Help! Been wrongly accused of scratching someone's car

Cherryberry

Hello can anyone offer any advice?

I returned to my parked car today to an aggressive, threatening and anonymous note:

'I have photo evidence, Shittest parker I've ever seen and you've scratched my car with your bashed up door. Txat! I have your reg and I'll be reporting you to my insurance and police for damage!' 

The strange thing is that I was parked well within the perimeters of the parking bay and I absolutely did not scratch their car. The car door does have a bash from the previous owner, but that's been there for ages. I found a witness who took photos of my car parked well within the bay, checked for CCTV there is none, and then I reported the aggressive note to the police. I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do to protect myself? I just parked in a parking bay and came back to a threat! Any advice? 

maisie_cat

Some years ago my hubby had a similar thing while using my car, they said they had CCTV "evidence"but nothing ever came of it. I always believed it was a well worn scam.
I suspect they have been looking for somebody to blame for a scratch and hope to extract money from you.
Try not to worry if you are sure you didn't scratch their car and take picture all around your car to show there is no damage.

Cherryberry

Thank you so much for your kind response! It's so stressful to receive such an aggressive note and to be wrongly accused to boot. 

There is damage from years ago from the previous owner. I didn't see the point in getting it fixed, but a mechanic inspected it some time ago so he may vouch for me. 

sheramber

if you had scratched their car is it likely you would then have parked next to them.

lisyloo

I would keep the note.
if they take it to insurance (which they won’t) then demand the photos they say they have (which they don’t).

The note is evidence they are lying because they can’t have those photos.

Cherryberry

sheramber said:

if you had scratched their car is it likely you would then have parked next to them.

Exactly!! If I was going to deny the fact I would have just scurried off to another parking bay. 

Cherryberry

It's made me think though - I'm going to carefully document all existing damage to my car, so I can protect against false claims such as this. 

MalMonroe

Hi, sorry this has happened to you, it's not very nice to return to your car to such a horrible note.

But this sentence from your post -

 "'I have photo evidence, Shittest parker I've ever seen and you've scratched my car with your bashed up door."

- and the bit I've highlighted - makes me think that it is a scam. Because they have pointed out that your door is 'bashed up'. I think that someone was in the car park, after you'd parked up and left, looking round for cars with a particular type of damage. Spotted your car - and then decided to try to scam you. They may have even driven off and scratched their own car later. But if your car had caused any damage to theirs then there should have been paint transfer (oh yes, I watch all the true crime programmes!) and they'll have to show evidence of that.

It's also weird that they would leave such a note without any details about their insurance company or their own phone number, as people normally do when something like that happens (if they are honest of course!)

If they have photo evidence, is that supposed to mean that they've taken snaps of you actually parking and bashing into their car? Which is obviously impossible as you didn't do that. It is no coincidence that there's no CCTV coverage of the area too. Otherwise their 'proof' is very flimsy. 

All very strange. But try not to worry as I think you've done exactly the right things, especially reporting the aggressive note to the police.  

peter_the_piper

Scam. If you'd scratched my car I'd have either taken pics to prove I parked beside you or waited for you to come back.

cx6

It is actually a criminal offence for the other person to knowingly make a false claim through their insurance company.

https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/fraud/8-myths-about-insurance-fraud/#:~:text=Fact - Insurance fraud is a,face the prospect of imprisonment.

Cherryberry

All really helpful - thank you everyone. I contacted my insurance company today and told them everything. They are ready for contact and will fight it.