Contents insurance cover and scam 'theft'

FataVerde

I was scammed yesterday by a guy who came while I was talking to somebody in front of my house to say he could take the renovation rubble for a small fee as he was already clearing for another client. He started removing my bags but basically just put them in a pile across the street and left with the cash to supposedly bring his van. In retrospect, all the alarm bells were there, but I was in a hurry and stressed and tired and I had just talked to a removals company over the phone to cancel a collection so I assumed they failed and sent this guy. Either way, I'm not going to claim on this because I just started the home insurance, but I wonder 1. would the lost cash be covered in this situation when I handed out my money in the front garden of my house, which I believe is shared with my neighbour? and 2. would this incident make my home insurance go up? I reported it to the police. Thanks

TSx

Most policies will exclude theft by deception (sometimes with a wording which means they will cover theft if deception is only used to gain access to the property) so it's very unlikely it will be covered.

MattMattMattUK

FataVerde said:

I was scammed yesterday by a guy who came while I was talking to somebody in front of my house to say he could take the renovation rubble for a small fee as he was already clearing for another client. He started removing my bags but basically just put them in a pile across the street and left with the cash to supposedly bring his van. In retrospect, all the alarm bells were there, but I was in a hurry and stressed and tired and I had just talked to a removals company over the phone to cancel a collection so I assumed they failed and sent this guy. Either way, I'm not going to claim on this because I just started the home insurance, but I wonder 1. would the lost cash be covered in this situation when I handed out my money in the front garden of my house, which I believe is shared with my neighbour? and

No it would not be covered.

FataVerde said:

2. would this incident make my home insurance go up?

It is unlikely to, because there is no claim against your home insurance, but trying to claim for this might have some impact if it was recorded as a failed claim.

FataVerde said:

I reported it to the police. Thanks

This is your only course of action, which unfortunately means nothing will happen and the money is gone.

FataVerde

Thank you, both! I found the exact wording which I vaguely remembered from when I read the documents. 

Sadly, yes, I know nothing will happen with the police report. I reported his phone number because I got it and I spoke to him on that number. I would have thought that can identify someone but probably not. Lesson learned.

Tigsteroonie

I'm sorry if I'm not understanding but what would you propose to claim through the contents insurance - theft of the bags of rubble? theft of the money (that you handed over)? You were swindled, not burgled. 

FataVerde

Tigsteroonie said:

I'm sorry if I'm not understanding but what would you propose to claim through the contents insurance - theft of the bags of rubble? theft of the money (that you handed over)? You were swindled, not burgled. 

Yes, you do not understand so you need to reread my post. I specifically said I do NOT intend to claim. The report to the police was to hopefully prevent other people being scammed.

chrisw

You should also have checked that he had a waste carriers licence as you have a responsibility to ensure the waste is properly disposed of.

You could potentially be held liable for fly tipping.

Sandtree

FataVerde said:
I reported his phone number because I got it and I spoke to him on that number. I would have thought that can identify someone but probably not. Lesson learned.

You can get a new telephone number in seconds without providing any ID online and drop it just as easily. The only traceable thing anyone would have is an IP address but there are equally hundreds of VPN clients that will give you a temp IP address and guarantee no records are kept of who had what when. 

Gone are the days where you could almost physically follow the cable.

TELLIT01

If the rubble is still 'in the street' you need to get it back onto your property or, as mentioned by chrisw, you could be done for fly tipping.

FataVerde

Sandtree said:

FataVerde said:
I reported his phone number because I got it and I spoke to him on that number. I would have thought that can identify someone but probably not. Lesson learned.

You can get a new telephone number in seconds without providing any ID online and drop it just as easily. The only traceable thing anyone would have is an IP address but there are equally hundreds of VPN clients that will give you a temp IP address and guarantee no records are kept of who had what when. 

Gone are the days where you could almost physically follow the cable.

True, but frankly, I have no doubt this guy is very low tech. lol

frederick1950

I can't actually believe the OP asked if this would be covered by insurance and  had bothered to check his documents .
Two words spring to mind.....
 naive and gullible .