conversation: User (dailygrace): "Background: My car has some front bumper damage from hitting a pole. The damage is noticeable but not significant, so I haven't worried about getting it fixed. \n\n\n\n\nStory: I got into my car in the parking lot, and I was looking at my phone before I left. A guy pulled up next to me and motioned for me to roll my window down. He tells me he saw the damage on my car and he fixes stuff like this for a living. I get out of the car and he says he'll look at it and quote it for free. \n\nAs he's looking he asks me what my deductible is. I talked to him and he explains that he is a mobile car repair guy, and he gives me a business card. He tells me a repair shop would charge $1,100 to get it fixed because they would replace the whole bumper, but he can do it for $400 in 15 minutes. I'm hesitant because in my mind no one legit approaches you in a parking lot. He tells me there's an ATM nearby and that I don't want to pay him until he's done. I was considering it, because it seemed like a good deal but at the same time he's a random guy in the parking lot. \n\nTo convince me he's legit he shows me a wad of $100s and "casually" mentions his car is 35k. I'm even more skeptical now, because who carries that much money around. I say no thanks for night, but I have your card I'll call you after I get paid. He says he's really busy and that he has a client meeting him soon and he'll be working on that car for about a week or so. At this point alarm bells are going off in my head and I say no thanks then I start walking to my car. He tells me to say a price and if it's worth his time he'll consider it. I say no thanks again and unlock my door. At this point he's standing in front of my car. He says he can do it for $300 and I say no thanks again and I open the door and start getting in.\n\n\n He walks over and says give me my card back, because I know you won't call me. I just offered to do it for $300 and you're saying no thanks. I give him back his card and get in my car. As I start my car he says I'll regret this, I don't know a good deal, and that he was trying to do me a favor. At this point I'm paranoid af and ready to GTFO. \n\n\n\nThe ride back home I wondered if I'm just being too paranoid or if this was actually a scam. \n\nThe red flags that I saw were\n1. He approached me in a parking lot \n\n2. He pulled out a wad of hundred dollar bills\n\n3. He asked for my deductible and then just quoted me a price just under that \n\n4. He wanted to do it right now, and not later even though he gave me a business card. \n\n5. He seemed angry that I didn't want his help.\n\nSo did I miss out on a good deal or did I almost get scammed?\n\nty runescape for scamming me as a child\n\n\n\nEDIT: I'm going to add some helpful information from the comments\n\n\n\n\n\nfrom gamalmfaly1983\nAlso OP (and it seems you know this) NEVER go to the ATM to give some random person money in public. You're asking to be mugged and/or seriously hurt.\n\nhingamarco - http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/repairs_at_your_own_risk.html\n\n\n1111thatsfiveones - \nUsually, they have you out of line of sight while they bang around on it a bit. Then they cover it with "setting putty" (drywall mud) and tell you to give it 48 hours before you wash it off. What you don't know is that underneath that putty, your dent is still there (if you're lucky), or they've used a screwdriver to punch a hole in the body to pull the dent out (if you're not lucky). Source: I pulled a stupid and let a guy in a parking lot fix a shopping cart ding in my door once. I had to put my car into the shop for a week (and $600) to have the whole door redone.\n\n\ncacille - \nThis is a really common scam, popular in St. Louis right now. Yep, you pulled a smart to not let this guy touch your car. You almost got scammed. \n\nTheFckingMellowMan,rnbguru Also comments saying this is common in Detroit and San Francisco.\n\nhandle2001,spaci51 - Something I hadn't considered is that he very well could have robbed me. \n\n\nAND AS ALWAYS REMEMBER TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY FUND AND THEN MAX YOUR 401K \n\n"
  Self: "This is a common scam. They take off your bumper and then say it's now $500 to put it back on. You ask wtf? And they say what do you mean, you're the guy missing the bumper. They can drive away and leave you like that if you don't pay."
  