To doubt this man?

[Jessiepops]

Hello all, this is my first post so go easy on me, I think I'm posting in the right place and your honest opinions would be much appreciated.

So this morning I called to the shop at about 7am for some milk. As I pulled up I drove alongside 2 parked cars, as I was getting out of my car I was approached by a man asking if I knew that I'd just bumped into his car. Now I had the radio on quietly but I think I'd have known if I'd have "bumped" into another car. So anyway he's scribbling my reg down whilst I went to look at his car, there wasn't a mark on it.

He says he was sat reading his paper when I drove alongside him and he felt a slight bump? I'm still certain I didn't bump his car!!

So after looking at his car and mine and being unable to spot any marks he announced that he would need to look in proper daylight and would call me if there was any damage.
I still stand by not hitting him, I'd have known! I would have seen, heard, or felt something!

I gave him my number anyway, being certain that I'd not hit him, and there was no damage but he's just phoned to say there's a scuff on his bumper and I'm liable. He also said that it wasn't necessary to go through the insurance and that I could just pay for the re-paint.

This has set alarm bells ringing, I saw no scuff on his bumper, I'm still 100% sure I didn't even touch his car and there's no mark on my car.

AIBU to think that he's trying it on, I just can't understand why anybody would say somebody had hit their car when it was quite obvious they hadn't

It definitely sounds like he's trying it on. I wouldn't pay him anything. It sounds like a scam - could you notify the police?

Does sound very dodgy indeed. Tell him you'd prefer to do everything by the book as you contest that you actually hit him and you'd be happy to go through the police or whatever needs be.

Very strange, sounds like a scam. Never do it without insurance for something like this...

Sounds like you can expect a phone call along the lines of "you've done x damage, I can get it fixed for x amount so just pay me cash and you won't lose your no claims/pay an excess blah blah blah"
It's a pretty common scam, give him nothing. If he claims through insurance you can contest it anyway and if there's no damage he's not likely to do that, sounds like a total chancer!

Just inform your insurance company and let them deal with it. Don't deal directly with him anymore.

Just insist on goping through insurance

This is exactly the scenario why I put a dash cam in my car. The £60 it cost is a lot cheaper than an insurance claim.

Sounds like he's trying it on and I agree, insist on going through insurance.

It's baffled me if I'm honest, he was adamant I'd hit him, but his car's one of the big 4x4 kind it would have been impossible to miss! Think I'm just going to give my insurance company a ring and see what they suggest.

As others said.

There are some right rotters about. :(

And the other thing he said was that he was going away over Christmas, so it would be in the new year before he could get it repaired. He said he be in touch next month

It's a scam and not uncommon at all unfortunately. Car accident fraud is widespread. It ranges from this kind of little con to try to get you to pay up a couple of hundred or so to full on staged or invented multi-car accidents giving rise to multiple personal injury claims.

Insurers are trying to deal with it but it is hard to prove.

Did you take his registration details? I would call 101 and tell them what he's said, that you're certain you did nothing and so when he calls you in the NY you can say 'actually I've spoken with the police'. I think he'd go away then ....

I would just ignore him

Tell him you'll only respond to a solicitor then ignore him.
I really wouldn't inform insurance, they'll just up your premiums.

I would inform the police AND your insurance company that this man is claiming you hit him when you clearly didn't, and that you believe it is part of a scam.

I doubt this is the first criminal thing he has done.