Elaborate 'scam' to steal my car or genuine good Samaritan?
Discussion
A couple of weekends ago on returning from a Stag do in Marbella, my hand luggage bag containing my car keys was (I presumed) stolen in Malaga airport. Eating lunch, bag by my side. 30 mins later on finishing lunch and planning to make our way to the gate, the bag was gone.
I alerted the restaurant owner who stated he'd contact the police etc. He thought perhaps the Moroccan family on the table next to us may have taken it by accident.
With 20 minutes to go until the gate was to close, I wrote the bag off and thankful as my passport was in my pocket and I was able to return to the UK. My wife picked me up and brought the spare set of car keys so I was able to drive home (as I'd parked at the airport).
A week or so later, received a letter from KeyCare who informed me my keys had been found and to contact them.
Sure enough, on calling, they stated a chap had reported the keys in his possession with my bag as well and Malaga airport was mentioned. He was up in Manchester. A £10 reward is given to the individual who finds the keys, the individual can keep the £10 or have it donated to charity. He donated it to charity.
I've just given him a call. Sounded like a nice chap. Apparently was flying from Malaga to Manchester that day. Their bag (small black) had gone missing and staff had transferred my bad to their plane thinking it might be theirs. The only identifying info in my bag was car keys with the AA/KeyCare fob with a contact number which he rang.
He seemed extremely decent on the phone. With me in Essex and him in Manchester, bit of a trek to drive and collect. He suggested I give him my address and he'd courier the keys across. He would not accept me paying for the courier or sending him something as thanks (perhaps cultural?).
Anyway, it got me thinking. He could have made a copy of the keys and now with my address quite easily come down and drive the car away! The keys are for my old Polo, so £500 car (on a good day).
I've not yet texted him my address.
I was tempted to tell him I felt so bad about the situation that he should text me his address and I'll arrange a courier at my own cost.
What do you guys reckon? Elaborate 'scam' to steal my beloved Polo or genuine good person (they may still exist)?
I alerted the restaurant owner who stated he'd contact the police etc. He thought perhaps the Moroccan family on the table next to us may have taken it by accident.
With 20 minutes to go until the gate was to close, I wrote the bag off and thankful as my passport was in my pocket and I was able to return to the UK. My wife picked me up and brought the spare set of car keys so I was able to drive home (as I'd parked at the airport).
A week or so later, received a letter from KeyCare who informed me my keys had been found and to contact them.
Sure enough, on calling, they stated a chap had reported the keys in his possession with my bag as well and Malaga airport was mentioned. He was up in Manchester. A £10 reward is given to the individual who finds the keys, the individual can keep the £10 or have it donated to charity. He donated it to charity.
I've just given him a call. Sounded like a nice chap. Apparently was flying from Malaga to Manchester that day. Their bag (small black) had gone missing and staff had transferred my bad to their plane thinking it might be theirs. The only identifying info in my bag was car keys with the AA/KeyCare fob with a contact number which he rang.
He seemed extremely decent on the phone. With me in Essex and him in Manchester, bit of a trek to drive and collect. He suggested I give him my address and he'd courier the keys across. He would not accept me paying for the courier or sending him something as thanks (perhaps cultural?).
Anyway, it got me thinking. He could have made a copy of the keys and now with my address quite easily come down and drive the car away! The keys are for my old Polo, so £500 car (on a good day).
I've not yet texted him my address.
I was tempted to tell him I felt so bad about the situation that he should text me his address and I'll arrange a courier at my own cost.
What do you guys reckon? Elaborate 'scam' to steal my beloved Polo or genuine good person (they may still exist)?
Edited by g3org3y on Thursday 25th July 15:48
g3org3y said:
A couple of weekends ago on returning from a Stag do in Marbella, my hand luggage bag containing my car keys was (I presumed) stolen in Malaga airport. Eating lunch, bag by my side. 30 mins later on finishing lunch and planning to make our way to the gate, the bag was gone.
I alerted the restaurant owner who stated he'd contact the police etc. He thought perhaps the Moroccan family on the table next to us may have taken it by accident.
With 20 minutes to do until the gate was to close, I wrote the bag off and was thankful my passport was in my pocket and I was able to return to the UK. My wife picked me up and brought the spare set of keys so I was able to drive home (as I'd parked at the airport).
A week or so later, received a letter from KeyCare who informed me my keys had been found and to contact them.
Sure enough, on calling, they stated a chap had reported the keys in his possession with my bag as well and Malaga airport was mentioned. He was up in Manchester. A £10 reward is given to the individual who finds the keys, the individual can keep the £10 or have it donated to charity. He donated it to charity.
I've just given him a call. Sounded like a nice chap. Apparently was flying from Malaga to Manchester that day. Their bag (small black) had gone missing and staff had transferred my bad to their plane thinking it might be theirs. The only identifying info in my bag was car keys with the AA/KeyCare fob with a contact number which he rang.
He seemed extremely decent on the phone. With me in Essex and him in Manchester, bit of a trek to drive and collect. He suggested I give him my address and he'd courier the keys across. He would not accept me paying for the courier or sending him something as thanks (perhaps cultural?).
Anyway, it got me thinking. He could have made a copy of the keys and now with my address quite easily come down and drive the car away! The keys are for my old Polo, so £500 car (on a good day).
I've not yet texted him my address.
I was tempted to tell him I felt so bad about the situation that he should text me his address and I'll arrange a courier at my own cost.
What do you guys reckon? Elaborate 'scam' to steal my beloved Polo or genuine good person (they may still exist)?
Absolutely a scam, and a damn clever one. The planning required to follow you to Malaga, sit at the next table with his co-conspirators is excellent and frightening.I alerted the restaurant owner who stated he'd contact the police etc. He thought perhaps the Moroccan family on the table next to us may have taken it by accident.
With 20 minutes to do until the gate was to close, I wrote the bag off and was thankful my passport was in my pocket and I was able to return to the UK. My wife picked me up and brought the spare set of keys so I was able to drive home (as I'd parked at the airport).
A week or so later, received a letter from KeyCare who informed me my keys had been found and to contact them.
Sure enough, on calling, they stated a chap had reported the keys in his possession with my bag as well and Malaga airport was mentioned. He was up in Manchester. A £10 reward is given to the individual who finds the keys, the individual can keep the £10 or have it donated to charity. He donated it to charity.
I've just given him a call. Sounded like a nice chap. Apparently was flying from Malaga to Manchester that day. Their bag (small black) had gone missing and staff had transferred my bad to their plane thinking it might be theirs. The only identifying info in my bag was car keys with the AA/KeyCare fob with a contact number which he rang.
He seemed extremely decent on the phone. With me in Essex and him in Manchester, bit of a trek to drive and collect. He suggested I give him my address and he'd courier the keys across. He would not accept me paying for the courier or sending him something as thanks (perhaps cultural?).
Anyway, it got me thinking. He could have made a copy of the keys and now with my address quite easily come down and drive the car away! The keys are for my old Polo, so £500 car (on a good day).
I've not yet texted him my address.
I was tempted to tell him I felt so bad about the situation that he should text me his address and I'll arrange a courier at my own cost.
What do you guys reckon? Elaborate 'scam' to steal my beloved Polo or genuine good person (they may still exist)?
Your only choice is to go into hiding, probably remotest Peru for at least two years. Do not speak to anyone at all.
eldar said:
Absolutely a scam, and a damn clever one. The planning required to follow you to Malaga, sit at the next table with his co-conspirators is excellent and frightening.
Your only choice is to go into hiding, probably remotest Peru for at least two years. Do not speak to anyone at all.
Your only choice is to go into hiding, probably remotest Peru for at least two years. Do not speak to anyone at all.
OP Nice sounding guy phones in your missing keys, donates the reward to charity and offer to courier them back to you, yet you think he wants to steal your £500 Polo.
Seriously...?
Rawwr said:
I'd give him the benefit of the doubt, I think.
I'm assuming (because he wouldn't accept any material thanks, including alcohol for which he cited religious reasons) that he's Muslim. If he's actually v religious this level of kindness may be legit.Mexman said:
Post them in a jiffy bag, job done.
Why the big palava about picking them up or dropping them off?
It's the whole bag, not just the keys.Why the big palava about picking them up or dropping them off?
According to the KeyCare people, if it was just the keys, they'd organise them to be sent in a jiffy bag.
eybic said:
Could be a geniune person, could you not insist on getting the bag collected from him (maybe say you have an account with a courier firm and you'd be embarassed if he paid for an organised it)
That was one option.Spare tyre said:
Or get the keys sent to a friends house or similar
Yep, I was thinking to request they be sent to work.eldar said:
Your only choice is to go into hiding, probably remotest Peru for at least two years. Do not speak to anyone at all.
This was my preferred option tbh.JulianPH said:
OP Nice sounding guy phones in your missing keys, donates the reward to charity and offer to courier them back to you, yet you think he wants to steal your £500 Polo.
Seriously...?
If it's too good to be true and all that...
Puggit said:
Isn't the whole point of the intermediary company (keycare?) to avoid this exact scenario?
If it was just the keys, they would organise that. It's because it's the whole bag I've contacted him directly.Pericoloso said:
OP says old Polo ,just go to a key cutting shop if it doesn't have any electronics in the key.
Yep old Polo (2001). No electronics in the key, no remote CL or alarm/immob etc.Edited by g3org3y on Thursday 25th July 12:13
Spare tyre said:
Puggit said:
Isn't the whole point of the intermediary company (key safe?) to avoid this exact scenario?
I always assumed the finder puts them in a postbox FOC, if details supplied he gets his rewardThey go back to base, then onward to the owner
OP, just get it sent to work or something, however this bloke seems to be pretty genuine, I'd not worry (too much)
Just get it sent to your office, if he queries say you're out all day but you can receive it at your office, thanks very much.
There ARE still some decent people out there.
Although I must say that the bit about the airport giving a bag to someone else who carried it onto a plane is the only fishy bit about the whole tale.
There ARE still some decent people out there.
Although I must say that the bit about the airport giving a bag to someone else who carried it onto a plane is the only fishy bit about the whole tale.
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