Just heard of an oil in coolant scam victim - what to do?
Discussion
I've just learned that my sisters FIL (a lovely elderly chap) has just been scammed out of his car by what we PHers know as the "oil in coolant" scam.
Classic case of one of them distracting him whilst the other poked about under the bonnet. Unfortunately, he fell for it and sold it at what isn't even scrap value, cash, did the DVLA transfer, and they "towed it" away. Clearly just to the next street, because an hour later it went through the Dartford crossing an hour later without paying. So, he has some pretty good evidence that it wasn't knackered (thank goodness the DVLA wasn't as instantaneous as you'd think).
She's going to advise him to report it to the Police on the non-emergency number. Is there anything else he should be doing?
ETA as he's a bit embarrassed about it he's gone into "don't want to talk about it" mode. I've suggested that my sister or her husband surreptitiously checks for the Land Rover / Range Rover apps on his phone in case he has connected services - might be handy to see where it is / has been.
Classic case of one of them distracting him whilst the other poked about under the bonnet. Unfortunately, he fell for it and sold it at what isn't even scrap value, cash, did the DVLA transfer, and they "towed it" away. Clearly just to the next street, because an hour later it went through the Dartford crossing an hour later without paying. So, he has some pretty good evidence that it wasn't knackered (thank goodness the DVLA wasn't as instantaneous as you'd think).
She's going to advise him to report it to the Police on the non-emergency number. Is there anything else he should be doing?
ETA as he's a bit embarrassed about it he's gone into "don't want to talk about it" mode. I've suggested that my sister or her husband surreptitiously checks for the Land Rover / Range Rover apps on his phone in case he has connected services - might be handy to see where it is / has been.
Edited by donkmeister on Saturday 24th October 13:22
Sadly, it will be a he said she said situation, which the police (and courts) would be hard pushed to prosecute on.
Scammers work round the clock - it is their full time job, and most people are lucky to just not have come into contact with them.
I won't give any annoying stable door/ horse bolted type of advice, but it is perhaps a chance for others on PH with elderly relatives to think how to assist them with stuff like this.
My dad is coming up to 80 and still very active/ hands on in his life, but seeing stuff like this does worry me.
Ian
Scammers work round the clock - it is their full time job, and most people are lucky to just not have come into contact with them.
I won't give any annoying stable door/ horse bolted type of advice, but it is perhaps a chance for others on PH with elderly relatives to think how to assist them with stuff like this.
My dad is coming up to 80 and still very active/ hands on in his life, but seeing stuff like this does worry me.
Ian
I sold a cheap car for my Dad the other day to keep him away from s
t like this. I ended up having to deal with utter scummers and, while it wasn’t a scam as such, they were playing games from start to finish. I would guess this is a way of life for some of the country’s finest dregs.
t like this. I ended up having to deal with utter scummers and, while it wasn’t a scam as such, they were playing games from start to finish. I would guess this is a way of life for some of the country’s finest dregs. Ian Geary said:
I won't give any annoying stable door/ horse bolted type of advice, but it is perhaps a chance for others on PH with elderly relatives to think how to assist them with stuff like this.
My dad is coming up to 80 and still very active/ hands on in his life, but seeing stuff like this does worry me.
Ian
Very true. My dad is coming up to 80 and still very active/ hands on in his life, but seeing stuff like this does worry me.
Ian
Scammers assess their mark, I suspect if he'd been stood by the bonnet and kept an eye on what they were doing, they wouldn't have even bothered with the test drive as they wouldn't have been able to pull their scam.
Likewise, if he'd been a group of face-tats steroid infused looneys they'd have decided against potentially upsetting them.
Instead, nice old man, soft touch.
Absolute b
ds. You have to hope that people who live that way always end up pissing off the wrong person and regretting their life choices, but you'd never know one way or another.steveo3002 said:
98elise said:
steveo3002 said:
suck it up sadly , police wont do anything , they never held a gun to his head
Its still a scam, and they are likely doing it to other people.ked. Then were caught on an official camera driving it an hour later. Clearly a scam. It's not just a good price for a quick sale situation, if you see what I mean.ETA if it shows up on AT perhaps I can share the details and we'll all take turns to take it for a test drive then offer the amount they paid him
Sorry to hear that op.
Suggest you report it here. Not sure what can realistically be done but better than doing nothing.
https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/
Suggest you report it here. Not sure what can realistically be done but better than doing nothing.
https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/
donkmeister said:
LightweightLouisDanvers said:
What was the car value?
Something JLR?
Good guess; can I ask why?Something JLR?
If that is what turns up to view your car, say its sold.
Police will do nothing.
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