I had the experience in NYC

When I go out my company, a Chinese guy in his 50s asked me if I am a Chinese. He looks in a decent shape, and told me he was from Tianjin, just one day ago for a business trip in NYC. Today he was robbed by a black guy, and need money to back to his hotel. I gave him $10.
About one years later, in the Grand Central Station, I met the same guy and asked me the same question in chinese "Are you a Chinese?". He couldn't remember me, but I remembered him with the same person and same question. I suddenly realized I had been fooled last time. So I replied in English "No" and past over.