My car was stolen by someone coming to view it

subzero1988

So I have had one call with my insurance, they said as it’s not a typical claim I need to have another phone call tomorrow. They haven’t tried to challenge anything yet.

it was a SIM tracker, so active SIM card inside the tracker and you text the number to receive the locations.

it was an M2, 30k.

I understand that there were signs, I feel like a fool and completely mugged off that I didn’t see them. It’s something I’m going to have to live with now. 

I didn’t come inside the house then, I said after I came out he said it would be 5minutes, we waited in my car after that.

The centre console had both my key and mobile phone, I took just the keys as my instinct is if I’m leaving the car, the keys come with me. He had only opened the door, I hadn’t imagined that he would have stolen it, it’s just my mindset is if I leave the car keys come with me. That’s why I left the phone in there, I was getting back in, in a manor of seconds I thought. 

This was in London 

macman

My sympathies. In all the excitement, don't forget to get your SIM card blocked, as otherwise you could end up with a bill for that as well if it's sold on and used.

FTB_crossed

I really hope that insurance company can get this sorted for you. I put my car up for sale in West London few ago and out of all the calls I got, 90% were from the similar sort of scam I believe. 

They would ask you this as the first question, you have 2 keys.. and so on.
Is there anything working with the cat mechanically... What’s your location as they wanted to come and view the car. I’d always tell them to meet me at a public place or once l said I’ll come to you then they don’t bother. 

There’s lot of car adverts going on everyday on gumtree & auto trader and imagine how many people are getting scammed by this gang.
I’d report to police and not online but go to the police station and tell them about this and tell them to investigate. 

They will be able to pick up other car’s registration plate from nearby CCTV somewhere.
If car was was on finance or if you had paid any part payment for the car by cred card then you could involve finance company or make a claim under section 75 with your credit card company. 

Good luck!

subzero1988

FTB_crossed said:

I really hope that insurance company can get this sorted for you. I put my car up for sale in West London few ago and out of all the calls I got, 90% were from the similar sort of scam I believe. 

They would ask you this as the first question, you have 2 keys.. and so on.
Is there anything working with the cat mechanically... What’s your location as they wanted to come and view the car. I’d always tell them to meet me at a public place or once l said I’ll come to you then they don’t bother. 

There’s lot of car adverts going on everyday on gumtree & auto trader and imagine how many people are getting scammed by this gang.
I’d report to police and not online but go to the police station and tell them about this and tell them to investigate. 

They will be able to pick up other car’s registration plate from nearby CCTV somewhere.
If car was was on finance or if you had paid any part payment for the car by cred card then you could involve finance company or make a claim under section 75 with your credit card company. 

Good luck!

I really do as well, I can’t actually comprehend them rejecting it at this point. I’ve but so much time and money into getting where I was to own that car. It was hard enough to put it up for sale, but now it’s been taken from me, when I was there, is just unbelievable and something I can’t get my head around completely still. 

I actually had the police come to my house to take a statement, I’ve then asked them where to send in this CCTV that I found from next door. These guys need to be apprehended and stopped, it’s so brazen to do what they did to me. I feel so violated...

Unfortunately no finance or credit cards, I’ve just got my insurance to rely on. 

Dr_Crypto

- Loss or damage to your car where possession is gained by any form of deception or fraud.

This is a bit worrying. There are many examples in which this could happen to a perfectly honest person. For example a thief pretends to be a hotel valet and takes the car after the customer hands over the keys thinking they are a genuine hotel employee. Or one of those off site airport parking companies. A thief poses as a driver and takes the keys and car. 

subzero1988

Dr_Crypto said:

- Loss or damage to your car where possession is gained by any form of deception or fraud.

This is a bit worrying. There are many examples in which this could happen to a perfectly honest person. For example a thief pretends to be a hotel valet and takes the car after the customer hands over the keys thinking they are a genuine hotel employee. Or one of those off site airport parking companies. A thief poses as a driver and takes the keys and car. 

That is why I’m praying what Sandtree said is going to be applicable here - that it’s more of a fail safe in case they think you’re lying. I can only hope now that this is the case.

Sandtree

Dr_Crypto said:

- Loss or damage to your car where possession is gained by any form of deception or fraud.

This is a bit worrying. There are many examples in which this could happen to a perfectly honest person. For example a thief pretends to be a hotel valet and takes the car after the customer hands over the keys thinking they are a genuine hotel employee. Or one of those off site airport parking companies. A thief poses as a driver and takes the keys and car. 

The FOS has guidance to insurance companies on this here:
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/businesses/complaints-deal/insurance/motor-insurance/vehicle-theft

and linked from it a case study:
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decisions-case-studies/case-studies/customers-car-stolen-deception

The case studies are actually incomplete but brief synopsis...
1) Buyer wanted to look under the bonnet with the car running, as the owner closed the bonnet buyer jumps in the car and drives off... complaint upheld 
2) Buyer wants to take a car for a test drive and see the MOT cert etc... owner hands them the keys and goes in the house to find the MOT certificate and the buyer drives off... complaint rejected

Of the two case studies the OP is closer to the first one (though in terms of your two scenarios as the keys were voluntarily handed over you have to say they are closed to second one.... never liked valet parking anyway).

Lorian

Did you try tracking your mobile phone?

subzero1988

Sandtree said:

Dr_Crypto said:

- Loss or damage to your car where possession is gained by any form of deception or fraud.

This is a bit worrying. There are many examples in which this could happen to a perfectly honest person. For example a thief pretends to be a hotel valet and takes the car after the customer hands over the keys thinking they are a genuine hotel employee. Or one of those off site airport parking companies. A thief poses as a driver and takes the keys and car. 

The FOS has guidance to insurance companies on this here:
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/businesses/complaints-deal/insurance/motor-insurance/vehicle-theft

and linked from it a case study:
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decisions-case-studies/case-studies/customers-car-stolen-deception

The case studies are actually incomplete but brief synopsis...
1) Buyer wanted to look under the bonnet with the car running, as the owner closed the bonnet buyer jumps in the car and drives off... complaint upheld 
2) Buyer wants to take a car for a test drive and see the MOT cert etc... owner hands them the keys and goes in the house to find the MOT certificate and the buyer drives off... complaint rejected

Of the two case studies the OP is closer to the first one (though in terms of your two scenarios as the keys were voluntarily handed over you have to say they are closed to second one.... never liked valet parking anyway).

Thanks, that is actually quite reassuring

subzero1988

Lorian said:

Did you try tracking your mobile phone?

Yes, i have andriods find my device activated. The problem is when i called the police initially I was about 5min walk from my house, I waited for the police there and for some reason, they couldn't find me. So I called them back up and said can they send the police officers to my address, I went home and had to meet them outside. By this time it must have been at least 10minutes, put the laptop on to track the phone and it says cannot reach device