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Original poster

Car prang... DP thinks I'm about to be scammed

27 replies

fenderbender123 · 20/04/2021 16:37

I went into the back of someone's car at a fairly low speed - I would have been doing 15-20mph before I started braking. It was 100% my fault.

The other car appears to have sustained nothing more than a couple of minor scratches. I've slightly bent my bonnet (which I won't be repairing - my car is ancient so not worth it).

At the site I gave the other person my business card, which was all I had with me, so she has my contact details.

She said her DF is a mechanic and we don't have to go through insurance.

She's now texted me to say that her car is making funny noises when she drives it. DP reckons this is highly unlikely because there was nothing more than scratches on it, and it was the rear of the car, and that I can now expect a fabricated and inflated bill for something not caused by me. She also wants a photo of my driving licence.

I'm thinking of telling her to get quotes, and if they seem extortionate, then ask her to go to a local garage of my choice, to prevent her mechanic dad inflating the quote. If it's a lot / she refuses to get a second quote, then go via the insurance.

I've never had to claim off car insurance before, and only have 1 year NCD (didn't have a car for a long time).

So, MN wise ones, what should I do, and am I at the start of being scammed?

OP posts:
l2b2 · 20/04/2021 16:39

Why does she want a copy of your photo driving license?
She's not the police.

mooonstone · 20/04/2021 16:39

Just report it to your insurer now, and go through them.

AdobeWanKenobi · 20/04/2021 16:41

DS had someone hit the rear of his car years ago, looked damage free but £1200 worth under the bumper.
Low speed does not necessarily equal no damage.

Go through your insurance. It's what it's there for. Do not send your driving license. Send a text informing her of your decision to put it through insurance, then block.

Underbox · 20/04/2021 16:42

Don't send her a copy of your driving licence! All sounds a bit suspicious .... contact your insurer and deal with this legitimately.

IbrahimaRedTwo · 20/04/2021 16:45

DP reckons this is highly unlikely because there was nothing more than scratches on it, and it was the rear of the car, and that I can now expect a fabricated and inflated bill for something not caused by me

The woman who drove into the back of me as convinced there was nothing wrong with my car, that it was just a few scratches. And it didn't look at first glance as if there was much wrong. But on close inspection it was clear that some hidden parts (feck knows what, I'm clueless) had been damaged quite badly, and the car was written off by the insurance company and I got a nice sized cheque. I didn't scam her, it was nothing to do with me.

Don't assume anything when you have no way of knowing.

MotherOfGodWeeFella · 20/04/2021 16:46

Contact your insurer. It's what you pay them for.

malovitt · 20/04/2021 16:48

Someone hit me from behind at fairly low speed, it looked like minimal damage but when I opened my boot I couldn't close it again and the car was written off.
You really can't tell.

osbertthesyrianhamster · 20/04/2021 16:49

Contact your insurer. Do not give her a copy of your driving license. She is not the police. Only thing you answer her is that you've now decided to go through your insurer. And do it.

DoingItMyself · 20/04/2021 16:51

Definitely go through official channels. Dd had a similar accident, the family involved (a young woman and her dad) made a nuisance of themselves for months, demanding repairs for damage not done etc.

FeatheredHope · 20/04/2021 16:51

What the others have said. Definitely ignore her requests for your driving license. Go through your insurance company (I might be wrong but I thought you were obliged to tell them regardless)

NelleBee · 20/04/2021 16:52

Yeah, contact your insurance company. My Dads car was written off after someone went into the back of him even though damage looked minimal from the outside. So it’s quite plausible and not necessarily a scam.

AliceBlueGown · 20/04/2021 16:52

Absolutely - phone your insurer. Insist on going through insurance and then all these additional problems should go away.

gamerchick · 20/04/2021 16:55

Definitely call your insurer. They go on case by case now because there's so many rear ending scams about. Just take the stress out of it.

Photo of your driving licence indeed Hmm

Doghead · 20/04/2021 17:17

My car was written off after another vehicle pranged me from behind. Ther wasn't a mark on mine....so no damage to the eye doesn't necessarily mean no damage underneath.

Just report to your insurance.

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 20/04/2021 17:18

Contact your insurer. 100%

FranklySonImTheGaffer · 20/04/2021 17:24

While there are honest people around, there are more chancers so I would report to your insurance and have no further contact.

Something a lot of people don't know - you can pay to repair the damage and there's nothing to stop them then going to the insurance to claim injury - and you have no proof of the extent of the damage because it's fixed which makes it a lot harder for your insurer to argue.

enjoysun · 20/04/2021 17:26

Insurance company As soon as possible

Twistered · 20/04/2021 17:28

She'll put a personal injury claim in if you go through the insurance

nimbuscloud · 20/04/2021 17:28

Go via your insurance.

nimbuscloud · 20/04/2021 17:29

And even if she does claim for personal injury that’s what insurance is for.

Floralnomad · 20/04/2021 17:31

Just tell your insurance company and then tell her she is to deal with them

MissConductUS · 20/04/2021 17:31

You pay the insurance company to represent you in situations like this. They will be aware of every possible scam. Let them do their job.

DanceForMeColin · 20/04/2021 17:32

My car was written off when a car drove in to the back of it at about 20 mph (I was stationary). Despite no obvious superficial damage, my car had over £1000 worth of damage to it and I sustained whiplash injuries which persisted for the best part of a year but were nor immediately obvious. Definitely go through your insurance.

Original poster
fenderbender123 · 20/04/2021 18:39

Other driver has texted saying there's a leak coming from her car and she wants to go through insurance, so I guess that's that dilemma settled.

OP posts:
IbrahimaRedTwo · 21/04/2021 09:04

I'm thinking of telling her to get quotes, and if they seem extortionate, then ask her to go to a local garage of my choice, to prevent her mechanic dad inflating the quote. If it's a lot / she refuses to get a second quote, then go via the insurance

The absolute cheek of you! YOU drove into the back of her car. She did nothing wrong and it was all your fault. But you thought you could order here to do what you wanted, call her dad a cheat, call her a scammer, and decide whether to go to insurance or not. Are you for real?
I hope she does well out of it, you deserve it.

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