We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Compensation scam?
Hi all,
I've just had an odd phonecall from someone from 'UK compensation department' (I didn't catch the whole title, there was another word in there). He claimed that it's connected to the government, and said that I'm due compensation from a very minor accident I had last year. Even though there was no damage or injury, he reckons I'm due 3.4k (he was very disappointed when I kept saying that I had no injuries, however minor from it).
He's calling me back on monday and says he needs to know the reg number of the other guy involved (who's fault the very minor accident was). He was insistant that I had to find out the info within a few days or it'd be 'too late'.
It just seems really dodgy to me, a quick google didn't bring up any government departments doing this. I don't even know how I'd go about getting the info he wants.
Obviously I don't want to turn my nose up at a few grand, but I don't want to be caught out in a scam. So has anyone heard of this before?
I've just had an odd phonecall from someone from 'UK compensation department' (I didn't catch the whole title, there was another word in there). He claimed that it's connected to the government, and said that I'm due compensation from a very minor accident I had last year. Even though there was no damage or injury, he reckons I'm due 3.4k (he was very disappointed when I kept saying that I had no injuries, however minor from it).
He's calling me back on monday and says he needs to know the reg number of the other guy involved (who's fault the very minor accident was). He was insistant that I had to find out the info within a few days or it'd be 'too late'.
It just seems really dodgy to me, a quick google didn't bring up any government departments doing this. I don't even know how I'd go about getting the info he wants.
Obviously I don't want to turn my nose up at a few grand, but I don't want to be caught out in a scam. So has anyone heard of this before?
Unless I say otherwise 'you' means the general you not you specifically.
0
Comments
-
Cold call... Claims company.. Illegal for the companies to do this i think...
So what happens is someone else phones you then sells your information onto a claims company.
Either way, Tell them to sod off.Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0 -
I thought it was along those lines. Especially when he said he had 200 calls a day to give people compensation they didn't know they were entitled to - surely there aren't that many accidents that people forget about!
ETA: Is there somewhere I can report them to?Unless I say otherwise 'you' means the general you not you specifically.0 -
That may be difficult if you don't know who they are.Is there somewhere I can report them to?
Remember you did say......from someone from 'UK compensation department' (I didn't catch the whole title, there was another word in there).
Forget about it.
I am not even sure they have done anything wrong, are you?0 -
I had a similar call a day or two ago they said I could get £2,750 for my non-existent accident from a few years ago, must have been less severe then you're non-existent accident!0
-
Did they know anything about your accident?
My guess is they just ring people without knowing and see if they can get somebody interested.0 -
I had a similar call the other day from one of these companies. They told me they were RTA Assistance Limited based in Liverpool. I asked them to confirm that that was their company name, and they did. I asked them for the company number, but they did not know. They did not know the address of their company either. (RTA Assistance Limited are not based in Liverpool, by the way.)
I asked if they were authorised by the Ministry of Justice and they confirmed they were. So, I asked them for their authorisation number. The girl asked her manager, and he said he had no idea what I was on about.
They gave me a !!!! and bull story about how insurers set aside £2,200 for every claim and that we would be entitled to that money. If we didn't claim it, it would go straight back to the insurers' pot.
I asked how they came by our number, and she told me that she was instructed by insurers to make sure that their customers received the best service possible, but couldn't tell me who our insurer was.
I've never heard such a ridiculous story in my life. But I kept her on the phone for about 20 minutes, which stopped her bothering anyone else for a little while.
She never did ring me back with that MOJ number, though.
Oh yes, forgot to say, I haven't been involved in an accident.0 -
That may be difficult if you don't know who they are.
Remember you did say...
Forget about it.
I am not even sure they have done anything wrong, are you?
He's phoning me back on monday to find out the other guy's reg number, which I'm supposed to get from either my insurers or the police. Yes, I'm sure I can just ring them out of the blue and get that info!
He said several times that they're a government department, which is what worries me and makes me want to complain.I had a similar call a day or two ago they said I could get £2,750 for my non-existent accident from a few years ago, must have been less severe then you're non-existent accident!
I did have an accident, but I think it was more luck (on their part) that they'd got someone who had.Did they know anything about your accident?
My guess is they just ring people without knowing and see if they can get somebody interested.
He claimed he did, and needed me to 'confirm' details. (Un)fortunately I could just remember the rough time (sometime in x or y month last year), and then my DOB and reg number (I don't have that car anymore). So thinking about it, it's ludicrous that he could tell me for sure how much compensation I was due from an accident that neither of us knew the details of!
Shame, I could have done with the cash :rotfl:
I'll see what kind of mood I'm in on monday, if he calls back, whether or not I can be bothered to play with him *evil cackle*.Unless I say otherwise 'you' means the general you not you specifically.0 -
forgotmyname wrote: »
Either way, Tell them to sod off.
nah, because you're down as having an accident and there being a possible claim you'll get calls because there's commission in it for somebody. If you tell them to sod off there's still commission for somebody if they can convince you to claim. The best thing to do is to tell them you've already claimed for it.
already claimed = been paid out = can't claim again = no commission for them.0 -
Usually it's your old insurer selling you details on, or a list of everyone that has a claim in the last few years.
Sounds like the latter.0 -
Usually it's your old insurer selling you details on, or a list of everyone that has a claim in the last few years.
Sounds like the latter.
Working their way through the phone book as well.
First time I had one of these calls I actually phoned-up my insurer to find out what was going on, as I haven't had an accident in the past 10 years. Person I spoke to said they were probably working on behalf of some ambulance chasers (my words not theirs) to see if there was a potential compensation claim.
If you want to blame someone for the 'elf 'n safety gorn mad nonsense in this country blame the ambulance chasers. :mad:"One thing that is different, and has changed here, is the self-absorption, not just greed. Everybody is in a hurry now and there is a 'the rules don't apply to me' sort of thing." - Bill Bryson0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.2K Spending & Discounts
- 245K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.4K Life & Family
- 258.8K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards