An Overly Friendly Seatmate On Your Flight Can Get You In Trouble – This Viral Post Advises People What To Look Out For

Traveling can be boring sometimes, especially if you are traveling alone or for work. Long waits at the airports, the boarding procedures, long flights… they all make you want to reach out to the nearest person, chat a bit, and make the time go faster.

Most people are like that—they need company. But a small percentage is not trying to make friends—they are looking for a mark.

Being friendly is okay; being overly friendly is a cause for alarm. If you are approached by someone asking you to do them some strange favor, politely say no.

Even if it is something benign, it may have serious implications. On a flight, you can never be too safe.

Even if there are severe laws (so strict that you can't even joke about them), there is always something you can do to improve your safety and security when flying. Unigwe Chidalu, a Nigerian translator, journalist, and blogger, recently re-shared some information on how to be safer on aircraft.

Her Twitter thread tells the story of how a woman came dangerously close to becoming an accessory to a drug-smuggling attempt. Read her story and take notes; they may come in handy when you are traveling.

Be careful if someone is acting especially friendly with you on a plane.

Michael Rehfeldt

Translator and journalist Unigwe Chidalu from Lagos, Nigeria, shared her experience:

Unigwechidalu

She was sitting next to a friendly old lady on a flight to Dubai.

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The old lady started feeling sick when the pilot announced the plane was reaching its destination.

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She started calling OP "her daughter."

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One kind man advised Unigwe Chidalu to make it clear to everyone that she and the old lady were not together...

Unigwechidalu

Which she did.

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The old lady asked OP to carry her handbag...

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OP refused and exited the plane.

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At the airport, OP witnessed the old lady's miraculous recovery...

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The old lady started calling OP "her daughter" again.

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So the airport police took her in for questioning.

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Luckily, the evidence showed that she was innocent...

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OP has learned her lesson...

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This interesting and exciting story was initially posted on several different websites, but it really took off when Twitter user Chidalu shared it on his page, garnering more than 9,300 likes and 7,400 retweets. Here are some of the most interesting comments:

Some people were a bit suspicious:

Davideddieson

How did the old lady manage to get the drugs past baggage control?

Gazzilee

Other people shared their experiences:

TimaJimmy

And this is quite common.

sodyOka4

It happens everywhere.

odion4niaja

Don't do it!

CrazyTortz

Unfortunately, this is so true...

Living_JustCus

Many commenters questioned the authenticity of the story, but the truth is that criminals often prey on unsuspecting people to help them with their unlawful actions. It is not always about smuggling drugs across the border, but it is quite common.

There are cases of criminals even staging lotteries with trips to exotic countries as the main prizes. They would then use unsuspecting “winners” as drug mules.

They would provide them with suitcases (often containing drugs in secret compartments) or sealed envelopes to give to the “travel agent” at their destination… The list of their methods is quite long. So, be careful out there.