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New Scam?

(12 Posts)
Oldwoman70 Thu 27-Jun-19 13:43:46

I took some things to the charity shop this morning and as I got out of my car a woman in the car in the next space shouted that I had dinged her car. When I get out of my car I do so with my hand around the edge of the door so if I had hit her car I would have felt it. I said I thought she was mistaken but she continued to rant and pointed to a dent in her car door. By opening my car door it was obvious that in order for me to have caused the dent I would have had to hit it with the centre of my door! I repeated I thought she was mistaken and carried on into the charity shop. When I came out she was gone.

I then went to nearby shopping centre and saw the same car with the same woman sitting there. I parked a little way from her and sat and watched. Another car soon pulled in beside her and an elderly gentleman got out - sure enough she started shouting that he had dinged her car, which he denied. They carried on a conversation and I then saw him take out his wallet - at that point I intervened and told him she had tried the same thing with me (which she denied). I had filmed his car pulling into the space and it showed at no time did any part of his car touch her car. She got in her car and drove off.

Speaking to the gentleman after he said that she had told him she was a solicitor and she would sue him and it would cost him thousands in court fees and costs. She then said if he gave her £100 there and then she would forget it. After telling her he didn't have that much money on him and didn't use cards she asked how much he did have. He told her just £40 which he was going to use to do his grocery shopping. She said in order to save him the stress of a court case she would take that - which is when I had stepped in.

Obviously she spends her time waiting in car parks to try to scam people out of cash.

I have put a note on the local Facebook page but just in case she isn't just a one off scum bag I thought I would warn other GNs.

Tedber Thu 27-Jun-19 13:46:09

I hope you took her registration number and notified the police also?

fizzers Thu 27-Jun-19 14:05:02

The police need to be informed of this, hopefully it will be captured on CCTV (if there is CCTV)

KatyK Thu 27-Jun-19 14:08:50

This happened to my sister but it was two men in a white van. She was very frightened. They asked her for money but she refused. They were shouting and being aggressive. She did inform the police.

mumofmadboys Thu 27-Jun-19 14:12:48

Yes please inform the police oldwoman

EllanVannin Thu 27-Jun-19 14:19:51

This is an old one. About 4 years ago my D and myself were in the car ready to back out of a car park and some clown decided to head for the backend of the car saying my D had backed into him. Okay, his bumper was dented, though it could already have been like that, not a mark on my D's car ( it's like a tank ) so D got out of the car and asked for his particulars and with that, he sped off------so beware of those with dented bumpers.
He'd have been hoping for a " quick settlement " !

Oldwoman70 Thu 27-Jun-19 14:35:45

Can confirm I have reported it to police

suziewoozie Thu 27-Jun-19 14:39:39

Oldwoman you have been a model citizen. I also appreciate your posting this because scams like this tend to spread and it may well be that older drivers might be targeted as perceived as easier to bully.

HildaW Thu 27-Jun-19 14:57:35

You really must inform the Police, please do.
P.S. well done for taking on this criminal. They can be very confrontational and dishonest and yet sounds so convincing. I had a very unpleasant 'conversation' with someone who was in conflict with a neighbour - she could look you straight in the eye and say she was a solicitor and her brother was a barrister and it would sound very convincing....all lies of course.

Daisymae Thu 27-Jun-19 15:48:13

Well done for taking some action. Need to stand up to these people. There might be CCTV in the car park but I expect the police will be too busy.

MawBroonsback Thu 27-Jun-19 16:02:21

A timely warning.
What a low life! ????

FarNorth Thu 27-Jun-19 16:09:44

It sounds like telling them to go ahead and take you to court, asking for their name & insurance info and taking down their reg number, could get rid of them.