Sounds exactly like the scams from Diablo1&2.
They'd claim all kinds of stuff to get your gear on the ground and then use a move to close the distance and boom.
I also remember people being tricked into being player killed.
"I'll kill X monster for you"
Everyone heads out of town.
Other guy goes into hostile mode and comes out swinging.
I admit I got caught by then when I was a noob. A high level barbarian cut through the whole party in one attack.
