False Accusation

Primrose24

Not sure if this is in the right category, but here goes!

I went into town yesterday and parked in a private car park. I reversed with no problem into a parking spot between a car and a van. The van was actually doing some work on a solar system in the car park. 

Upon my return, I was getting into my car when the van owner approached me and stated that I had scratched his car. Please believe me when I say this is a totally false accusation. I showed him the adequate amount of space I had getting in/out of my car without any compromise to his van. He then said it must have been your shopping bag then? I have a small hessian type shopping bag. I asked him to show me the said scratch, he randomly pointed to a part halfway up on the side of his van, personally I could not visibly identify any scratch. If there was one it must be very superficial. He said, ‘it wasn’t there this morning’ I said ‘are you in the habit of checking for scratches every morning’ to which he replied ‘actually yes’.

At this point I am beginning to feel intimidated, as nobody was around and I was blocked from the back with a barrier and he was blocking the channel between our cars from the front, so I got back in my car stating firmly ‘I have not scratched your car and provide proof’ I started my car to leave. He then started taking photos of my number plate my dashboard (parking ticket) and most worryingly photographing me. He shouted ‘you will be hearing from the police.’

In hindsight, I should have got my own phone out and taken photos for evidence, but I was not thinking straight. I was actually shaking. The car park has only one camera on arrival/exit. As I say, I felt intimidated and wanted to leave because I knew it was a scam. However, being falsely accused of something has stressed me out so much. I feel victimised and worry he will he somehow take this further even though I know I am not guilty of anything.

How would you have handled this? By the way, I am female, age 67.

Bigphil1474

Hindsight is a lovely thing, but don't beat yourself up about it. Would have been handy for you to take photos, but at the end of the day his photos will show no more than there is a scratch (if there is one), and won't prove anything. If I were you, I would make notes of everything that happened so if you do receive any correspondence you can refer to those notes. Also, worth taking pictures of your vehicle now, where there could possibly have been any contact with the van - that may show that your vehicle has no signs of any relevant damage. The van driver may well have had his vehicle scratched by 'a vehicle' but that's all he can know. 

Primrose24

Thanks so much for your input, I  appreciate it.

When I started to analyse it all yesterday I took photos of my car - drivers side when I got home. Absolutely perfect. 

However, it’s been playing on my mind this morning (woke at 2.00am) so I phoned the police (non emergency number) and logged the incident with them. They basically said the same as you! 

Scammers come in all shapes and guises I guess!
Thanks again.

DullGreyGuy

Primrose24 said:

Scammers come in all shapes and guises I guess!

There are also people who are genuine but are simply wrong... not everyone is out to scam. 

I came back to my car to find the wing badly dented and no car in the space next to me. Managed to get the CCTV footage which unfortunately was from a panning camera and it only showed one vehicle parking next to mine all day. By now 3 days later I saw the same car parked in the carpark but the corner that would have hit me looked in good shape and covered in the same amount of dirt as the rest of the car.

Did they hit my car and were just lucky not to have any own vehicle damage? Did another car try to park in the space, hit mine and ran before the panning camera caught them? Was the damage actually done another day and I just didnt spot it?

Personally just dealt with the damage but multiple associates said I should be pursuing the vehicle that was parked next to mine all day despite the lack of damage to theirs.

Primrose24

Absolutely agree ‘not everyone is out to scam’. But in this case a false accusation without evidence and pointing out what I can only describe as an imaginary scratch, nothing visible to my eye at least suggests scammer.

Anyway, as a safeguard I have reported the incident to the police should anything materialise. 

Ditzy_Mitzy

I had a similar experience many, many years ago.  I reversed into a parking space which was part of a double row.  There was a Mercedes parked in the space immediately behind mine with a man sitting in it.  I finished parking and got out, at which point the man leaped from his Mercedes with an angry shout of 'you've hit my car!'.  

I hadn't, and protested my innocence vociferously.  The man, who was a 'gangsta' type, became increasingly agitated and commenced pointing at something he described as damage on the front of the Mercedes.  What he indicated was a small scratch, but it was one amongst many by virtue of his car being an old heap.  I told him that it wasn't my problem.  The man carried on with his 'rude boy' act, getting so worked up at one point that he seemed on the verge of tears.  Eventually I told him that there was nothing more to say and walked off.  

The man had gone by the time I got back to my car.  Never heard anything in relation to the matter, but it did predate camera-phones.  It wasn't a pleasant experience, but not all experiences are!  

Primrose24

Thanks for your response, it’s appreciated.

Ditzy_Mitzy

Primrose24 said:

Thanks for your response, it’s appreciated.

No trouble.  Meant to say that I'm also female, but forget how old I would have been at the time of the incident!  Can't say I was upset by it, but can see that circumstances like that could be disconcerting.