Must Be Trying It On

[SpikeyBush]

Had a call at work today from a solicitor asking for my motor insurance details. Someone is looking to claim against me for personal injury. I don't know where they got my details from because I have never heard of them and did not have a car crash on the date they allege the incident took place. What do you suggest I do? Doing nothing and burying my head in the sand is not an option as I would only be found guilty in my absence of something I haven't done. I stalled the solicitor and haven't yet divulged my insurance details as I am smelling a big fat rancid rat.

[SpikeyBush]

Buenchico perhaps being found 'liable' would have been a better expression than found 'guilty'. My main concern here is if someone is making these allegations and I ignore them, it goes to court and I am not there to offer any defence. Then the next thing I know a big fat bloke in a van with a court order turns up at my house and takes away my car and big telly. So I need to sort this out through the correct channels pronto.

[SpikeyBush]

Thank you everyone for your advice and reassurances. After further liaison today with the solicitor it transpires that the alleged incident took place in Scotland. After offering evidence that I (and my car) was in Northern Ireland at the time no further action is being taken. But my question now is this. Obviously this is attempted fraud. is this something I should go to the Police with? Unlike those dodgy phishing emails we all get from Nigeria there will be a proper paper trail between the solicitor and the person making these false allegations, or the solicitor is as bent as a nine bob note (but research I did online would not suggest that).

[gness]

Can't answer your questions, Spikey.....but I followed your thread and am glad at the outcome.....a relief for you...x

[Davemano]

You obviously didn't ask the solicitor how he got your details, which I would have thought you should.

[murraymints]

I had something similar a while back..was supposed to have been in an accident in Manchester....dohhh....not been there since I was about 10 !

[SpikeyBush]

From the geezer making the false claim Davemano. He gave them my name, registration number and telephone number but Mickey Mouse insurance details. When the solicitor rang NFU Mutual and was told there was no record of me holding a policy with them they rang me to verify insurance details. I have recently moved house so there could also be written correspondence I haven't seen.

[Davemano]

Thanks for response - that makes it clearer.

[SpikeyBush]

So is it worth me going to the old bill to try and get this fraudster doing bird in the shovel?

[TonyV]

Spikes I just think you are having a Giraffe

[Davemano]

No harm in going to the Police, at least they will have it on record.

[SpikeyBush]

Mickey Mouse motor insurance scams featured on part of the Jeremy Vine show today on Radio 2. Heard on it about the Insurance Fraud Bureau. This scam has been reported to them. Splendid timing or what? And TonyV from the part of Essex I'm from it is "having a tin bath" and not a "Giraffe" ;-)

[SpikeyBush]

I thought I had heard the last of this but no. My car is registered to a weekend residence of mine in the Irish Republic. Got here tonight to find a letter delivered by registered post (no I don't know who signed for it either) from the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland. It goes on as follows:-
"We, the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland have been notified of a claim for compensation arising from an accident in United Kingdom on (date) involving vehicle registration (xxx). We have an obligation, under the provisions of the Internal Regulations between Bureaux, to ascertain the insurer and policy number for the vehicle at the time this incident occurred."

What The Funicular??!!??

Going to call my insurers tomorrow. Think I'm going to need the legal cover to tell these fraudsters where to go.

[SpikeyBush]

Your Answer...OK folks this is a warning to everybody. Anyone can get hold of your registration number and concoct a fictitious incident and the onus will be on you to prove your innocence. After spending considerable time yesterday evening with the Police Service of Northern Ireland for the purpose of retrieving CCTV footage, and going through my own benefit in kind financial records I have been able to prove that on the day I was accused of causing an RTC in Bromley, Kent, I was in actual fact in Belfast at 08:20 and Monaghan at 19:08. Even if I drove a DeLorean fitted with a flux capacitor, to do Belfast to Bromley to Monaghan in this timeframe would be a tall order. Now if it wasn't for these financial records and the need for me to fill my car up on the company fuel card on that date I would really have my work cut out. Having an alibi in Ireland at one end of the day might not be good enough but having one in the morning and evening pretty much puts me in the clear.