Drive way Cleaning scam - worried of repercussions

[FTMaz]

Hi all
cant believe I am writing this because of stupid myself and my partner have been.

we have just been scammed by travellers who knocked on the door to clean our drive. My partner is less ‘streetwise’ shall we say than me and he agreed £350 to clean the drive (it normally costs us around £450) with it needing doing he agreed and he noticed they were doing others in the street too. The man doing it knocked the door and then asked if we wanted the back doing, my partner agreed as the drive looked good.

anyway long story short at the end of cleaning they asked for £3000, my partner refused and they started making comments about the cars, my partners watch and the house which they would have clear view of from the back as is is all bifolds. my partner was talking to them for about 45 minutes about not be willing to pay the price whilst a van of 3 men drove up and down the street. My partner paid them £1200 which is obviously ridiculous but he said for the sake of them going away he would rather pay it ( we have a baby in the house too)

now before people tell me how stupid we’ve been trust me I know. But I am now extremely worried they will come back or worse break into the house. In my work I have worked with many traveller families and I have always found them to be decent people (albeit in my line of work they would require my help) and therefore I have never had a negative view of them or believe what people say. However after this I am now worried. Has anyone fell for a similar scam and did it just end there? A friend of mine said paying them was the worse thing because they will return and demand more money.

we have monitored cameras on the property which is a plus.

any similar experiences or advice please share!

thank you

Hi
thanks for your reply. I honestly didn’t think it was a police matter and to be honest I would be worried about repercussions if I called the police and they came to the house with them still there…this is how they work off fear isn’t it.

I did wonder if we could possibly reclaim the money through the bank considering it was fraud under intimidation. However as it was a direct transfer I don’t think you can.

if they do come back I will most definitely ring 999. My partner said the same and said there is no chance they think they will be getting anything else that’s why I’ve been worried about them maybe gaining entry to the house.

It isn't a scam Sharkless in so much as people fall for a scam. It's frightening people into paying more than the agreed price to prevent violence against them or damage to property. People are threatened and overpay.

Oh sorry I think I came across like I was having a go! 😂

they just make up a random number don’t they and then hope people are scared enough to pay it! The little lad did at one point say ‘you have to take into consideration fuel’ 🤦🏻‍♀️

Call your bank and explain - it's an unauthorised push payment. They can also trace it.

I know people who have had it recalled and got their money back.

You likely won't see them again - they will move on to their next victims.

That's awful OP. Sorry you've been conned and intimidated.
I had someone knock on the door and ask if I wanted new windows. I politely declined. Next day the window next to my dds bed (upstairs) was smashed. I assume with a catapult. Absolute scumbags. Dd wasn't hurt as it only smashed the outer pane of double glazing. I logged it with the police although they weren't interested and closed the case.

Oh really.. that’s useful to know. I will give it a go in the morning. When you make the payment it comes up with ‘are you sure this fraud’ and it’s like well yes I know it is but I need to make this payment anyway 🤦🏻‍♀️

There's no logic to it. They don't care about logic. They intimidate people

Oh my god that is awful! See you just don’t know what people are capable of.

It makes me really sad as I grew up in a council house on a very tough estate with very little (although my mum always seemed to worded miracles with the little we had!) you think moving to a nice area and living in a nice house will be better but since being here I just worry all the time!

What area are you in @FTMaz so others on here in the area can be on the lookout too

Yes, the door to door sellers travel around.

Midlands but I’d prefer to not say the specific area as I am worried of repercussions…although I know highly unlikely they will see this! I even posted anonymously on Facebook groups to warn people as I didn’t want them to know it’s me. I know I am probably massively over thinking it.

They’ve had “reality” tv shows about them on American television and they pull the same stunts here in the States.
They confess their misdeeds and laugh about them. On others, they showed their family life.
One particularly interesting and bizarre example was a show about their courting and wedding traditions.
It was like watching science fiction.

I’m very sorry you had to experience these people, @FTMaz— I’m glad it was only money they took from you.

You should definitely speak to your neighbour to check they’re ok. Don’t listen to your DH about them being embarrassed, how silly!

You’ll feel better if you speak to your neighbours and know that there’s a few people looking out to see if they return. I doubt they will though.

Oh yea we have those shows too - but I’ve never really liked them as I think that it’s not good to represent a whole community in that way and my first hand experience up until today had been fine!

thank you, this is exactly what my DH said that I should let it go as it was luckily just money….

I will do, I think my DH is a bit embarrassed too as I said previously he’s a big guy who normally wouldn’t be shy at telling someone to get lost but the circumstances meant he didn’t.

I don’t answer the door / talk to anyone I don’t know or expect.
I talk thru the door and see thru peep-hole.
I just say “no”

I don’t care if I seem rude, but anyone going door to door or randomly knocking has nothing to do with me.

Selling stuff
Raising money
Charity
Gas prices
Looking for your neighbor
Political door knocks
Anyone needing help, I can call 999 from inside

My life is RICHER for never answering,

Same here, unless I am expecting you, that door is never opened. Don't care who you are, or what you are driving, I simply don't answer, even of they knock on the windows and can clearly see me lol

My mum (a very funny single mum) used to tell the door knockers or cold callers on phone, that her husband, “Rocco” was in the garage doing various manly things with weapons - sharpening knives, cleaning his gun, boxing practice, chopping wood, oiling the chainsaw … can they come back later? They never did.

She also used to talk to a fictitious husband (Rocco, honey - what will you be having?) when ordering food for delivery.

As kids we used to also love to be in background saying “mum - don’t bother dad when he’s cleaning his gun!”