ran outside the "village" we lived in (really just a housing development) and we both just booked it for the train tracks. We jumped the brick wall that separated the village from the train tracks, we jumped down, and ran for home.

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#7

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them Commented this before, but still valid. Think about it an awful lot for being 20 years ago

Back in highschool I was waiting for my Dad to pick me up

He got stuck at work so he was running late, and I was waiting out front of the main entrance. There were a couple kids hanging around, but they were being systematically picked up

After a bit, an older gentleman (older to me then, now? A rough 40s?) walked across the street and asked if I was Ashley?
"No sorry"
This should have been where it ended

He proceeded to chat, explaining he was there to meet Ashley
Am I sure I'm not Ashley? We met on the Internet
You seem just like her (tbh I'm not sure if there ever was an Ashley now that I think about it)

I was raised, like many young ladies, TO BE POLITE
Thankfully they also taught me to be cautious

So while I didn't feel comfortable calling out the creepiness, I did try to get away.
I tried to go back inside, but the doors were locked

I called my Dad to see where he was and mentioned there were a few kids left, and within range of the guy hearing, I mentioned some guy waiting for a girl. "That's weird, stay away from him" we hangup

He kept trying to make conversation

I walked down to the other side of the school, he soon followed

I ambled back to The last random kids waiting
Eventually it was down to one young man, me and the creep

The young man was being picked up, I followed him to his mom's car, she asked if I was okay, if I knew him, I said I was okay, but no, I didn't know him

She had to go though, she had to get to work.

The man continued to try to talk to me, ask me questions, get me to go down the road with him.

Thank goodness I see my dad's truck in the distance and start walking towards him

I hop in
He sees the man, "that the guy you mentioned? Was he bothering you? You can tell me"
"No, he was just chatting while he waited for Ashley"

*I died a little inside that day, because I had more than a few opportunities to make myself safer. I could have explained fully to my dad either time. (I didn't, legit terrified he would murder him, he would go to jail and my family would be homeless)
I could have called the police
I could have insisted that woman take me down the road to the library

From that night, 20plus years ago to now, I have replayed it over and over thousands of times

But use the information to try to make my nieces more comfortable with advocating for themselves

You can't change your past, but you can change someone's future.

ProperMirror8551 , RF._.studio Report

Final score:
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#8

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them I was about 10, getting back home from the park with my sister. She, being the stubborn younger “I need no older sister playing mom to me” sibling walked purposely 20 metres ahead so nobody would even THINK we were together. She rounds the corner, and I hear a blood-curdling scream.

I never covered 20 metres so fast in my life.

I round the corner and there’s a man, holding my sister by her throat, dragging her into an opened car parked nearby.

When he sees me advancing and yelling incomprehensibly (I honestly don’t know what I yelled, I was scared out of my wits) and he realises there’s two of us, he drops her, jumps into the car and drives off.

She had fingerprint-shaped bruises on her throat for days.

SultrySummer4365 , Karolina Kaboompics Report

Final score:
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#9

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them I was 16 years old roller skating with my friends at the local teen hangout spot when a mildly attractive young woman approached me and asked for my number. Being a 16 year old boy I was like sure have my number you’re kinda cute. About 20 minutes later she comes back over to me and asks if I wanna leave and hangout somewhere else. At this point she tells me her “brother” (some similar aged guy she was with) will drive us around then bring me home. I was super weirded out and had a gut feeling that wasn’t really her brother (maybe her boyfriend/partner in crime). I told them I already had a ride home from my friends and I was all set. She got angry and insisted I come with them that they’ll get me home safe and I have nothing to worry about. My friends overheard this and came over to say “he’s alright he’s got a ride home”. To this day I still get super anxious about how easily 16 year old testosterone filled me could’ve just left with a random girl and never seen the light of day again.

EExperiencing-Life , cottonbro studio Report

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#10

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them There was a guy who would come out and shout at us in the play park for being too loud. We used to be cheeky back and he would end up pointing an air rifle at us. As kids we we found it funny and thought he was full of s**t.


He ended up murdering his wife by bashing her head in with a hammer.

CheetahNervous7704 , Ksenia Chernaya Report

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athornedrose
athornedrose
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

guy in our neighborhood used to do this to the kids who played in the backyards next door to him. 3 year old wandered into his yard accidentally and he fired a warning shot into the air. cops refused to do anything because, in our county, " you can shoot at anything as long as it's on your property". his sister ended up convincing him to move out of the neighborhood. turns out he was a vet who refused ptsd counseling. ended up shooting more people the next place he went.

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#11

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them This was in San Jose, CA. I worked at a car dealership and a lady came in to look at a truck, she was going to pay cash. She was wearing expensive jewelry but acted very strange. The whole time I was trying to figure out if she was on d***s...I ultimately decided I wasn't comfortable going on a test drive with her. We were close to closing anyway. There was just something off....so I closed up shop and watched as she wandered through the car lot looking at cars. The next day I see her mugshot on tv. She had bludgeoned to death an older lady with a hammer in the ladies home and robbed her. She committed this crime the night before visiting our dealership. So the jewelry she was wearing...purchasing her get away car...I can't help but feel I got out of that situation with my life. So glad I trusted my gut on that one.

ninmena , Pixabay Report

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#12

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them My experience is pretty tame, tbh, but I do still think about it occasionally.

I was either late 12 or had just turned 13 (can't remember, but my birthday is in winter, and that's when this happened) and I was walking to school. The school was about a mile from my house, so it was a decent walk. It was snowy af outside and suddenly a van pulled up in front of me and parked off to the side of the road. I immediately stopped walking, because I'm very suspicious of people. A woman got out of the van and asked me if I wanted a ride because it was so cold out. I immediately got suspicious because most people who ask someone if they want a ride just do it from their window as they're driving by slowly. But this woman parked and got out of her van just to ask me this. It made me feel like she wanted to snatch me and drag me to the van. Like I said, I'd stopped walking and did not take another step closer to the van or her. The van had tinted windows. Another red flag for me. I told her, "No, I'm fine. Thanks for asking though." This wasn't enough though. The woman asked about two or three times. The persistence was super sus. Eventually, I was like, "Look, this walking is really important to me. I get bullied at school for being fat and I'm trying to lose weight. That's why I don't take the bus anymore. So, I walk to school. I really don't want a ride, okay." I said it really forcefully. I didn't give a single sh*t about losing weight. But I was chubby and that's all I could think of to say. She finally gave up and left. I still wonder what would've happened to me if I was a dumb, trusting kid and took the "ride.".

Ceaseless_Duality , Jake Ingle Report

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#13

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them In high school I worked at a burger joint. Was having a rough day and really wanted to quit my job when a middle aged man came in and bought just a cup. I was cleaning the soda fountain and he came over to get ice in his cup and handed me a business card. He said something about how I deserved better and how they were looking for more young ladies and to give him a call if I was interested in learning more. He then left with his cup of ice, went out to his white van and poured a beer into that cup, and drove away.

Saw his face on the news a few weeks later. He was part of a sex trafficking ring that was busted.

mexihuahua , Andrea Piacquadio Report

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#14

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them A few years ago I went to a farmers market event with my mother in law and sister in law. As I was standing at one of the booths looking at something, an old man came up behind me and whispered in my ear “are you being a good girl?” None of us knew who he was. Thinking about it still makes me so uncomfortable!

jmp325 , Mark Dalton Report

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#15

When I was a teen, I worked at a doctor's office. We had a patient, "Charlie" come in. He was a workman's comp case, so he hadn't been a patient before. He was handsome and about 6'5" of pure muscle, but there was something just "off" about him. At first I thought it was me, but when he left after his first appointment, ALL the office staff (all female) felt someting wasn't right about Charlie. We were all so uncomfortable that we talked to the doctor (male) about it and asked if he could be the one to treat Charlie from start to finish. The doctor also got a bad vibe from him too, so he agreed and told the receptionist to schedule him only during busy times so there were a lot of people around.

Charlie came in for his treatments over the course of three months and, other than him just being kind of a strange guy, nothing really happened. He finished his treatments, his lawyer sent some requests for paperwork for WC when he was done and we all thought that was that.

About TWO YEARS later, I was reading the paper and Charlie was arrested for violently raping a woman (and nearly k***ing her in the process). I KNOW it was him because he had an extremely unusual last name and the ages matched up. He was eventually convicted and went to jail (though I don't know for how long).

That was my affirmation that, as a woman, I should always trust my gut.

Madeline73 Report

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Upstaged75
Upstaged75
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to be the Administrator at a university for a Master's in IT program geared toward working adults. One day I saw a report on the news about someone who had killed his wife, dismembered her, stuffed her in a suitcase, and thrown her in a field. They showed a picture of the guy and I recognized him as one of the students in our program. He was always super polite but a little shy and awkward. It was crazy to think the same man did something so horrifically violent! I never got any weird vibes from him at all. Scary.

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#16

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them I was once really high waiting for the walk light and a guy came up to me at the corner and put a knife to my throat and I just laughed and was like dude and he went you cool and walked away. It didn't even phase me until like 2 hours later and I was like wtf.

SailorGohan , Yusuf Çelik Report

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Jeremy James
Jeremy James
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was walking home one night night in New Orleans when a guy grabbed my shoulders from behind and said, "Where's your money!?" I said, "Man, I'm broke as shìt!" And he said, "Oh. Okay." And then he just... left. It was my most cordial mugging to date.

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#17

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them Late to the party but I'll tell mine.

I (f) enjoy a beer at a bar by myself from time to time. Either to just be alone, or maybe chat with a bartender if they're feeling social. Occasionally I'll get some unwanted attention, but usually a casual mention of my boyfriend gets folks to buzz off without issue.

One time I was at the little dive bar by my house. A guy sat next to me and started chatting with me. Friendly stuff. Nothing too forward. Didn't even catch his name.

Then he goes:
"You live at (my address), yes? Unit #1, on the corner?"

I lived in an apartment complex. My unit was indeed #1 on the corner. I had never seen this man before. I got a sinking "this isn't good" feeling.

"No" I replied "I'm sorry, you must have me mistaken for someone else."

His demeanor changed immediately. He twisted towards me with this really annoyed look. He responded.

"No. I see you. I ALWAYS see you. You live there."

His tone was this weird mix of frustrated and offended. He was just... glaring at me, waiting for me to respond.

Insert "I'm in danger" Ralph meme.

I bumbled out "nope don't live there" one more time, paid my bill, and bounced.

I was nervous to go home, so I went to a friend's who gave me some pepper spray just in case (not like I would be effective using it but hey it was something)

Thankfully I never saw him again. I moved out of that apartment soon after, which I was already considering but this gave me the push.

My guess/hope was that he lived near by and just lacked social skills, but the way he said "I ALWAYS see you" still gives me chills.

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#18

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them I was about 10 when my family was staying at a cabin in the mountains in the winter. It was a snowy night and my parents and aunt/uncle had all gone to their bedrooms to sleep. My siblings and cousins and I were all sleeping in the living room.

At some point I was awakened by a chilly draft. When I opened my eyes I saw the front door was slightly cracked and there was a man making eye contact with me. In the middle of the night, in the freezing cold, on the deck of a cabin that was way up the mountain, far removed from town. I screamed for my dad. The man disappeared into the darkness. My dad quickly came to the living room and turned on the porch lights. The man was just standing in the driveway silently looking back at us. He claimed he was just looking for a drink of water.

MultiverseM , Maël BALLAND Report

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Strings
Strings
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Perfectly natural, walking up to a dark house in the middle of a winter night, to ask for a drink... /s

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#19

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them A man outside a bar one night approached my girlfriend and I. He asked if we heard about “the murders in New Brighton.” We of course had not. He went on to explain that his girlfriend had been k***ed. The next morning I saw that he was arrested for k***ing her.

danezone , Kindel Media Report

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#20

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them When I lived in a rental property on the west side of Albuquerque many moons ago I had a "census taker" knock on my door. Okay fine, I guess someone needs to do it. He asked me how many people lived in the home, how long I had been there, etc. Then he asked for my social security number as well as my wife's. Umm, no. I don't give my SS# to anyone except the IRS dude. He said "it's the law, you have to provide me with it." "NO I absolutely do not, now please leave." Him: "I'll be back tomorrow." Sure enough he shows up the next day banging on my door and yelling from outside "I know you're home, I know you're in there. I'll be back tomorrow!" He came back a third day knocking on the door and I yelled through the door "I'm calling the police you f*****g psychopath!" Sure enough the police show up 15 minutes later, he's still standing there with his clipboard. The police take his ID, he gets on the radio and comes back 10 minutes later. "Sir, there is no record of you working for the local census. You will need to vacate the premises." Absolutely bizarre experience.

ObjectReport , MART PRODUCTION Report

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#21

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them 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.

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Sofia
Sofia
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that no matter the age, saying such a thing is just gross no matter how is said

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#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.

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María Hermida
María Hermida
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In a nature trail, I'd kill the bastard and leave his corpse there in the middle of nowhere so that the animals can dispose of the rubbish. You can bet your life your daughter was not the first little girl he tried to kidnap, nor the last.

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#23

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them 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.

jamieliddellthepoet , Luis Quintero Report

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Bartlet for World Domination
Bartlet for World Domination
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

First of all: ew, and secondly, I learned a new word today: germane means fitting.

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#24

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them 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.

doctorphuckawff , Kampus Production Report

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#25

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them 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.

MadyMari111 , Y BOX Report

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#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.

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Katiekat
Katiekat
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Always trust your intuition, it will guide you right every time

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#27

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them 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.

Aware-Nature4400 , Mental Health America (MHA) Report

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#28

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them 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.

jkb_18_cats , Michael Burrows Report

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ZombieMommy
ZombieMommy
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was the only girl in a men's store. Had one guy who would ignore the other workers and beeline for me. Got to the point when we saw him coming the guys would cut him off so I could go hide in the back.

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#29

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them 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.

muddertung , Pixabay Report

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Anna Ekberg
Anna Ekberg
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1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He belongs in jail, with the wife. They are both human traffickers.

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#30

30 Internet Users Reveal The Oddest Things That Strangers Have Done Or Said To Them 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.

AnericanSteel412 , satemkemet Report

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