My friend and I were sitting at a cafe/bookstore. An old woman approached us, holding her charger, saying if we saw anyone take her phone. There are outlets all around this store for people to charge their phones. We told her we hadn't seen anyone take her phone. She broke into tears and they looked genuine to me. We took her to security and then walked back to our seats. She came to that spot again with the security and they discussed options since there was a camera pointed towards that spot. Security said camera footage is closed circuit and this is more of a police matter. After security left, I offered her $5 to take the train to wherever she lived. She refused the money, saying she still had her debit card. Then she asked if she could use my phone to call her friend. The friend I was with, he refused to help her from this point on and told me not to either. He told her to use the store phone, if they let her. The lady thanked us and went away. My friend explained people can dial numbers that reroute my messages and calls to them, or call scam numbers, or do other nefarious things. Even if I dial the number for them. I was a bit surprised. Nothing about the woman had rung any alarm bells for me. I thought there was nothing wrong with dialing the number and talking to her friend as long as she did it in front of me. Later, when I was walking to the bathroom, I saw her sitting in a different part of the store, looking quite sad. We made eye contact and I asked her if she's fine, and she shook her head a bit but didn't ask for help or money or anything. I feel like it wasn't a scam. My friend is pretty sure it was a scam. I don't think she would have gone to security or asked to check the cameras or stuck around the premises if it was a scam. I think she would have tried to make a move when she saw me (the gullible one) far away from my shrewd friend.