Is this a scam? Someone left a note saying I hit their car

Submitted by crd1992 t3_1274hok in personalfinance

I parked on a street outside a hospital last night, came back to a note in my windscreen saying “I Have notified how you parked your car beside mine. I have scratches on my front bumper bar, please tell me if you hit my car” with a phone number on it. I’m a bit confused because the parking is parallel so I don’t know how I could have hit their car without realising, especially their front bumper. I do have scratches on my car but these are old and was able to get out the car no issue so wasn’t too closely parked. Is this a scam? Seems an unusual place to do it (outside a suburban hospital at some point between midnight and 8am). I was initially going to contact and say I didn’t hit them but some of my friends say to just ignore?

72

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

TheBlackHock t1_jecikgq wrote

Maybe get a free rando number via Google voice and ask them to prove any damages? Ultimately—and I’m not endorsing being a scuzzball—if they can’t prove it and you’re sure you did nothing wrong, they can pound sand.

6

Werewolfdad t1_jecikjz wrote

Just throw it away. Karen’s gonna Karen

2

yes_its_him t1_jeciojm wrote

They asked, perhaps they are trying to figure out when they got scratched. If it wasn't you, you have no responsibility.

106

greyAbbot t1_jecl2cx wrote

I would just have written a note on their car saying "no".

But since you didn't do that and you didn't hit their car, I don't know why you need to do anything. They're not necessarily scamming you; maybe they just noticed the scratches for the first time and noticed you had some as well. Regardless, there's no upside to calling them and thus giving them your number.

By the way, you say that this seems like an "unusual" place to do this; what would you consider a "usual" place?

45

tony_boxacannoli t1_jecp63k wrote

The golden rules apply:

  • admit nothing

  • deny everything

  • demand proof

To me...it sounds like a scam...leaving a note on a random car ...by a hospital where people are generally emotional and maybe even praying and promising thier God they will be good.

I'd take it seriously if a policeman came calling...otherwise I would not respond at all.

....for all I know, that note blew away.

373

ncsumichael t1_jed0qka wrote

If you didn’t do anything, then do not text the number. I had a very similar thing that happened to me. I parked first and came out to her parked very close to me with a note on my truck saying I door dinged her. I reached out to let her know it wasn’t me and even sent pics showing where my door would hit her car (no where near the dent). She kept on messaging me getting more pushy and angry. I ended up just having to block her and now drive a different car to work just to avoid being targeted by this person.

Don’t do it.

3

Holein5 t1_jed3nxk wrote

Ignore it. If you know you didn't do it, then its not your problem. They could potentially use your number as evidence, for example, they call your insurance company and say you hit their car. Suddenly they have pictures, your name/number (possibly to say you gave it to them after it occured), etc.

Not worth the risk.

34

ibitmylip t1_jed63l2 wrote

ask at r/scams, if this is a scam they will give you all the details

11

crd1992 OP t1_jedd887 wrote

Replying to greyAbbot (#2,508,767)

It’s just quite a ‘rural’ area, I suppose I’m used to scams happening in city centres etc but this is in a distant suburb very late at night when raining etc, but yes not really sure what I mean by that haha

8

iNFECTED_pIE t1_jedjnel wrote

I had a guy try to accuse me of hitting his car in the parking lot simply because my car has lot of existing scratches. People are fun.

10

Itchy-News5199 t1_jednz0u wrote

I would suggest that you take photos of your car. And the area when you next are there. Also imo it’s kinda weird for them to think you hit them. if I hit someone’s car I would not just park there, I’d move! Good luck.

10

Ancient-Elk-7211 t1_jedqsc7 wrote

They saw you have some scratches and so when you call they are going to basically lie and say they can prove you scratched their car, then offer not to report it to insurance if you pay them cash. R/scams is good resource

3

yamaha2000us t1_jee37bi wrote

Do not call. If this person involves the police, you may need to make a statement. The statement can be, “I have no idea what he is talking about.”

27

ColonelKasteen t1_jeee04e wrote

Replying to crd1992 (#2,516,622)

People pull confidence schemes everywhere, not just in the city.

Ignore the note and move on with your life. If you didn't notice hitting them when you pulled in, that's it. You were there, they weren't.

25

gazevans t1_jeem0vp wrote

You could contact the police about it. 🤷🏼‍♂️

−4

PurpleSignificant725 t1_jeem4q0 wrote

Someone hit a car in our apartment lot and blamed it on us like... months later based solely upon there being a scuff on our car too. Had a cop show up at the door and everything. Just deny it and have everyone move on with their life

2

thisisdumb08 t1_jef07s8 wrote

Might find a lawyer. My friend was accused of hitting a car (he didn't he was on a plane at the time of the accident and his car hadn't moved in a month) and the police harassed him for hours at 3AM until he found a lawyer to call the station.

0

EnigmaGuy t1_jef8wx9 wrote

Probably a scam but who knows.

It’s overkill, but after a coworker had their brand new car hit twice in parking lots (looks like door dings) he now takes pictures of the cars he parks next to and their license plates, so if he comes out and sees a blue paint park on his door and there was a blue Escape next to him when he went into the store, he can file a claim that it was them.

I thought it was silly, but then he showed me a spot on the door where it was a perfect storm and location to get dented in right on a seam and the quote he got from his buddies work was still like $375 to fix it. I’d assume the deductible would still make it not worthwhile to pursue but who knows

0

sin-eater82 t1_jefc6rl wrote

>the parking is parallel so I don’t know how I could have hit their car without realising, especially their front bumper.

Parallel parking is when you are parallel to the curb/street, not to the other cars. I.e., one car in front of the other and you may have to park between the rear bumper of one car and the front bumper of another. So you could definitely hit somebody's front bumper parallel parking (with your rear bumper most likely).

Perhaps you mean the cars were parallel to each other? As in you pull into spaces that are side by side.

But if you didn't hit them, I'd ignore it.

1

AlphaTangoFoxtrt t1_jefc9h1 wrote

Ignore it. If they're serious they can file a police report and insurance claim.

99.99% chance they don't. And even if they do you just have to say "Prove it was me." since they can't you're off the hook.

1

Much-Bite-9284 t1_jeff5ya wrote

If the note says please notify them IF you hit their car then don’t notify them.

1

Whatever92592 t1_jefvsox wrote

Doesn't matter whether it's a scam or not. As mentioned here several times

You didn't hit their car.

Throw it away

1

albertpenello t1_jefyyru wrote

I had a lady do this to me once - I had an old 66 Buick and I parked next to her, and she came back saying I hit her. She was already parked when I drove up I have a big metal bumper and she's in a 90's plastic-mobile. NO WAY I touched her.

So I'll suggest the same thing you do that I did:

If you think you did something, take responsibility

If you think you didn't do it, honestly, then ignore it, and sleep well at night.

I take responsibility for mistakes I MAKE, but I"m not taking responsibility when I didn't.

1

ObservantWon t1_jegyqet wrote

Sounds like a random piece of trash paper landed on your car. Just find the nearest receptacle and toss it.

1