"A scam in London some time ago- a man engages one in conversation (Street, pub, etc.,) and claims to be from your country (Canada, in my case), and tries to get help in order to buy a ticket home. "

A version of a regular one tried all over the country. Normally its just needing a train or bus fare home. My daughter, in Dundee, had the same person try it on her twice in a week!

The other varient is approaching somebody outside an office claiming to have worked with them many years before. If they are good at the spiel they can end up with you thinking that they really do know you when you are giving the information.