SCAMMED by DriveTimeHire.com

StuartXGoldsmith

I booked a Aston Martin for hire with Drive Time Hire for a three day weekend, via their website.

I was then contacted by phone and asked to pay £600 to secure the vehicle which I paid.

However, when the time came for delivery the vehicle never materialised. I attempted to contact the company several times but after they took my money that's the last I heard from them.

I have contacted the Police and Trading Standards who are looking in to them now. The address they had listed was 87A Market Jew Street, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 2LG. Having visited the address in person I can confirm that they don't exist and have never been at that address.

The number listed is 0871 315 9933 but it simply forwards all calls to a mobile phone.

I feel such an idiot for falling for it, and although £600 hurts, I'm more worried that i may have compromised my ID, as I gave them my driving licence details.

I'd really appreciate your advice guys!

mickbhall

5cancel card if not done and sign up to experian etc and look for any thing dodgey.

maninthestreet

Did you use a credit card to pay? If so, you can get the £600 back from the credit card provider.

Strider590

Website looks like a child made it, who'd trust that?

Did the person you spoke to sound English?
If he/she is not a UK national then the Police are going to have a really hard time tracking them down.......

vikingaero

I would definitely contact your card provider.

The website registered to a webhosting company in California and listed as a private registration. The site was created on 28th July 2010. There are no geographical address details on the site and the telephone number is a non-geographical 0871 number.

StuartXGoldsmith

I paid cash at the Post Office.

Fortunately, I kept the receipt and passed this on to the Police who are tracking the beneficiary down.

I doubt I'll ever get the money back but my biggest worry is them having my personal details. I thought I was dealing with a reputable company, and the person I spoke to on the phone seemed plausible.

It's easier to spot the signs of a SCAM once you've been a victim, I only wish I'd done a little more research before I paid them. Now not only am I out of pocket, but I stay awake late at night wondering what other surprises are in store considering they have my details and it could be used for fraud. :mad:

king100

Anyone tried to call and book with them as a test?

maninthestreet

StuartXGoldsmith wrote: »

I paid cash at the Post Office.

Please explain how you paid this fraudster in cash at a Post Office?

_ollie_

maninthestreet wrote: »

Please explain how you paid this fraudster in cash at a Post Office?

From: http://drivetimehire.com/ConditionsInfo.aspx (my bold)

Hiring from Drive Time Hire is a simple straight forward process:
1/ Fill in the request form
2/ We will carry out preliminary checks on you to confirm your identity, we use various criteria if approved we will let you know what scheme you have been approved for.
3/ We will then call you to arrange a date for delivery and send you out your unique membership card.
4/ When membership card arrives top up at the post office or any PayPoint to confirm your order.
5/ We will notify you to confirm payment within 1 working day.
6/ Sit back and wait for your vehicle to arrive on the desired date.
7/ When the hire term expires our drivers will arrange pick up from your shipping address.
We also operate an online tracking service to allow you to check on the progress of any booking and any important information will also feature here.

vinnie83

I spoke to Kamal Hussain, he said he works there and Graham Woods is the owner.

Address he gave is linbury house, conduit lane, en11 8up.

Refused to give me a landline tel number saying that's just how they operate.

Hope this may help

Strider590

They have a Facebook profile too..... Big mistake..... Facebook can release the IP address that was used to create the profile, to the Police and the Police can contact his ISP tracking him down to his front door.

Now they just need to realise this fact and get their !!!!!! into gear.